LEONARD'S RUN 'EM DOWN KENNELS

First off, my name is Rinard Leonard and I'm originally from Eclectic, AL but I now reside in Titus, AL.  I have been hunting rabbits since I was 9 years old and I absolutely love it.  I currently own 11 trained hounds and 4 in training (which are doing awesome in the field) and 5 puppies.  I thoroughly enjoy breeding, raising, and training young hounds.  I have been blessed with some outstanding hounds and they perform every time out(some days better than others though). The guys and I hunt various types of terrain throughout the year and that keeps our dogs ready for just about any type of environment.

I started trialing about 5 years  ago and my hounds are doing very well in the trials.  My hounds are what you would consider medium to medium fast hounds, that really understand what it takes to run a rabbit.  I am the President of the Mid Alabama Beagle Club located in Eclectic, AL. We currently have 10 active members and we would like to have more guys/gals join.  We do our best to host at least 4 club hunts and the Alabama State Hunt every year.  We are looking forward to making the club, the best one around.

I have been through a lot in my life and I can honestly say that I'm blessed to be in the position that I am in.  I lost my mother Evelyn Leonard, Uncle Johnny B Leonard and Uncle Robert Leonard (Bear) in the year of 2001.  In 2007, I lost my dad Claytie Roy Leonard.  I guess you can say it never ends, but we all have to leave this ole world one day.  My daddy and Uncle Robert always took time out to teach me about the outdoors and I'm sure glad they did. When I was old enough to finally start hunting with my own dogs, I actually challenged my uncle to a run-off.  Back in the late 80's early 90's, my uncle was known for his superior running beagles.  Uncle Bear really didn't pay any attention to the call-out but when I did it in front of a crowd, he had to respond.  Little did he know, I had assembled a pretty good pack of 5 dogs myself one of which came from him. So the day came where we both had to put up or shut up.  Uncle Bear came to my house and I loaded my dogs and we went to the running grounds.  We flipped a coin to see who was going to drop first and of course he won the coin flip. He dropped his pack of 7 beagles  around 6:30 and boy did he run the hair off of the rabbit. About 2 hours later, the rabbit finally lost the dogs and he called them in and he immediately started to brag (he had every right to) on them. As you know, I'm sweating bullets because he absolutely ran the hell out of the rabbit.  Since I called him out I had to produce. I turned Bo, Lassie, Spot, Lil Bit, and Fire Ball out. Bo (red bone and walker mixed) jumped the rabbit and the chase was on. Back then, I didn't know that the break down was called a check and I had 2 or 3 of them but it wasn't long until they had the rabbit going again. About an hour into the chase my dogs stop running and came out. Uncle Bear was laughing and joking because I didn't run as long as he did, but I did something that he didn't do. My dogs actually caught the rabbit and Bo had the rabbit in his mouth when they came out.  That was the very first time that my dogs ever caught a rabbit, but it could have come at a better time. Boy was  I happy, because I got to claim the victory over my uncle and that victory earned me the right to hunt my dogs with his. From that point on, I was always afforded the opportunity to hunt alongside my uncle wherever he went. I took great pride in my dogs then and I do the same with my dogs that I own now. After years of hunting those 5 dogs, my neighbor poisoned my dogs and I was left with nothing but a broken heart. I was out of the dog business for awhile, but I am back now.

 In 2001, I enlisted into the Alabama Army National Guard and I've served faithfully for 14 years in the service.  In April of 2010, I was promoted to Sergeant First Class and I now serve as the State Ammunition and Schools Manger at Joint Force Headquarters and I'm truly blessed to serve with some of the best Guardsmen and Airmen in the world.  

 I would like to thank Angie and Katelyn for always being there and taking care of the dogs in my absence. If it wasn't for them, my dogs wouldn't be in the shape that they are in.  Ladies and Gentlemen, I would like to thank you for taking the time to view my site.  I have a lot of work to do to finish it, but I'm heading in that direction.  Again thank you!!

Special thanks to all my hunting buddies and you know who you are.  Be Blessed and good luck this hunting season!!