![The 2015 ARHA/NKC Little Pack World Hunt champion beagle Hammer Down Cat Country Cricket with her trophy and friends. Pictured L-to-R: Tyler Warren, Gabe West, Todd Troutman, handler Bryant Howard, Amanda Wright, owner Josh Wright and Everett West, Jr.]()
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![The 2015 ARHA/NKC Little Pack World Hunt champion beagle Hammer Down Cat Country Cricket with her trophy and friends. Pictured L-to-R: Tyler Warren, Gabe West, Todd Troutman, handler Bryant Howard, Amanda Wright, owner Josh Wright and Everett West, Jr.]()
The 2015 ARHA/NKC Little Pack World Hunt champion beagle Hammer Down Cat Country Cricket with her trophy and friends. Pictured L-to-R: Tyler Warren, Gabe West, Todd Troutman, handler Bryant Howard, Amanda Wright, owner Josh Wright and Everett West, Jr.[/caption]
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On April 12, a 16 year-old dream finally came true for Josh Wright of Beaver Dam when his 3 year-old beagle Cricket won the champion class at the 2015 ARHA/NKC Little Pack World Hunt held in Boonville, Ind., April 9-12.
The ARHA/NKC has 170 clubs all across America that have sanction field trials for beagles and the World Hunt is the granddaddy of them all.
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![Beagle owner Josh Wright and handler Bryant Howard celebrate after their dog Cricket won the 2015 ARHA/NKC Little Pack World Hunt in Boonville, Ind., last weekend.]()
Beagle owner Josh Wright and handler Bryant Howard celebrate after their dog Cricket won the 2015 ARHA/NKC Little Pack World Hunt in Boonville, Ind., last weekend.[/caption]
"Winning the World Hunt is like winning the Super Bowl, the World Series, the Masters, the Daytona 500 and the Kentucky Derby all in one when it comes to the beagle world," Wright said.
There were a total of 614 entries at this years World Hunt with 233 entries in the champion class.
The dream all begin back in 1999 for Wright when he and his late grandfather L.C. Nanney started their kennel Hammer Down Beagles and began to participate in field trials. Over the years they have made 13 bench show champions, 10 field champions, five grand field champions (Cricket's win made her the fifth), won two state championships and won almost 40 trials.
Until last weekend, they had never been able to make the top ten at the World Hunt.
"We got real close in 2002 and tied for 10th, but lost a coin flip," Wright said.
In the little pack trials the dogs are judged on their ability to jump and run a wild rabbit in a cast of five dogs that run for one hour with the winner of the cast advancing on to the next round.
Wright's beagle, Cricket, had to win four cast at the World Hunt with the semifinals and finals being running back to back.
"It is still hard to believe that we won and with my grandpa passing away in December and my buddy and handler Bryant's mom suddenly passing away last year it made it bitter-sweet and, needless to say, there were a few tears shed." Wright said.
Josh's wife Amanda, their nephews Little E and Gabe and friends Tyler and Todd were also there for the finals.
"This is truly a dream come true and I was so glad to have all of them there to share it with me" Wright said.
Beagle owner Josh Wright and handler Bryant Howard celebrate after their dog Cricket won the 2015 ARHA/NKC Little Pack World Hunt in Boonville, Ind., last weekend.[/caption]
"Winning the World Hunt is like winning the Super Bowl, the World Series, the Masters, the Daytona 500 and the Kentucky Derby all in one when it comes to the beagle world," Wright said.
There were a total of 614 entries at this years World Hunt with 233 entries in the champion class.
The dream all begin back in 1999 for Wright when he and his late grandfather L.C. Nanney started their kennel Hammer Down Beagles and began to participate in field trials. Over the years they have made 13 bench show champions, 10 field champions, five grand field champions (Cricket's win made her the fifth), won two state championships and won almost 40 trials.
Until last weekend, they had never been able to make the top ten at the World Hunt.
"We got real close in 2002 and tied for 10th, but lost a coin flip," Wright said.
In the little pack trials the dogs are judged on their ability to jump and run a wild rabbit in a cast of five dogs that run for one hour with the winner of the cast advancing on to the next round.
Wright's beagle, Cricket, had to win four cast at the World Hunt with the semifinals and finals being running back to back.
"It is still hard to believe that we won and with my grandpa passing away in December and my buddy and handler Bryant's mom suddenly passing away last year it made it bitter-sweet and, needless to say, there were a few tears shed." Wright said.
Josh's wife Amanda, their nephews Little E and Gabe and friends Tyler and Todd were also there for the finals.
"This is truly a dream come true and I was so glad to have all of them there to share it with me" Wright said.