CHICORA— At 3 years old, Rocky's competitive life is complete.

One of six beagles owned by Charles Russell, 57, and Laurie Mahood of Chicora, Rocky has found a way to stand out from the breed.

He's competed in 30 field trials during his still-young lifetime and won 18 of them, including the Pennsylvania Beagle Gundog Association state championships in Evans City recently and the United Beagle Gundog Federation national competition in May 2007 in Bowling Green, Ky.

"Rocky was not bred for field trial competition,"Russell said. "His sire and dam were just normal rabbit dogs."

But Rocky has proven to be anything but normal.

Russell belongs to the Hilltop Beagle Club in Cowansville. Encouraged by friends, he entered Rocky in a field trial there and "he didn't place, but he didn't too bad."

And he was only a few months old at the time. Most beagle owners don't enter their dogs in field trials until at least age 2.

"The dog really has to be in shape,"Russell said. "Usually, it takes a long time to prepare a dog to compete."

When Rocky was 7 months old, Russell entered him in a PBGAfield trial in Ford City. Rocky finished fourth in that event.

Frank Keene of Fenelton, a field trial official for more than 40 years, marveled at Rocky's potential.

"He told me I definitely needed to work with Rocky because he never saw a dog with that combination of hunting sense and running ability,"Russell said. "Hearing someone with Frank's experience say that caught my attention."

Field trials involve a dog running into the woods, finding a rabbit and turning the rabbit toward the hunter. The judge follows the dog to monitor its performance.

Five to seven beagles comprise a "pack" — released into the woods at the same time — and 30 beagles or more can be at one field trial.

"The winner's pack at Evans City ... those dogs were out there running for 3½ hours,"Russell said.

Rocky has been running to glory with alarming frequency.

• He was the youngest 15-inch male (1½ years) to finish as American Kennel Club field champion.

• He won his first licensed AKCfield trial in Darlington at age 1.

• He won field trials in Olean, N.Y., and Youngstown, Ohio, during the same weekend, then dominated the UBGFnationals the following week.

• He was named the 2007 Purina Derby Hound of the Year and is the leader for that award this year.

• He received the 2008 PBGAConsistency Award.

Rocky has done so well, in fact, that his competitive days are pretty much over.

"There's a gentleman's agreement in field trials that once your dog has won it all, he has nothing left to prove,"Russell said. "Let someone else win it.

"It's OK, though. Rocky and I have years of hunting together ahead of us and he still may enter some smaller competitions here or there."

Of Russell's other beagles, two have the potential to become field trial dogs.

"There are certain traits you can't teach,"he said. "If a dog is gun-shy, he's done. When a dog hears a gunshot and wants to go to it, he has a chance."

Rocky may have a moment of glory left. If the beagle wins the PBGADog of the Year award, Russell will earn a trip to Kentucky to accept the honor in May.

Win or lose, Rocky's career rivals that of the boxing character of movie lore sporting the same name.

His trophy case attests to that.