Dogs make a splash at annual pet festival

BY ALLIE ROBINSON
BRISTOL HERALD COURIER

BRISTOL, Va. – Montana, a chocolate Labrador retriever, propels himself off the 40-foot dock, leaping into the sky after a dog toy. He is in the air but a moment, and splashes into the 40-foot pool below to retrieve his toy.

Distance from the dock: 19 feet, 6 inches.

Not Montana’s personal best, but enough for him and his handler, Lee Hall of Bardstown, Ky., to win first prize in this amateur event – DockDogs’ Big Air competition at the second-annual Woofstock festival in Sugar Hollow Park on Saturday.

DockDogs, the independent governing and sanctioning body for the regional, national and international dock jumping performance sport for dogs, hosted its first competition in the area at Woofstock, a dog festival and fundraiser for the Margaret B. Mitchell Spay/Neuter Clinic in Bristol.

About 30 dogs competed, representing seven states.

Lee and his dogs, Montana and Chopper, have competed in at least a dozen states across the nation. He considers himself a DockDogs groupie.

“You get addicted; it’s a really fun sport,” he said.

“The DockDogs have been really great,” said Jennifer McCall, executive director for the clinic. “There have been quite a few local dogs; it was a very successful event today.”

One local competitor was James Hilton and his 5-year-old black Lab, Dakota, of Piney Flats, Tenn. They competed in the Big Air event for the first time.

“I’ve always wanted to take her,” he said. “She did OK for the first time, but she’s all speed and no air.”

Trent Steele, of Knoxville, Tenn., also competed, with his 2-year-old Weimaraner, Alex.

“[He] has so much energy,” Steele said. “I needed to find an outlet for him. I went to a dock … threw the ball off, and he jumped,” Steele said. “I didn’t know he was doing well; I just knew he could jump.”

After learning that Alex could jump long distances off the dock, Steele started entering him in competitions. Alex, whose personal best in the long jump is 24 feet 7 inches, has earned a master title and competed in world qualifying rounds.

Steele joined forces with Tiffany Flach, and the two formed Smoky Mountain DockDogs in November 2009. They hope to generate interest in the Tri-Cities area, and have been looking for docks nearby to practice.

DockDog events include the Big Air competition, in which dogs must leap in the air and land as far from the dock as possible, the Extreme Vertical competition, in which dogs must leap as high off the dock as possible, and the Speed Retrieve, in which dogs jump off the dock and swim to the end of the 40-foot pool as quickly as possible.

In addition to the DockDogs competition, canines who attended Woofstock could compete in a tail-wagging contest, a 1960’s costume contest and a pet trick contest.

Dogs also participated in agility and sport demonstrations.

Bristol Police K-9 Officer Zorro and his handler, Officer Brandon Barr, demonstrated Zorro’s attack skills and the Ultimate SportDog Club exhibited search-and-rescue dogs as well as protection dogs. The New River Rapids Flyball dog team provided demonstrations in agility and field events.

“It’s all about our four-legged friends,” said Susan Taylor, the clinic’s development director. “[The best part] is just to see everyone out with their animals.”

Last year’s event drew 2,000 people and 600 dogs, and brought in about $10,000 for the shelter. This year’s figures were not available Saturday.

Several Woofstock participants said they were glad to be able to do something with their dogs besides walk them around the park, and to see all the other canines at the park.

“The best part is just seeing people enjoy the day with their pets and family,” McCall said. “I like the social camaraderie of it.”

arobinson@bristolnews.com | (276) 645-3385