We are pleased to offer the first-ever NBC Hunting Performance Test! It’s appropriate that this new event is offered at Aldie.
A Licensed NBC Hunting Performance Test is an event at which a Hunting Beagle Instinct (HBI), Hunting Beagle Novice (HBN), or Hunting Beagle Advanced (HBA) title may be awarded by the National Beagle Club of America (NBC).
The purpose of this event is to help not only identify which beagling lines have drive and natural ability, but also to help educate those who have little to no experience running and hunting over a beagle. This test was created to help breeders and handlers identify basic instinctual abilities required to hunt over their hounds. This test is non-competitive in nature. It is set up to help identify where your line may need improvement on its hunting ability through constructive feedback and the opportunity to network with experienced field beaglers.
Field trials, like AKC conformation shows, have dogs competing against each other for points; in contrast, this title judges the dog’s individual merits in the field. The reason in doing so is not to get an “easy title,” or take ANYTHING away from field trials. The idea is to improve the hunting quality in lines that may be lacking natural ability or have yet to be tested.
While field dogs are able to compete in this test, it is expected that a field champion dog would easily pass through the levels of this test. The idea is that a dog that can pass Levels 1-3 is a “functional hunting companion.” A dog who obtains an HBA title is a dog that the owner could successfully take out in the field to run rabbits and hunt over it.
This title is meant to be a safe learning environment for people who are not familiar with hunting over their hounds to get involved OR for people who are looking to see if their line has natural abilities. The goal is to improve the breed as a whole by keeping both form and function within the breed. This requires understanding from all sides of beagling.
Over the past 20 years we have been without an AKC dual champion beagle. To be a dual champion beagle you MUST complete both an AKC field and show championship. The Hunting Performance Test titles herein are not intended to act as an easy “dual purpose title.” The Hunting Performance Test titles are intended to help all lovers of the breed come together and create a more “ideal” beagle in both form and function.