By Rita Howell

Despite inclement weather up north that kept some coon hunters from making the trip to Batesville for the UKC Winter Classic over the weekend, UKC officials described the event as a success.

In all, 883 registered coondogs participated in the nite hunts Friday and Saturday, and 213 well-groomed hounds were shown in bench shows at the Batesville Civic Center over the two days. 

Eager wait-listed hunters quickly filled the slots from the snowed-in no-shows for both nite hunts. 

Lower-than-usual temperatures last week were blamed for some lackluster coon hunting on Friday night, but after Saturday’s milder weather, the coons were moving Saturday night, hunters reported.

A six-year-old Treeing Walker from Arkansas, “The Outsider,” owned by Tyler Young, 26, was named Overall Winter Classic Nite Hunt Champion after he scored a combined 1,200 points in the Friday and Saturday hunts. Young said he had hunted in Panola County Friday night and in Marianna, Ark., Saturday.

The dogs are scored on trailing and treeing raccoons, but no firearms are allowed. 

About 90 area coon hunting club members served as guides as four-member casts were assigned to hunting locations within a 100-mile radius of Batesville.

Ronnie Stark of Water Valley coordinated the guides.

For the bench shows, seven different coonhound breeds were judged on physical attributes and conformity to breed standards.

The overall winner was “Captain,” a two-year-old Plott Hound owned by 18-year-old Nathan Boyter of Jaoquin, Texas.

Throughout the weekend, UKC staff and out-of-town hunters and exhibitors were complimentary of the Batesville community and the Civic Center facilities.

“I just want to commend your community for the great job you’ve done,” an Ohio hunter said as he was departing the Winter Classic Sunday. “Everybody has been so nice. If nothing bad happens, we’ll be back.”