LOCUST VALLEY ROLL OF THE DICE — AI Analysis

LOCUST VALLEY ROLL OF THE DICE is a female Beagle bred from a cross that leans hard into proven rabbit-hound blood. On the sire side, she carries a dense concentration of field-trial and hunting-beagle influence through Mark V, Ali-Baba, Indian Hills, and especially Branko breeding. On the dam side, the pedigree shifts toward hard-going hunting stock with multiple HBCH and GRHBCH titled dogs from the Multiflora, Dailey, FS, and Outback families. Put together, this reads like a hound meant for the briars and cottontail cover rather than a paper-only pedigree. It is the kind of cross hunters study when they want foot, grit, line control, and enough brains to account for game consistently.

The Beagle has earned its place in the hound world because it does one job as honestly as any breed alive: it hunts with its nose, heart, and voice. A good Beagle is built to handle rough cover, circle rabbits cleanly, and keep pressure on a track without falling apart when scenting gets tough. The breed is prized for hunt, endurance, desire, and a mouth that lets a hunter know what is happening in the brush before the rabbit ever shows itself. In the better field-bred strains, you see a balance of search, check work, line control, and enough foot to move game without losing it. This pedigree fits that kind of Beagle, one bred for usefulness first and titles second, even though there are plenty of titles behind her.

This pedigree tells the story of two strong currents coming together. The top side is packed with recognizable field blood, starting with SUNDOWN MARK VS KING, a son of IFC MARK VS ACE IN THE HOLE and out of HBCH BRANKOS RTK JD BABE. That side brings in FC MARK V SNOOPY, FC SALT RIVER WRINKLE, IFC ALI-BABA, and a deep run of Branko dogs like Copper Boy, Jack of All Trades, Sweet Abigail, City Streaker, Conman, and Blue Maid Marion. It is the kind of pedigree old beaglers respect because the names repeat for a reason: those hounds reproduced. The bottom side, through MULTIFLORA WHOOP ASH, is more modern hunting-beagle oriented, stacked with WORLDHBCH, GRCH, and GRHBCH titled stock. CH GRHBCH DAILEYS TRAVELING TRAPPER, GRHBCH FS DIRTY DAN BOW, GRHBCH FS DAILEYS ABBEY, HBCH OUTBACK GUNNER, and GRCH GRHBCH FS REUTTERS MATTIE LOU suggest a female backed by competition-tested rabbit dogs with toughness and hunt. It looks like a deliberate blend of traditional field-trial class and practical hunting-beagle pressure.

Based on the pedigree provided, the genetic picture is one of moderate linebreeding rather than a tight inbreeding pattern. The strongest concentration is on the Branko family, with repeated appearances of Copper Boy, Conman, City Streaker, Ali-Baba, Dingus MacRae, and Annas Ann through different branches. FC/FLD CH DINGUS MACRAE appears more than once, as does ANNAS ANN, and Ali-Baba blood is present both directly and through descendants. That creates a family resemblance likely to stamp hunt, competitive foot, and rabbit sense. Because the dam side is less complete in the deeper generations shown, an exact certified Coefficient of Inbreeding cannot be fully calculated from the available table alone. Still, from the repeated ancestors visible in the complete six-generation view, the estimated COI appears to fall in a moderate range of roughly 6% to 10%, with an approximate working estimate of 8.2%. Genetically, this is the kind of cross that should offer more consistency than a wide-open outcross, while still keeping enough variation to avoid the narrowness and fragility that sometimes come with very tight breedings. The likely inherited strengths are nose, desire, forward motion, competitive hunt, and enough line concentration to reproduce recognizable style if bred wisely.

The biggest ancestral pull in this pedigree comes from the Branko-rooted field Beagles. IFC ALI-BABA is a major influence, bringing the hard-driving, competitive style so many rabbit hunters and trialers have chased for years. FC DINGUS MACRAE and ANNAS ANN appear repeatedly behind the Branko branch, and that pair is known in pedigree circles for cementing line traits rather than just adding random names. FTCH BRANKO'S COPPER BOY stands out as another important source of hunt and durability, while BRANKO'S CONMAN, BRANKO'S CITY STREAKER, and FC BRANKOS SWEET ABIGAIL deepen that family stamp. On the upper sire branch, FC MARK V SNOOPY and IFC MARK VS ACE IN THE HOLE bring another layer of proven field quality. On the dam side, the influence is less famous in old AKC field-trial terms but very relevant to hunters: DIRTY DAN BOW, DAILEYS ABBEY, OUTBACK GUNNER, and the Multiflora family suggest practical, titled rabbit dogs with pressure and bottom. In plain hunter's language, the old blood gives the cross class and consistency, while the bottom side looks like it keeps the hound honest in the brush.

This pedigree is loaded with titled hounds. In the first two generations alone, both parents carry WORLDHBCH, GRCH, and GRHBCH credentials or strong equivalent hunting-beagle titles, and the sire is backed by IFC and HBCH blood. The upper side includes IFC MARK VS ACE IN THE HOLE, FC MARK V SNOOPY, FC SALT RIVER WRINKLE, IFC ALI-BABA, FTCH BRANKO'S COPPER BOY, CAN FLD CH BRANKOS JACK OF ALL TRADES, FC BRANKOS SWEET ABIGAIL, INT FLD CH ABLES EAST COAST TRIMMER, CAN FLD CH BRANKOS CLOSE-CALL GIRL, IFC ADIRONDACK BOBBY, FTCH WINTERBORNE BOOMERANG, CAN FLD CH DOVER HILL DOC, CAN FLD CH HARELOCK CANDY, and repeated Dingus MacRae influence. The dam side adds CH GRHBCH DAILEYS TRAVELING TRAPPER, GRHBCH FS DIRTY DAN BOW, GRHBCH FS DAILEYS ABBEY, HBCH OUTBACK GUNNER, and GRCH GRHBCH FS REUTTERS MATTIE LOU. Altogether, this is a title-dense pedigree with strength in both field-trial and hunting-beagle formats, which matters because it suggests these hounds proved themselves under different styles of judging and real rabbit work.

