By John Howell Sr.
 Batesville Civic Center Director Roy Hyde and Panola Partnership CEO Sonny Simmons told city officials that preparations for the UKC Winter Classic weekend are on schedule.

“It worked real well last year, and I expect this year will be bigger,” Simmons said. “We’ll send out a notification like we did last year to all members so that if they want to put out specials or coupons or discounts at their businesses,” Simmons said.

Hyde said the BCC schedule includes the Panola County Livestock Show this weekend, the Northwest Mississippi District Livestock Show Jan. 16-18, followed by the Winter Classic Jan. 24-26.

“Everything in order for the coon hunting event?” Alderman Stan Harrison asked.
“Yessir,” Hyde replied.

The BCC Director said that “the weather has kind of stung us on the RV lot,” preventing its completion in time for this year’s Winter Classic.

The United Kennel Club brought its Winter Classic coon hunt and bench show to Batesville last January, after 25 years in Albany, Ga. The organization had sought a more centralized location further west, but still in the Deep South, where milder January temperatures—and prime coon hunting–would help draw participants from all over the country for the event, one of the premier hunts sponsored by UKC.

Last year’s Winter Classic set a record for the event, with the biggest bench show and the biggest nite (sic) hunt ever, UKC president Wayne Cavanaugh of Kalamazoo, Mich. said.
In March the UKC announced its intention to return to Batesville.

“We’re coming back to Batesville next year and for more to come,” said UKC vice president of corporate operations Tanya Raab. “The hospitality shown to us by the community accompanied with the outstanding hunting and club support made it an easy decision.”

About 1,000 registered coonhounds, with their owners, handlers and families, came to town the weekend of January 25-27, 2013.

The City of Batesville’s tourism and economic development tax receipts increased 18 percent that month, with local officials attributing the spike at least in part to the Winter Classic.
Panola Partnership CEO Simmons estimated that the event pumped $1 million into the local economy.

The upcoming night-time hunts, in which the trained canines are judged on their ability to track and tree raccoons, will be spread all over North Mississippi. Volunteers from area coon hunting clubs will serve as guides.

 The bench shows, in which purebred hounds are judged on physical attributes and conformity to breed standards, will be held in the Civic Center arena January 24-25 and are open to the public.

In addition, vendors will be on hand with an array of hunting-related equipment, supplies, clothing and art.