One benefit of membership in the BHCA is the opportunity work earn Club-sanctioned titles and awards for dogs and humans. The Awards Committee chairperson keeps track of all basset hounds completing the requirements for AKC titles as reported in the AKC Gazette. Awards are sent to all BHCA members who own these hounds. Member hounds finishing titles and members who achieve longevity awards are also published in Tally-Ho.
The Awards Committee chairperson tabulates all sires and dams who have offspring finishing AKC championships (conformation and field) during the calendar year. The BHCA members owning the sire and dam producing the greatest number of offspring finishing AKC titles (conformation, obedience, and field) for the previous year are presented with the Top Producing Sire and Top Producing Dam awards at the BHCA Annual Meeting & Dinner in October.
The title Register of Merit, with initials “ROM” following a Basset Hound’s registered name, designates a sire that has had seven offspring finish AKC titles, or a dam who has had five offspring finish AKC titles. The Register of Merit chairperson tracks of all sires and dams who have offspring finishing AKC titles in conformation, obedience, field trials, tracking, or agility. BHCA members who own these hounds are given an award at the BHCA Annual Meeting & Dinner in October.
Hounds owned by BHCA members that compete in multiple AKC and BHCA venues may become eligible for these titles, which include: Versatility Certificate (VC), Versatility Certificate Excellent (VCX), Versatility Certificate Master (VCM), Grand Versatility Certificate (GVC), and Grand Versatility Certificate Excellent (GVCX). For the first three titles, the hound must achieve increasing number of points derived from titles in at least three of the following five specified disciplines: (1) conformation, (2) field trialing/hunting, (3) tracking, (4) agility, (5) obedience/rally, (6) scent work.
Grand Field Champion
This award is earned by BHCA member hounds who compete in the Champion class at field trials. To earn this BHCA title, a hound must accumulate 20 points from the champion class per the set schedule of points based on entry. A title certificate is presented to the BHCA members whose hounds have qualified the previous year at the Spring Eastern Regional Field Trial held on Memorial Day weekend each year. These dogs may use the title Grand Field Champion in BHCA advertising; this title is not yet recognized by the AKC.
Award of Merit
At our National Specialty show each October, the judge of the Intersex competition may give Award of Merit recognition to those dogs – other than the dogs awarded Best of Breed, Best of Opposite Sex, and Best of Winners – that he/she feels are deserving of extra regard. The number of Awards of Merit that can be presented at an event are defined the Club guidelines but are a maximum of five (5). The award consists of a special rosette and an invitation to Crufts Dog Shows in the United Kingdom.
Life Membership
Life membership is awarded to those BHCA members who are and have been voting members in good standing for at least 25 cumulative years, are at least 55 years of age, have made an outstanding contribution of service to BHCA as an officer, board member, and/or committee person, and who through participation in a variety of activities have made a significant, positive contribution toward promoting the perfection of the natural qualities of the purebred Basset Hound. The Life Membership Committee is appointed by the Board to select the nominees and the Board then makes the final selection each year.
When an individual or household achieves a milestone in number of years of membership in good standing they are awarded special pins. BHCA currently awards 10, 25, 40 and 50 year pins of increasing value to recognize long term commitment to the Club and its mission. Pins are presented at the Club’s Annual Meeting and Dinner in October.
Members who did not receive their 10 year pins may contact the Corresponding Secretary.