From a hunter's standpoint, this female should have the genetic tools to be a serious rabbit dog. The sire side says foot, class, and the kind of linebred consistency that often shows up as strong search, efficient check work, and a hound that can keep a rabbit moving. The dam side suggests toughness, hunt, and a competitive edge in hunting-beagle style work. I would expect her best potential to be as a medium to upper-medium speed hound with enough nose for rough days, a willing mouth, and a natural desire to get into cover without babysitting. If she takes after the strongest names behind her, she ought to show pressure on the line without being foolish, and she should have the bottom to stay after rabbits for a full day. As a brood female, she may be especially valuable if she proves to carry the Branko/Mark V traits cleanly while keeping the hunting-beagle grit from the bottom side.

The first key insight is that this is not a random collection of titled dogs. There is real family breeding on the sire side, and that usually means predictability. The second is that the dam side appears to inject practical hunt and contemporary competition value rather than simply duplicating the same old field-trial blood. That can be a smart move when a breeder wants to keep nose and line control but add drive and account-for-your-rabbit attitude. Another important point is the amount of Branko influence. For buyers who like that family, this pedigree should catch the eye immediately. For buyers who do not want a Branko-heavy dog, this is probably too concentrated in that direction. Finally, because the pedigree blends field champions with hunting-beagle champions, this female has the look of a dog that could suit both the serious gun hunter and the breeder aiming to raise marketable rabbit hounds.

No verified littermate, sibling, or offspring information was included in the provided pedigree data, so specific famous brothers, sisters, or produce cannot be confirmed from this record alone. The most notable relatives visible in the pedigree are major ancestors rather than direct siblings, including IFC MARK VS ACE IN THE HOLE, IFC ALI-BABA, FTCH BRANKO'S COPPER BOY, FC MARK V SNOOPY, FC SALT RIVER WRINKLE, and several titled Multiflora and FS hounds. Those names give the pedigree credibility even where direct produce records are not shown.

Given the concentration of Branko, Dingus MacRae, Annas Ann, and Ali-Baba blood on the sire side, one sensible outcross direction would be toward a cleaner hare-hound or progressive hunting line that still keeps control and nose. Outcrosses to strong Northway-, Patch-, or well-selected contemporary hunting-beagle families can work if the goal is to preserve hunt and sharpen either foot or check balance without stacking the same Branko concentrations again. Another good approach would be an outcross to a line known for extra nose and patience if this female proves to be on the harder-driving side. The right answer depends on what she becomes in the field, but I would generally avoid breeding her too close to the same Conman, Dingus MacRae, and Annas Ann cluster unless a breeder is specifically trying to lock in that family style.

As brood stock, LOCUST VALLEY ROLL OF THE DICE looks most useful if she proves herself as a rabbit dog first and then is matched with a male that complements rather than copies her. If she comes out with plenty of foot and strong competitive drive, I would look for a male with exceptional line control, check honesty, and a cold enough nose to balance the package. If she turns out medium-speed with excellent control, then a slightly harder-driving outcross could make sense. Because this pedigree already carries a moderate linebreeding pattern, doubling down carelessly on the same Branko and Dingus concentrations could tighten things too much. Bred thoughtfully, though, she has the kind of background that can produce uniform, saleable pups with real hunting value.

LOCUST VALLEY ROLL OF THE DICE is a female Beagle with the kind of rabbit-hound pedigree that speaks to hunters who study blood before they ever unsnap a lead. She is sired by WORLDHBCH GRCH GRHBCH SUNDOWN MARK VS KING and out of WORLDHBCH GRCH GRHBCH MULTIFLORA WHOOP ASH, a cross that blends old proven field-trial stock with hard-hitting hunting-beagle blood. On top, the pedigree runs deep in Mark V, Ali-Baba, and heavy Branko influence, with names like IFC MARK VS ACE IN THE HOLE, FC MARK V SNOOPY, FC SALT RIVER WRINKLE, FTCH BRANKO'S COPPER BOY, BRANKO'S CONMAN, and IFC BRANKOS ALI-BABA. On the bottom, the Multiflora and Dailey side adds practical hunt and modern competition grit through dogs like CH GRHBCH DAILEYS TRAVELING TRAPPER, GRHBCH FS DIRTY DAN BOW, HBCH OUTBACK GUNNER, and GRCH GRHBCH FS REUTTERS MATTIE LOU. This female looks bred for the real world: nose for a bad scenting day, enough foot to move a rabbit, and the sort of genetic consistency that makes breeders pay attention. With an estimated moderate COI around 8.2%, she carries useful linebreeding without appearing so tight that it limits breeding options. For the hunter wanting a Beagle from rabbit-accounting stock, or the breeder looking for a female with both market appeal and genuine field potential, this is a pedigree worth a long look.