The 2022 National Specialty will be held in and around Rockford Illinois from Thursday, September 29th through Friday, October 7th, 2022.
The week will include tracking, hunt performances tests, field trials, scent work, agility, obedience and rally, Futurity/Maturity, conformation, a Basset fun day, and member and health education. Two specialty shows will also be offered.
Come join us for a celebration of our Basset Hounds' accomplishments in all these venues!
The theme for the 2022 BHCA National Specialty is “The Basset Hound - In a League of Their Own”. This is a take-off from the movie, “A League of their Own.” The movie was a fictionalized account of the real-life All-American Girls Professional Baseball League (1943). One of the teams was from Rockford, IL. They were called the Rockford Peaches. The Today show (April 1, 21) did a feature on Professional Women Baseball Players. Work is being done on a museum in Rockford. A special thank you to Anne Lind for the design and layout.
New to all this?!?
Are you a first time attendee/handler to the BHCA Nationals? If so, please contact Jean Dietrich via email or by phone at 312-810-4077 for information on our mentor program. We want to make sure you get all your questions answered, meet people, and want to come back again! Welcome!
JOIN US FOR THREE
NATIONALS WEEK
SPECIAL EVENTS
Monday night, 6 PM
Join us for the Annual Welcome Party at the Sportscore!
Pick up your Welcome Bags
Enjoy baseball themed foods
Watch "A League of Their Own" on the flatscreens
Play baseball themed games for prizes!
Wear your favorite baseball team shirts, costumes and uniforms - best display wins a special prize!
Wednesday after dog judging
Health and Member Education joint presentation on using health testing to improve our breeding programs and the health of our beloved breed!
Presentation will be followed by Swab Clinics with discounted rates for:
Lafora
Thrombopathia
Primary Open-Angle Glaucoma
Chondrodystrophy and Intravertebral Disk Disease Risk (CDDY-IVDD).
Severe Combined Immunodeficiency Disease, X-Linked (Not currently seen in Basset Hounds)
See details on the swab clinic, and on options to test your dogs at home, on the Health Committee flyer - ORAL SWAB Genetic testing at the Nationals 2022
Wednesday Night, after the Health and Welfare Presentation
BHCA HURL-A-HARE
Help support the BHCA Foundation's mission of Basset Hound Health, Rescue and Education by participating in this fun event!
Hurl plastic bunnies at the target. Closest team or individual wins and splits the pot with the Foundation!
Refreshments and lots of extra prizes for creativity, team spirit, etc...
Register yourself or your team by email to Mimi Tysseling, or on site at the event!
Host Hotel
NEWS BREAK! The Host Hotel - Riverview Inn and Suites - is now AT CAPACITY.
We have obtained special rates at the following two overflow hotels:
(1) The reservation link for the Comfort Inn in Rockford is: https://www.choicehotels.com/reservations/groups/tb01w3
The hotel phone number is: 815-398-7061
Rate is $89/night with a $20/per pet/per night non-refundable pet fee.
This would be a good choice if you do not have dogs coming with you.
(2) The second overflow hotel is the Days Inn, Rockford.
Click here for the Days Inn reservation link.
The room rate is $59.95 for a queen or two doubles for $69.99 with a per fee of $5.00 per pet, per night.
Call the hotel at 815-332-4915 and mention Basset Hound Club of America for the special rate.
Schedule of Events
| Date | Event | Location | Miles from Show Site |
| Thursday 9/29 | Tracking (TD TDX Track laying) | Forest Preserve District of Kane County | 35 |
| Friday 9/30 | Tracking (TD, TDX) | Forest Preserve District of Kane Cty | 35 |
| Hunting Performance Tests | No. Illinois Brace Club | 10 | |
| Saturday 10/1 | Field Trials | No. Illinois Brace Club | 10 |
| Basset Fun Day | Mercyhealth Sportscore Two ** | Show Site | |
| Tracking (TDU, VST Track Laying) | No. Illinois University, Dekalb, IL | 42 | |
| Sunday 10/2 | Tracking (TDU, VST) | No. Illinois University, Dekalb, IL | 42 |
| Field Trials | No. Illinois Brace Club | 10 | |
| Scent Work (2 trials) | Alpine Hills Park ** | 9 | |
| Minn/St Paul BHC Specialty | Mercyhealth Sportscore Two ** | Show Site | |
| Monday 10/3 | Ft. Dearborn BHC Specialty/Obedience/Rally | Mercyhealth Sportscore Two ** | Show Site |
| Welcome Party | Mercyhealth Sportscore Two ** | 8 | |
| Tuesday 10/4 | BHCA Nationals Obedience/Rally | Mercyhealth Sportscore Two ** | Show Site |
| BHCA Nationals Sweepstakes | Mercyhealth Sportscore Two ** | Show Site | |
| BHCA Futurity/Maturity | Mercyhealth Sportscore Two ** | Show Site | |
| Wednesday 10/5 | BHCA Dog Classes | Mercyhealth Sportscore Two ** | Show Site |
| BHCA Health/Research and Member Education | Mercyhealth Sportscore Two ** | Show Site | |
| Thursday 10/6 | BHCA Agility | Forest City Dog Training | 4 |
| BHCA Bitch Classes | Mercyhealth Sportscore Two ** | Show Site | |
| BHCA Annual Meeting | Mercyhealth Sportscore Two ** | Show Site | |
| Friday 10/7 | Judges Education | Mercyhealth Sportscore Two ** | Show Site |
| BHCA Intersex & Jr Showmanship | Mercyhealth Sportscore Two ** | Show Site | |
| Annual Dinner | Riverview Inn & Suites | 8 | |
| Saturday 10/8 | Board Meeting | Riverview Inn & Suites | 8 |
** Rockford Park District – Clean Air Ordinance
The Clean Air Ordinance prohibits smoking entirely at Park District Facilities, parks and any Park City Property. This includes the Alpine Hills and Sportscore sites. Smoking will be allowed in personal cars.
Questions? More information will be coming soon. In the meantime, contact the Nationals Show Chair Richard Nance.
Any problems with the Nationals webpages or purchasing Nationals goods in the store? Please contact the Sylvie McGee, the Nationals Web Wrangler!