FD. CH. Covington Cocoa Star (pro 13)

	Star, After a January Rabbit Hunt

To really understand my fascination with this 12 ¾" dynamo, you have to go back a few years. I was judging the AKC Lic trial at Tokeena Beagle Club, I believe the year was 1996 but it could have been 97 We worked our way through the little males ( I believe we had 80 to 85 that day,) patiently putting together the best dogs we could find. After a long gruelling first series, we quickly moved through second series before looking at two outstanding packs of hounds run in third series. Once third series was complete we called out our seven dog winner's pack. I don't remember the first three dogs we removed from the pack but the hound we placed fourth turned out to be a young dog later to be known as FC Coleman's Controllers Kid. That left us with three hounds. We ran on and finally got to a brace. The hounds were later known FC D and W's Wright Line Ozzie and a Male who ended up being killed by a Coyote while he had just two wins. Oh yah, the third place dog. He was a super nice young hound who I later found out to be named Double M's Cocoa Bear.

Skip ahead a season (I was doing a lot of judging at the time) and I found my self at the Tuckasegee beagle club judging the lic trial. Down to the winners pack and there are two familiar hounds, the Kid, and this Double M's Cocoa Bear. I believe Kid was first and the young bear ended up 2 nd that day. Well time marches on, young dog gain experience and get better at there trade. I hear about this great little hound in the Tennessee area with a win or two named Double M's Cocoa Bear. The next season I see Bear and he has really developed into a great hound. This time he has the title FC in front of his name.

I tell you the story of FC Double M's Cocoa Bear so that you understand how I felt when in 2001 I saw a beautiful young hound owned by Tom Covington run in the winners pack at Tarheel Beagle clubs Lic trial. Seems this nice black and tan Tom has is out of none other than FC Double M's Cocoa Bear. Well I watch the winners pack with interest as I know the judges are quality houndsmen and have some really nice dogs down. Tom's little male does a good job but he is still to close and doesn't have enough experience to handle that winners pack so he ends up getting picked up sixth. Tom tells me the little male is already an AHRA Gundog pack Champion and 2000 AHRA Gundog Pack hound of the year.

Turns out, Tom was not as patient as he should have been and sold his little male Covington Cocoa Star to Mr. Jerry Johns. Well Jerry is a good friend of mine and only lives about an hour away. I immediately started working on Jerry, we made a few rabbit hunting trips together and I got to see what Star was really about. Just as I expected, Star was the real deal! He was still young and reminded me so much of his sire FC Double M's Cocoa Star when he was younger. During all these weeks while I'm watching and hunting with Star I tell my friend (more like a father) Doug Grant about Star. Doug thinks I should buy Star but I was short on Cash at the time. Doug agrees we can be partners so we rush to Jerry's and negotiate a buying price of $1500 for the young Star.

Scott, Doug and Jeremy with Star after a Feb 05 Hunt

Well, this is where Star's life changed. He had been run some, he's even been hunted a few times with Jerry and me, but he had never been run like we were about to run him. All spring and summer Doug ran star. Almost every day. Once hunting season was in, I started gunning him. These all day hunting trips really hardened Star. He became so good at his tasks it was not uncommon for the pack to run a rabbit until the rabbit would cramp and be caught by the dogs. He was run so much we thought we'd need to have his tail removed as he slung blood all over his sides. We were afraid he might start to skirt the briars in an attempt to get some relief for his bear tail.

Well the next trial season arrived and I was off to Norway Beagle club. I believe there were 83 13" males that day and Star was first place. A few weeks went by and I made the 5 hour trip to South East Georgia Beagle club where Star managed another first place (out of maybe 60 dogs.) The next trip was over to Sand hill Beagle club where Star came up 2 nd place out of 80 dogs. The next trip was to Foothills beagle club's lic Gun dog brace trial where star put on a performance and finished for his AKC championship.

One more thing, Star's tail finally hardened to the point it really didn't bleed much and he never did start to skirt the briars.

Star's Pedigree (click to enlarge)