Q&A Meet Billy Bobbitt, president of the National Beagle Club

BY JAMIE MARSH
PHOTOS BY NATHAN MARSH

After retiring from a career as a public defender in Staunton, Billy Bobbitt became a full-time beagler and president of the National Beagle Club. He lives at Web Hill Farm near the Augusta-Rockbridge county line with his wife Mandy.  They each own a pack of beagles. Billy’s is called Glenbarr; Mandy’s is called Bedlam. All together, the Bobbitts sometimes care for as many as 60 hounds—a feat that other beaglers say is remarkable.
Shenandoah Living caught up with Billy during the NBC’s spring trials in Aldie. He had just finished two days of events, competing with people from around Virginia, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Ohio and Florida.

SL: You’re obviously fond of beagles. Why?
Billy: I’ve always had beagles, ever since I was a boy, but now I guess you could say I’m more fanatical. I enjoy the hounds and the sport. Beagling is cheaper than fox hunting, but still most people aren’t willing to maintain a large pack because of the work and expense.

SL: What does a president of the National Beagle Club do?
Billy: I attend a lot of beagling events and show competitions, and I answer a lot of questions about beagles, mostly people who are considering a beagle as a pet.

SL: Is the Shenandoah Valley a good home base for this?
Billy: Most of the action is concentrated in the Mid-Atlantic, so Rockbridge is a central location to travel to events. The national-level competitions are mostly held at the National Beagle Club’s farm [in Aldie]. This is the epicenter, where we have land reserved for beagling competitions. It’s only a couple hours drive, so it works well. On an individual level, the Valley provides plenty of open space for the hounds to hunt, a long season of mild weather, and we have good relationships with many of our neighbors who allow us to hunt on their properties.

SL: Why do you and Mandy keep two separate packs of beagles?
Billy: Mandy’s pack was organized in Lynchburg in the late 70s.  At the time, I was just considering an entry into the sport. I called her for some advice. She was very helpful, and one thing led to another.

SL: So you met through beagling?
Billy: Yes. We each had out own packs before we got married. We just decided to keep two, rather than argue.

SL: Has Uno’s prestige had any impact on the popularity of beagles? [Uno was Best in Show at the 2008 Westminster Kennel Club dog show.]
Billy: Naturally people have been more aware of beagles as pets. We’re calling 2008 ‘the year of the beagle.’ Uno actually stopped in the Valley just a few months before he won.  We saw him in a show in Fishersville. We were quite fond of him then.

SL: Are beagles good pets?
Billy: They’re happy little creatures—loyal, loving, and intelligent—but foremost they are scent hounds. I always tell people that a beagle can smell hundreds of times more powerfully than we can. Their natural instinct is to put their nose down and go where it leads, so it’s important to have a safe area where they can wander.

— J.M.