Salmon Falls River Beagle Club

History

In the year 1950 some area hunters from both the State of Maine, as well as the State of New Hampshire gathered at the court house in the city of Rochester N. H. to organize a Beagle Club. The Club was incorporated in 1952 and the first officers of the club were Lewis Joy, President; Walter Cheney, Vice President; Dan Barber,treasurer; Valena Cheney, Secretary; with Directors, Frank McDonald,Carroll Joy, Robert Cheney, and Emmet Duffy.
At the time both registered as well as non registered beagles were allowed. The running area was situated in the town of Lebanon Me. on a parcel of land leased for a sum of money equivalent to the property taxes of that day, a value of fifty four dollars. The first name of the club was The New Hampshire and Maine Beagle Club but was later changed to The SALMON FALLS RIVER BEAGLE CLUB, taking the name of the Salmon Falls river that separated the two states, as being more suitable. Regular club meetings were held at various locations in the area and in 1956 the land that had been leased as its training area was purchased along with a small dwelling that existed on the property. The building was then used as its clubhouse and in later years was expanded to its present configuration. The funds that were used to purchase the property were raised by loans given the Club by its membership at the time, and later each member was paid back from the club treasury.

The first licensed trial was held in 1955 and the results of that trial can be seen below. Note that some of the breeding of the placing hounds were of show breeding, that being THORNRIDGE WRINKLES perhaps the most famous show beagle of all time and brace bred hounds such as WOODLAND, WARFIELD, WATATIC, RAHWAY.

80 AT SALMON FALLS RIVER October 22-23 1955

     The first annual licensed hare trial of the Salmon Falls River Beagle Club was held October 22-23, 1955 in Lebanon Maine. With ideal weather both days, good grounds and plentiful hare the trial was judged a success.
    V. Munsy's, Billy's Dolly placed second in her class and acquired enough points to complete her championship. She is the third Maine-owned hound to hold this coveted title.
    Judges were Richard Fennessey, Francis White, Edgar Raab, and George Colby. Marshalls were Ed Lavasseur, Harry keay, Willis Cole, Frank McDonalald, Emmett Duffy, and Dan Barber. Joseph Murphy was Field Trial Chairman and F.S. Brown the Field Trial Secretary.

RESULTS 13 Inch Bitches 21 Starters

PLACE	DOGS NAME	SIRE & DAM	OWNER & HANDLER
1ST	Claywood Mischief	Smokey Joe IV X Pastime Pastel	R.Grenier
2ND	Billy's Dolly	Jackson's Challenge X Wilkey's Rose II	V. Munsey
3RD	Woodland Melway Tweedie	Woodland Supernose Sam X Melway Tweedie	Smith & Tibbetts
4TH	Dotal's Midge	Rambling Rob's Choice X Rambling Rob's Midge	D.A. Whitehead
NBQ	Shore Drive Trix	Shore Drive Fire Raider X Shore Drive Bonnie Bird	R. Paul

RESULTS 13 Inch Dogs 16 Starters

PLACE	DOGS NAME	SIRE & DAM	OWNER & HANDLER
1ST	Watatic King	Bill's Spot X Watatic Cindy	Watatic Beagles
2ND	Dennis' Tommy	Birchmere Dispatch X Lizzy Tish's Beauty	R. Greenleaf
3RD	Hyatt's High Smoke	Warfield Red X Whirlwind Trixie	R. E. Hyatt
4TH	Claywood Lots-of-Fun	Woodland Supernose Sam X Rahway Way Valley Lonnie	Smith & Tibbetts
NBQ	Watatic Scot	Watatic Joey X Watatic Gracie	Watatic Beagles

RESULTS 15 Inch Bitches 18 Starters

PLACE	DOGS NAME	SIRE & DAM	OWNER & HANDLER
1ST	Bell-Aine Spot	Mt. Bugler's Pride X Cobble Mt. Tiny	Elaine M. Hall
2ND	Sampson's Bessie	Oakmars Niger Boy X True Betty	A. J. Sampson
3RD	Eastern River Silver Belle	Dry Creek Lineson X Billy's Dolly	V. Munsey
4TH	Hi-Cry Sheba	Broad Hill Tommy X Breezy Hill Pennie	G. Bowse
NBQ	Petersons Sall	Assinippi Jerry X Bate's Princess	A. Peterson

