The Bitchline By David Bagaley PDF DOWNLOAD

The BitchlineIn the early 1960’s, the young Beaglers hailing from theLawrenceville area of Pittsburgh, PA, began to feel comfortablewith their established club grounds located in Culmerville(Gibsonia). These gents, Joe Brender, Harry Sweeney, HermanPalumbo and several others, started many a Beagle pup bydropping it over the stone wall of the Allegheny CountyCemetery --- allowing for a quick sight chase on a cottontailrabbit.When the boys later gathered at Central Beagle Club, the thirdoldest AKC Member Club, the competition with their houndssoon became hot and heavy. Herman Palumbo wasted littletime before he ordered a Beagle to meet the growing challengeof AKC competition. When the shipping crate finally arrivedand was opened, he immediately thought he had been taken.Harry Sweeney asked, “Where did you get that skinny runt?”Herman went to work, running and training his little bitch.He named her CLIFF’S FRECKLES, out of Field ChampionCLIFF’S RUSTY and CHENOKA SUNNY. The sire and damgave a double cross of PEA RIDGE SANDY and Fld. Ch.DOC’S MOLLY. FRECKLES soon began to draw the attentionof all the competitors in and about Central Beagle Club.Those repeatedly going afield with this open-marked bitchbecame more and more impressed with her running ability.Dated September 1, 1963, P.B. Everett, then Secretary of theAmerican Kennel Club, issued Championship papers forCLIFF’S FRECKLES, HA-280528. Herman Palumbo did notstop there. The following year FRECKLES became TheUnited Clubs Field Champion. Pressing on, F. C. CLIFF’SFRECKLES won the Pennyslvania State Grand FieldChampion title, followed by the award of Field Champion ofField Champions. An Outdoor People photo hangs on the wallof the clubhouse at Central. Next to this photo hangs the TopDog Award presented by Joy Dog Food Co. to HermanPalumbo and his dog, CLIFF’S FRECKLES.The story continues. We’ll never know if Herman Palumboknew the dogs in FRECKLES pedigree or if he simply trustedthe breeder. Regardless, FRECKLES was bred to F. C.WILKIE’S RED TOMAHAWK. H.P. Herman Palumbo quicklycampaigned and finished (Fld. Ch.) H. P. CLIFF’S GOLDIE.A cross of the PLEASANT RUN and TWINK-L-HILL bloodlineswas successfully brought into the mix. The story does notend there but only gets better ….By David S. BagaleyJackpine BeaglesHerman Palumbo was on a roll. Hesoon took Fld. Ch. H.P. CLIFF’SGOLDIE to Fld. Ch. VERHINE’SADAM. This brought the blood ofthe famed WILCLIFFE BOOGIEand the popular PEARSON CREEKSTUTTERING SAM (by ARGOBOBBY) into a growing and glowingred pedigree. A houndsman by thename of Elmer Schleiden had takennotice and was following every stepin this most successful breeding program.It was time for him to getinvolved. Elmer purchased a female pup out of the ADAM xGOLDIE cross. He named her PINE VALLEY GOLDIE.PINE VALLEY GOLDIE soon demonstrated a powerful nosecombined with exceptional line control and close check-workingability. Her mouth was superb with a booming voice bearingdown on every track. At one point, as a young neophyte atCentral Beagle Club, I came to realize that “blowing holes inthe ground” was an expression of reality for this excellent fieldtrial performer.Elmer Schleiden would literally pack his lunch and spend thewhole day training his hounds. On one very hot day in mid-July I watched a rabbit burst out of the brush and sprint fiftyyards down the center of the dry dusty access road. Soon twohounds, GOLDIE and one of her sons, tracked out, made aninety degree turn in the middle of the dust-covered road ….PINE VALLEY GOLDIE and her son nailed every track ---no twisting, no spinning, no wavering or floating. One behindthe other they pounded each set of tracks with a sledge-hammerdelivery that truly blew out the dust from both sides of thetrack. Junior likely did not find the same heavy fresh scent onthis stretch as they tracked, one behind the other. Line controlfor both hounds appeared natural with no lost