Team One - Karen Highley
How hard it is to say in 200 words or less what an amazing Basset CH CT Bridi's Oliver O'Hokieland, HH is. I, not enjoying breed showing, but do it for my hounds' breeders, got his breed CH over and done with quickly by the time he was a year old. Now to tracking, I knew Oliver was good when he did his TD in 6 minutes on March 28, 2004, that's moving for a Basset. Oliver took to TDX and VST tracking easily due to having been trained on all surfaces from the start and because he enjoyed the added challenges. Oliver finally passed his TDX on October 2, 2005 after 6 tries but 2 of his failures, in my honest opinion, weren't his fault. One the judges blew the whistle too soon and the 2nd, Oliver couldn't find his articles in the 3 inches of snow that fell and was still falling as we tracked.
Oliver showed me he clearly preferred VST tracking by passing his VST test on his 2nd try on October 8, 2006, which we really consider his 1st try since on his actual 1st try Oliver had a small stream running towards him on his start leg due to the monsoon that hit all weekend. The scent, what was left, was washed towards him and behind, and he couldn't get started. I promised Oliver that upon earning his CT he could go chase the rabbits. Two weeks after earning his CT Oliver was entered in his 1st Hunt Test. For a hound that had never been allowed to chase rabbits, Oliver not only amazed myself but his breeder as well by qualifying for his Hunting Hound certificate. Now we hope Oliver will go on to finish his Hunt Test certificates which will earn him his Versatility certificate & compete in Field trials for the honor of becoming the 1st Basset to earn the title of Triple Champion. I have been owned by Bassets for over 30 years and married a wonderful retired Electronic Engineer. It was a Milo Pearsall workshop that got me hooked on tracking. To date my hounds and I have earned 17 TD's, 10 TDX's, 2 CT's, 5 UDT,s, 6 CDX's, 8 CD's, 6 CH's & 1 HH.
