Mickey Sergio, Jr. is the New AKC Representative
By Larry Lee, BraceBeagling Editor
April 18, 2004

Mickey Sergio, Jr. This photo was taken during the Heartland Federation April 11, 2004.

One can quickly tell by the smile on his face and his positive demeanor as he talks to the various beaglers that new AKC Representative, Mickey Sergio, Jr. likes what he is doing. He feels right at home among those in the sport that he loves the most—brace beagling!

Mickey officially began his new job February first of this year. He retired January 15 from his old job as an electrical engineer and immediately flew to the American Kennel Club’s headquarters in Raleigh, North Carolina to begin discussions with the AKC before officially beginning this new job.

Mickey Sergio, Jr. comes to this job well prepared. He has previously fulfilled the duties as a licensed trial judge, a club field trial president or secretary, president or vice president of a federation and a BAC representative in the world of brace beagling. In his new responsibilities his official title is Senior Executive Field Representative. But to brace beaglers he will remain just plain Mickey, a man who loves the sport of brace beagling.

Mickey says he likes the condition that he finds brace beagling in at the present time. Regarding this he had this to say. “We are in better shape than we have been in a long time. We don’t have the eliminator any more and most judges are running the hounds longer to better evaluate them in first series.”

When I asked him what he thought would help to keep the sport growing Mickey implied that an over infatuation with the hound running the rear had caused some of brace beagling’s lack of growth and loss of members in the past. Mickey says, “To keep the sport growing we need to keep the beaglers we already have. Mainly, we are looking at the front dog more that we use to and this is keeping interest higher.” Mickey also thinks that giving a brace a second rabbit more readily is helping keep interest up also.

Mickey was born August 7, 1946. His father, Mickey Sergio, Sr. is also a beagler. He and Mickey have been beagling partners since 1967 and always had beagles and bird dogs. Mickey said, “We always hunted with our brace trial dogs.” Mickey’s father is 84 years old and still runs dogs.

In his previous job Mickey was an electrical engineer for a company called Stone and Webster. The company worked in the designing and construction of energy producing facilities.

Mickey’s kennel name is Yangtze Beagles. How he and his father chose that name is an interesting story. Mickey’s father was stationed on a submarine during World War II and one time while the sub was patrolling the Yangtze River in China, the Japanese sank his ship. It wasn’t destroyed during the initial attack but did become mired in the muddy bottom of the river and couldn’t ascend to the surface to renew its oxygen supply. The situation became very desperate indeed and the crew was down to less than two hours air supply when the Japanese returned with depth charges to try to destroy the ship. Instead of finishing off the sub the charges helped free it from the mud, thus saving Mickey’s father and the crews lives.

Mickey Sergio, Jr. has finished 11 field champions during his beagling career. He has also raised 20 others hounds that gained three, two or one win.

His favorite field champion was Yangtze Miss mark. Mickey says, “I liked her because she had a brain and could win trials in either brace or pack. She was also an outstanding hunting dog that didn’t lose rabbits.” She lived to be 10 years old.

Mickey’s all around favorite best young dog was a bitch he purchased from Michigan beagler, Ralph Gillum. He named her Yangtze Starlight. Starlight won the first two licensed trials she was placed in. Both classes contained entries of over 70 hounds.

Judging field trials has always been a part of Mickey’s beagling career. He judged his first club trial in 1960 at the age of 12. He judged his first derby trial in 1962. His first licensed trial assignment happened in 1970. He belongs to two beagle clubs in his home state of Massachusetts, Beaver Brook and Bay State.

Mickey’s main hobbies have always been beagling and hunting. “Brace beagling has been a major activity of my family for many years.”

Look for Mickey Sergio at the trials. I know he will be willing to help you in any way that he can in his new capacity as American Kennel Club Representative.