motion. Turningoff the road was smooth and decisive.Records show that Fld. Ch. PINE VALLEY GOLDIE won theInternational Futurity, 15” bitch class. She went on to bedeclared Grand Champion of Champions. For H.P. this was “allin the family.” For Elmer this was the beginning of “greatexpectations.”Elmer Schleiden bred his GOLDIE to F.C. PEARSONCREEK BARBARIAN producing F.C. PINE VALLEYQUEEN. He then crossed QUEEN with F. C. DICKIE’S ARTyielding F.C. PINE VALLEY BEAUTY II. BEAUTY II wastaken to F.C. PIN POINT SAM. This line breeding producedF.C. PINE VALLEY SAMANTHA.Needless to say, these (FC) Field Champion titles were notautomatic, given or taken for granted. Lots of packed lunches--- days, weeks, months and years were devoted to training thehounds. Elmer had a small “starting pen” and started each litterof pups as soon as possible. He did not keep lemon andwhite or blonde pups. Black blanketed tri-colored hounds gothis attention. For Elmer, the line-breeding required that heframe his pedigrees and hang them in his office. He bred for

nose and mouth. His common denominatorfor linebreeding became F.C. DICKIE’SSYNDICATE.Fld. Ch. PINE VALLEY SAMANTHA wastaken to Fld. Ch. WIND CREEK LIMBO.This breeding produced PINE VALLEYJEWEL .The fact that JEWEL never finishedcould be viewed as the end of a fabulous bitchline. Not exactly. The line breeding was to becontinued and compounded.JEWEL was bred to F.C. CRABTREE’SCHAN. From this breeding came PINE VAL-LEY CHAN. PINE VALLEY CHAN was abig fifteen-inch male. He was the epitome ofdecades of breeding the best hounds in a wellplannedand superbly orchestrated line-breedingprogram. CLIFF’S FRECKLES was theresult of inbreeding a Field Champion bitch.Compounding the best qualities of high caliberbitches and dogs over many generationsproduced the exquisite PINE VALLEYCHAN.This miniature foxhound was soon started andgave the same classic performance in the field that Elmer hadcome to expect. However, two strikes were likely posted on theboard. For one thing, CHAN was a male. Secondly, he was an“Official AKC Fifteen Inch Male.” This hound was released byElmer Schleiden at an interesting point in his life. Havinginvested a lifetime in the sport --- competing with Beagles inAKC field trials --- he sold PINE VALLEY CHAN to a youngDon Sudac. Don knew what he had and what he spent. He soldCHAN to a friend, Barry Tierney. Barry, in turn, sold the greatCHAN to Dave Herchenroether.At this point I can say, “the great CHAN.” Dave and hisfather, Blair, a mentor to many, always campaigned hounds ina grand fashion. To wit, Dave entered PINE VALLEY CHANat the International and was awarded a Fourth Place. One of thejudges at the event offered to buy CHAN and was shocked, nodoubt disappointed, to find that no dollar amount would allowfor the purchase of PINE VALLEY CHAN. CHAN continuedto be a spectacular performer. Fld. Ch. PINE VALLEY CHANwon fourteen AKC-Sanctioned field trials in a row. He receivedan NBQ in one event where the gallery was found to be standingon the line at the gate into the running grounds.F.C. PINE VALLEY CHAN produced many good houndsover the years. My favorite was F. C. JACKPINE JEB. But thatis another story. Instead, let me put a wrap on this. The consistentand potent line breeding described herein is the reasonfield trial hounds perform as they do.We need give due respect to the standard of performance ---well written over a hundred years ago. Thank you JamesMcAleer and all the pioneers who envisioned and recorded thestandards for the Beagle breed. Hats off to all the breeders,competitors, and judges who recognized and repeatedlyaffirmed the qualities of our AKC field trial Beagles.F.C. PINE VALLEY CHANPINE VALLEY JEWELF.C. PINE VALLEY SAMANTHAF.C. PINE VALLEY BEAUTY IIF.C. PINE VALLEY QUEENF.C. PINE VALLEY GOLDIEF.C. H.P. CLIFF’S GOLDIEF.C. CLIFF’S FRECKLESCHENOKA SUNNYF.C. DOC’S MOLLYWhen breeders of hounds speak of a “bitchline,” I believethe above is what they visualize.