Finley River Chief
Breeding Today For Hounds Of Tomorrow!
1950's
By the 1950's the wild coon hunts were starting to catch on. People were becoming more interested in the registered hound and large hunts like the Mountain Music Hunt and the ACHA World Championship were becoming an important part in the coon hunting world.
The American Coon Hunters Association World Hunt was fast becoming the hunt that made people famous. It was the only World Coon Hunt Championship and any dog could enter it. In time it would become the hunt everyone wanted to win.
With the ACHA World Coon Hunt rising to becoming the most important hunt in our sport it helped with the popularity of the Treeing Walker Coon Hound.
In 1951 a walker dog named THE INCREDIBLE ROCK won the ACHA World Championship. Just two years from WHITE RIVER BOONE being the first walker to win it in 1949. Then again in 1952 INCREDIBLE ROCK won the World Championship again. As these walker hounds were winning these big hunts, also was the interest in the Treeing Walker Coon Hound rising.
Each year the hunts became more important and more people were getting interested in the registered dogs and the competition events. A walker hound didn't win the 1953 or 1954 ACHA World Hunt, but in 1955 things were about to change.
The American Coon Hunters Association World Hunt was fast becoming the hunt that made people famous. It was the only World Coon Hunt Championship and any dog could enter it. In time it would become the hunt everyone wanted to win.
With the ACHA World Coon Hunt rising to becoming the most important hunt in our sport it helped with the popularity of the Treeing Walker Coon Hound.
In 1951 a walker dog named THE INCREDIBLE ROCK won the ACHA World Championship. Just two years from WHITE RIVER BOONE being the first walker to win it in 1949. Then again in 1952 INCREDIBLE ROCK won the World Championship again. As these walker hounds were winning these big hunts, also was the interest in the Treeing Walker Coon Hound rising.
Each year the hunts became more important and more people were getting interested in the registered dogs and the competition events. A walker hound didn't win the 1953 or 1954 ACHA World Hunt, but in 1955 things were about to change.
In 1955 along came a man named Merchant and a dog named Bawlie that were forever going to change the coonhound landscape. In 1955 James Merchant won the 1955 ACHA World Championship with MERCHANT'S BAWLIE, that year he also won the ACHA World Show Championship. Also in that same hunt BIXLER'S SUPREME SALLY (Finley River Chief's mother) was 1955 ACHA World Champion Female.
When MERCHANT'S BAWLIE hit the scene it seemed like he was wining every big hunt he was put in. With every big hunt won and every year passing the interest in the Treeing Walker Coon Dog kept on growing and expanding. Again in 1956 MERCHANT'S BAWLIE won the ACHA World Hunt. Then one more time in 1958 MERCHANT'S BAWLIE won the ACHA World Coon Hunt Championship. The two years he was entered in the world championship that he didn't win it, he placed in the top 5.
When MERCHANT'S BAWLIE hit the scene it seemed like he was wining every big hunt he was put in. With every big hunt won and every year passing the interest in the Treeing Walker Coon Dog kept on growing and expanding. Again in 1956 MERCHANT'S BAWLIE won the ACHA World Hunt. Then one more time in 1958 MERCHANT'S BAWLIE won the ACHA World Coon Hunt Championship. The two years he was entered in the world championship that he didn't win it, he placed in the top 5.
Red Dolan bought Bawlie from Merchant before the 1958 World Championship. He raised many pups out of Bawlie and Incredible Rock females.
in 1959 MERCHANT'S FANNIE won the ACHA World Championship. Fannie was a daughter of INCREDIBLE ROCK. So in the 50's the WORLD COON HUNT was held 10 times and was won 6 times by the walker hounds. The Treeing Walker Coon Hound was well on their way to becoming the most popular breed of coondog.
in 1959 MERCHANT'S FANNIE won the ACHA World Championship. Fannie was a daughter of INCREDIBLE ROCK. So in the 50's the WORLD COON HUNT was held 10 times and was won 6 times by the walker hounds. The Treeing Walker Coon Hound was well on their way to becoming the most popular breed of coondog.
CHAMPION INDIANA BOONE BOY
MACK TWAIN
The impact of MACK TWAIN can easily be seen if you research some of the threads of what is called different strains of the Treeing Walker Breed. It would be hard to find any dog that has more threads back to the famous hounds of the walker breed then MACK TWAIN. An example is check on all the members of the TREEING WALKER BREEDERS and FANCIERS ASSOCIATION HALL OF FAME. With the research I have done I say it would be hard to find ANY dog that goes back to more Hall Of Fame members then MACK TWAIN.
HERSHBERGER'S SPOT JR.
Don't overlook the impact this dog had on the Treeing Walker Breed. Check out two of his sons. STAN'S SAILOR BOY and HERSHBERGER'S OKLA. SPOT. Sailor Boy is noted for the SAILOR Strain and then the YADKIN RIVER strain. Then check all the threads with Okls. Spot especially with the cross of HERSHBERGER'S TEXAS BABE. A daughter of HIRAM WALKER and a grand daughter of MACK TWAIN.
CHAMPION NITE CHAMPION MOTLEY'S MO. MAJOR
One of the top hounds of his day that is found in many of the top hounds pedigree.
NITE CHAMPION SHETLER'S SONNY BOY
The sire of many coon hounds but the most famous FINLEY RIVER CHIEF.
1951 ACHA WORLD CHAMPION 1952 ACHA WORLD CHAMPION
INCREDIBLE ROCK
1955 ACHA DUAL WORLD CHAMPION
1956 ACHA WORLD CHAMPION
1958 ACHA WORLD CHAMPION
MERCHANT'S BAWLIE