ACHA/WCCHR News

Garry Hopkins
P.O. Box 133
Thomaston, Alabama 36783
Ph: (334) 627-3533
e-mail: GHOPKINS@gulf-states.com

Hello fellow coon hunters, as I write this article the World hunt and show is three months away, but, as you readers read this article, the World is just a month away. Hope you who want to attend the “Longest Running” World hunt and show have made your plans as I am sure the members of the Hector, Arkansas club (host for this year’s World) are in the final stage of getting everything ready for the hunt and show which will be held at the Atkins, Arkansas rodeo grounds.

Before I go any further with the article, I want correct a typo in the December article;

“Dew” Earl Parker’s little walker female was listed as the Opposite Sex World champion.

The Opposite Sex World Champion was in fact Berle Shoulders’ walker female, “Pac Rat”. “Pac Rat” was handled in the hunt by Gabe Sechrest. Sorry about the typo Berle.

Moving on, as everyone knows and as was reported in an earlier column, long time President of the Association, Arlie Weddington stepped down as our president. Arlie served our great association for many years and along with Mr. Bob Johnston and Mrs. Opal Johnston was ACHA. This month’s article will run a bio in tribute to Mr. Arlie and all the hard work and dedication he put into the Association.

Mr. Arlie was born February 22, 1942 at Flat Creek, Bedford County, Tennessee. His parents were Leroy Clay “Jack” Weddington and Barbara Elizabeth “Betty” (Smith) Weddington. They instilled in Arlie the values of honest, integrity and doing what was right. Arlie was the ninth child of ten, seven boys and three girls. One brother and one sister died at a very young age. Arlie grew up on a farm and from an early age he helped with the farm chores and work. He learned many valuable lessons through working alongside his father following a mule, hoeing tobacco and caring for the animals. Also, he developed the talent of climbing over gates and fences very speedily t escape the wrath of a mad mother sow. He always wanted to go everywhere with his father, whether it be to the store, to town, to the stock market, the field or the woods. You might say he followed in his father’s footsteps. Arlie started hunting with his father before he was six years old. Perhaps it was here that he developed his knowledge of dogs and his love for coon hunting.

Arlie started to elementary school at Flat Creek and later went to several schools in Franklin County when the family moved to that county. This was during the time when there were lots of small county schools. One school that Arlie attended was destroyed by a tornado (a very humorous story of which he still loves to tell to this day. His tale is that is why he is so dumb??? today because the tornado came and blew all of the books away). Two other schools were closed because there were not enough students attending to keep the schools open. Later he was able to attend a much larger elementary school and while there he was awarded the American Legion Good Citizenship Award.

Arlie enrolled as a freshman in Franklin County High School but later transferred during the year to Moore County High School in Lynchburg, Tennessee where he graduated in 1960. When Arlie was a freshman, his agriculture teacher took his classes to Nashville to the state fair. The teacher permitted the boys to smoke on the bus and Arlie decided he would buy himself some cigarettes and smoke like all the rest of the boys. When he got home from the trip that afternoon, he was careful to hide his remaining cigarettes at the barn. In the house that night, he tried to stay clear of everyone as much as possible to they would not smell the smoke on him. On one mentioned smoking and he was happy that he made it to bed without anyone detecting the smoke on him and finding out that he had smoked earlier in the day. BUT, the next morning when he put his pants on, he felt a piece of paper in his pants pocket. His curiosity was aroused but he would not take the paper out until he was alone by himself. When Arlie did get alone by his self, he took out the piece of paper and found it to be a note from his mother who managed to slip it into his pants during the night. The note told him how disappointed she was that he had smoked and how she had thought she was going to have one son who did not smoke. Neither Arlie nor his mother ever mentioned the note or smoking and he decided right then, if it meant that much to his mother and hurt her that much, he would never smoke again and he never did or has since.

Arlie has always had a good sense of humor, witty and a little mischievous. All of his life he has played pranks on people and told tales which even though at times sounded unbelievable, you could not tell whether they were the truth or just another ‘tall’ tale that he had created. One of his favorite books he loved as a child and grew up to enjoy reading to his children and now grandchildren, was The Jack Tales, a book that probably has inspired some of his ‘tall’ tales. One of his favorite movies, that he still watches from time to time, is “Where the Red Fern Grows”. A very toughing movie about a young boy and his love for his tow coon hound puppies and coon hunting.

Arlie’s first real job was working in a pants factory where he met his wife of 43 years. He and Nancy married in 1962 and have two children (Debra and Clay) and two grandchildren (Megan and Nathan) whose mother is Debra Smith. As many of you know, Debra ran the registry office until a few months ago before relinquishing the office duties to Sherry Parker.

In 1966 Arlie went to an ‘Auction’ School in Fort Smith, Arkansas. He began his career that same year as a Real Estate salesman/Broker/Auctioneer. Somewhere around 1980, he was asked to announce his first horse show for the Spotted Saddle Horse Breeders & Exhibitors Association (SSHBEA). A friend of his was holding a small show at his farm and needed his help. He accepted the challenge which has led to a 25 year career of which he has thoroughly enjoyed. His one small show in 1980 went from various small weekend shows to now an every weekend event, along with the opportunity to announce the SSHBEA Spring Show and the SSHBEA Championship Show, a ten night event held each Fall. He has held that position for many years and counting. Also, during this time, Arlie was asked to act as auctioneer for many “horse auctions” sponsored by SSHBEA. Arlie was inducted into the Spotted Saddle Horse Breeders & Exhibitors Hall of Fame in 2000 -2001. Arlie has devoted many hours of work and has been very helpful and supportive of the “Ladies Auxiliary” and the SSHBEA “Youth Group”.

Arlie won the first ACHA Little World Hunt in 1972 in Eaton, Ohio with a dog by the name of “Weddington’s Duke King”. In 1973, “Duke” was the UKC Tennessee State Champion which was held in Nashville, Tennessee. In 1974, Arlie and “Duke” claimed 2nd place in the ACHA World Hunt held in Pine Bluff, Arkansas and that same year, he took home 2nd place at the Grand American hunt held in Orangeburg, South Carolina with a dog named “Buck”. Arlie has had the honor of placing five different times in the ACHA World Hunt during his hunting career. He served on the ACHA Board of Directors for 28 years before retiring due to health related reasons. Twenty-four years of this twenty-eight tenure; Arlie served as Chairman of the Board. Arlie has been awarded “Sportsmanship of the Year” twice and was more than honored to accept the “Dave Branthoover Memorial sportsmanship Award” in 1997. In 2000 Arlie was presented with a plaque commemorating of attending the ACHA World Hunt thirty straight years. His ACHA World Hunt attendance has now grown to thirty-five straight years.

Arlie over the years was faithful to ACHA and worked diligently to keep the American Coon Hunters Association alive and solvent. Arlie’s leadership and tenacity will be sorely missed by all who support this association. On behalf of the American Coon Hunters Association, the Board of Directors and the association’s members, I want to say “THANK” you Mr. Arlie. THANK YOU for all your hard work and faithfulness. THANK YOU for being Arlie Weddington, farm boy, husband, father, prankster, story teller, auctioneer, announcer, land broker and hunter.

I want to thank all of you who have called, written and e-mailed me the past month.

That is about all I have for this month, but I would like to remind those who have not made plans to attend the “Longest Running” World hunt and show with their favorite hound, do so now, don’t wait too long as the 27th of March is just around the corner. The date for the World is March 27th through April 1st.

I will close with this Thought to Ponder:

“Character may be manifested in the great moments, but it is made in the small ones”.

-- Phillip Brooks

Until next month; God Bless.
Check Mail Compose