Sporting Hound Trial Grounds - Highland, Utah
AMERICAN FOXHOUND CO LLC maintains a purpose-built hound trial ground and training ground at 11124 N 6000 W, Highland - 84003-9438, United States (US), where field clubs gather to lay scent, run braces, and judge hounds on an honest line. The grounds are mown in measured lanes, the kennel run is fenced and drained, and every trial day is staffed by stewards who know the order of the card. Clubs book the field, the run, and the trail bay together so that a full trial can be walked from first cast to final rosette without leaving the property.
See the full grounds service listThe grounds registry
Every club that comes to Highland books a small number of working arrangements rather than a vague block of time. The registry below sets out the six services that keep a hound trial running in order, from the first mown lane to the last day of grounds maintenance.
Reserve the full field for a sanctioned trial day, with mown lanes, marked casts, and an assembled start line. The hire covers the field itself, the parking apron, and access to the trail bay for the duration of the card.
Grounds hire detailsBook a morning or an evening on the training run for introductory work and conditioning. Hounds are walked in short braces on clean ground before they are asked to hold a line in front of a judge.
Run booking detailsScent lines are laid to the order of the club, with flags placed along the lane and the drag marked at both ends. We agree the line length, the direction, and the age of the line before the ground is closed.
Scent line detailsStewards are supplied to keep the card moving and to hold the paperwork in order while judges watch the fault and merit of each hound. The support covers marshalling, timing, and the rosette board.
Judge support detailsA season pass holds a set number of trial days and training runs across the calendar year. Clubs receive the same lanes, the same start line, and the same stewards on every visit.
Season pass detailsScheduled maintenance days keep the mown lanes true, the fences tight, and the kennel run drained. Clubs may join a maintenance day to learn how the field is prepared between trials.
Maintenance detailsAMERICAN FOXHOUND CO LLC opens its spring trial calendar to affiliated field clubs, with trial days and training runs released in the order that booking requests arrive.
How the ground is kept
A hound trial is a test of the hound, not a test of the ground. Our work is to make the ground so consistent that judges and handlers can trust what happens on it. That means the same lane widths, the same cast distances, the same flags at the same corners, and a kennel run that is cleaned and drained before every booking.
The property at 11124 N 6000 W is laid out around a central mown field with a fan of lanes leading away from the start line. Each lane is cut to the same width so that a brace can be followed on foot without losing sight of the hounds. Between the lanes, the rough grass is left standing as a margin, which gives the flag crews a place to work without crossing the running line. The field drains toward the creek side, so a wet morning does not turn the lanes into mud and can usually be run after a short delay.
The kennel run sits along the west edge of the property, close enough for quick access and far enough that the noise of a trial does not unsettle hounds waiting their turn. The pens are built with solid lower panels and open upper rails, so a hound can see the field without being able to work itself up against the fence. The run is swept and disinfected between bookings, and the drain is checked as part of every trial day setup. Water is available at both ends of the run, and shade cloth is set out through the warm months.
The trail bay is the working heart of the property. Judges wagons are parked at the back of the bay facing the field, and the rosette board stands within sight of the finish so that awards can be handed over without a long walk. A hunt bench runs along the bay for handlers who are waiting for their brace, and the bay gives stewards a clear view down the lanes. The whole arrangement is deliberately simple: nothing in the bay competes with the field for attention.
We keep a written card for each booking. The card records the lane set, the number of braces, the scent line plan, the stewards assigned, and any notes on ground conditions. When a club returns the following season, the card is used to rebuild the same day as closely as the weather allows. Clubs that trial regularly tell us that this predictability is the most valuable part of the ground, because it lets them coach their hounds against a known standard rather than a field that is different every time.
The people who keep this ground work with field clubs all season. We know what a trial secretary needs before the first cast and what a judge needs at the finish line, and the ground is set up for both.
A club that books a trial day is not simply renting a field. It is inheriting a setup that has been rehearsed many times: the lanes are cut in advance, the start line is marked, the stewards know their posts, and the trail bay is clear. If something changes, the club hears about it before the day rather than on the morning.
A single booking contact, a written card for the day, and stewards who arrive early enough to walk the field before the first brace. We confirm the lane set and the scent plan in writing before the ground is closed.
A clean start line, a clear view down each lane, and a finish that is easy to mark. Judges wagons are parked in the trail bay, and the rosette board is within reach so that results are posted without delay.
Shade at the kennel run, water at both ends, and a hunt bench where a handler can settle a hound before a brace. Training runs can be booked separately so that young hounds meet the field before a trial day.
Season passes hold the same lanes and the same stewards across the year. Maintenance days give clubs a way to learn how the ground is prepared and to help keep it true between trials.
The order of a trial day
A trial day on this ground follows a steady order. The club sets the card, we prepare the field, and the stewards keep the day moving so that judges can concentrate on the hounds.
The morning begins well before the first cast. The field is walked for hazards, the lane markers are checked, and the kennel run is swept. Stewards collect the cards and confirm the draw with the trial secretary. Judges are shown the lanes and the finish, and any change to the scent plan is agreed on the spot. By the time handlers arrive, the ground is ready and the order of the day is settled.
During the trial, each brace is released from the start line and followed down a single lane. Flags mark the corners, and the finish is held by a steward who records the time and the result. Between braces, the lane is checked and the next pair is brought forward. The pace depends on the number of entries and the conditions, but the structure of the day does not change: cast, follow, judge, record, and move on.
At the close of the card, results are posted on the rosette board in the trail bay. Awards are handed over at the board, and the club is given the completed card for its records. Handlers who wish to walk the lanes after the trial are welcome to do so, and many use the last hour to show younger hounds the ground in a quiet moment. The field is then closed and prepared for the next booking.
Bookings and access
Trial days and training runs are released in the order that requests arrive. A request is not a booking until the date is confirmed in writing, but we answer every request within one working day so that clubs can plan their calendar without waiting.
The simplest way to begin is to send a message through the contact page with the club name, the preferred date, and the kind of day you have in mind. If you are unsure whether you need a full trial day or a training run, say so, and we will suggest the arrangement that fits the size of your entry. For clubs that trial regularly, a season pass is usually the better route because it holds the same lanes and the same stewards across the year.
We keep the ground to a small number of bookings each week so that the lanes are not worn and the run is properly cleaned between clubs. That means popular dates fill early, particularly in the spring. If a date is already taken, we will offer the nearest alternatives and explain what each one changes about the day. The aim is to give every club an honest picture of what is available rather than to fill a calendar.
Access to the property is from 11124 N 6000 W, Highland - 84003-9438, United States (US). Vehicles park on the gravel apron beside the trail bay, and trailers are asked to keep the turning circle clear. Handlers should arrive with enough time to settle hounds before the first cast. If you need to reach us before a booking, call +12409025815 or write to support@americanfoxhound.autos.