RESULTS 15 Inch Dogs 25 Starters

PLACE	DOGS NAME	SIRE & DAM	OWNER & HANDLER
1ST	Thornridge Masterpiece	Thornridge wrinkles X Scarlett of Dorm Lake	H. Denning
2ND	Mt. Buglers Pride	Mt. Bugler X true Girl V	W. Hall/Elaine Hall
3RD	Higgins Delicate Duke	Van's Big Joe X Sammy Midget	F. Brissette/ J. Vanadestine
4TH	Eight Lots robin Hood	Eight Lots Chips X Eight Lots Peggy	Clayton Smith
NBQ	Claywood Musket	Warfield Red X David's Daisy	L.Malin

   In the year 1963 the club decided to fence it's running area and a very popular member at that time Jim Tyler, headed up the project. A portion of the original parcel was subdivided and turned into what we call a puppy area with a land mass of approximately forty acres. Later another running grounds was leased for training and it too was completely fenced. Later (1999 or so) this leased property was purchased by the club making it the Club's third training area, completely fenced.

     Last year (2004) the Club held its 50th licensed trial and currently holds a spring time SPO trial on hare and a summer Large Pack trial on hare.

The first Field Champion made by a club member was in 1957, a hound named FOUR TEN CANDY owned by William Jordan. The last one is Fd. Ch. BABBITTS BROWN FACE owned by Butch and Sandy Babbitt on May 22, 2005.

     Over the years the club has held a number of upgrading projects from tree plantings, parking lot expansions, fence repairing, raising hare project, habitat improvements and various fund raising endeavors. Last summer (2004) a new fund raiser was tried, A YARD SALE and it proved to be very successful.

HISTORY UPDATE

After reviewing our History with older member Leo Cormier who joined the Club in 1950 it is believed that the club was actually founded in 1950,and organized in 1952.

Early in the 1990’s the members voted to log the now existing Club & Puppy areas.

The year after the logging operation the club planted approximately 2000 trees

During 2004 the New Area Parking lot was expanded. During 2004 – 2005 the old pallet trails in the Puppy and Club areas were replaced with Poles & Hemlock Boards in hopes this would last longer.

In 2004 the Maine Clubs were no longer allowed to purchase rabbits from Canada as was done for many years. This created the need for the Club to become more active in raising rabbits to preserve our existence.

Early this same year the club organized a Rabbit Replenishment committee, John Waldron, Andy Parks & Neal Smith volunteered to build breeding pens at their homes.

During the first year they raised about 30 rabbits.

Each year, thanks to John Waldron along with others rabbits are trapped and released into the running areas. In 2005 it was voted on that the club would aggressively work on placing new fence in all areas. The New area was in the greatest need of our attention so we started there, in 2006 we were able to have new fence in about ½ of this area.

In 2005 members completed the holding pen in the Puppy Area for raised rabbits to allow stocking of the Puppy & Club areas. Cinder blocks were placed in each areas fence allowing the rabbits to come and go as they wished. Video shots were taken and it was confirmed.

In September 2005 Club members voted to once again to log in the Club Area. Income from the project was $22,500.00. The logging operation was decided upon for major reasons. Income was need to complete the fencing in all areas with vinyl fencing Habitat projects along with Club upgrades

March 2006 members approved to replace the roof on the screen house with a metal roof; member Larry Leblanc completed the project.

Planting project for increased cover for existing rabbits was approved by the membership in 2006.

On EARTH DAY April 22,2006 500 Norway spruce were planted by 13 members in the area around the “RED” chair

In April 2006 members approved the Road to the Puppy Area be repaired for better access by members. Road was completed in May of 2006

During the summer of 2006 Dwight Raab & Mike Ricker headed up the cutting and splitting of cord wood for the club to sell as a means of income, it was sold at $175.00 per cord to Club members. This wood was saved from the cut in 2005 and resulted in approximately $2,268.00 profit to the club.

In September 0f 2006 the membership approved the pay off the New Area Land saving the club over $2,000.00 in interest.

September 2006 club member Kevin Brenier improved the area between (removed stumps, rocks etc.) the clubhouse and the Puppy Area road allowing better access for members and people attending our trials. Also club member Larry Leblanc installed the three new doors in memory of club member Sam Dumais

In October 2006 club members voted to accept a five year lease ($150.00 per month rent) with the Springvale Fish & Game allowing them to use our clubhouse facility for their meetings.

In October of 2006 an article written in the Maine Sportsman (“Rabbit Trapping Free For All”) caused the State Of Maine Warden Services to stop issuing club Rabbit Trapping Permits for 2007 until proper Legislation was in place. A Legislation bill was presented through a committee formed on behalf of the Maine Beagle Clubs.

In December of 2006 long time club members Annie Johnson (Sandra Barcombs’ Mother) and Tom Sharp were inducted into the Large Pack Hall Of Fame.