THE BLOODHOUND HUNT CLUB was formed at the end of the nineteenth century by a breakaway group of the Association of Bloodhound Breeders, which had formed a few years previously. It ran working trials and shows, and flourished until the second World War put a stop to most dog activities. However, the then treasurer maintained its title fees and after the war it was reformed - again by a breakaway group! The Bloodhound Club emerged with the word ‘hunt’ dropped from its title.
After lying dormant for a few years until its funds accumulated, the Club ran its first show in conjunction with other scent hound societies. So began the Hound Association. After holding our open and championship shows within other general shows, in the early 60's we gradually began to run our own events. Annually we now run a championship show and two open shows.
In the mid sixties, the Club became active on the working side, running a monthly training day and then a Novice Stake, building this up to the present day, where we run two championship five day events, two members' stakes (by invitation to the most successful hounds) and several training days during the year.
However, our activities do not end there. In the early nineties we started an active programme of research into our hereditary problems, starting with epilepsy helped by Dr. Malcolm Willis and continuing with entropion helped by Dr. Peter Bedford who has attended us on several occasions in order to test members' hounds' eye conformation. And we have further research plans for the future. These will of course be helped considerably by the remarkable recent progress in recognising DNA. These research projects can of course only be carried out by the active co-operation of our members, and have been met by the enthusiasm and participation of most bloodhound owners and breeders who are concerned for the future health of our breed. To prevent the breed from becoming over-exaggerated, with the co-operation of the ABB, some thirty years ago we revised our colourful breed standard, which had been in existence since the previous century, making small but significant changes to its wording. This exists today.
We run a welfare section - luckily seldom used as our member breeders are most selective in the use of their stud dogs and their prospective puppy owners in accordance with our code of ethics, and try as far as possible to ensure good sympathetic homes.
Our activities also extend to running seminars for the benefit of our members and those outsiders who aspire to judge our breed, and have a sub-committee specifically to assess those who wish to appear on our judges' lists. The Club actively participates in the Kennel Club's Discover Dogs, manning and decorating our stand on all days of Crufts and also in the summer in London, and members will do similar sterling work promoting the breed at country fairs. We even won the breed stand competition at Crufts for three years running!
We publish a regular magazine and newsletter, now in beautiful colour, to keep members in touch with Bloodhound events and opinions. Our membership is worldwide, Russia included! And our committee is always open to owners and prospective owners for help and advice. All these activities are of course only made possible by the tireless efforts of our committee and other members of the Club, who give of their time and energy unstintingly.
Bobbie Edwards