ELY'S 2ND ANNUAL DOCK DOGS, PET & WILDLIFE EXPO
“Dock Dogs Northern Stars” is coming to Ely's Whiteside Park the weekend of June 5-7, 2009. Ely has announced its desire to add this event to the Summer Olympics, which it hopes to bring to Ely in 2016. In addition to the Dock Dogs event, a new feature has been added to showcase exhibits that relate to pets and wildlife. In addition to food, there will be approximately 15-20 vendors selling pet items and wildlife related art and more.
A big part of the appeal of Dock Dogs, which is the fastest growing sport for people who own dogs, is its accessibility. You don't need a purebred dog or extensive training. Anyone with a dog and a floating toy can compete. Whether you are a first time participant, veteran competitor or a spectator the event is exciting, fun, entertaining and impressive.
Dock Dogs consist of competition in three disciplines: Big Air, Speed Retrieve, and Extreme Vertical. Big Air features dogs running down a 40 foot dock and jumping into a pool of water after an object. They are judged by the length of their jump. Speed Retrieve consists of dogs being clocked to see how fast they can run down the dock, jump into the water, and swim to the end of the pool to retrieve a dead fowl held by a modified extender arm. The final category is Extreme Vertical which is a “high jump” for dogs as they lunge up to snag a “bumper” suspended in the air.
Pre-registration will close on Wednesday, June 3rd at 5:00 p.m. There is a link to the registration form on www.ely.org. The cost for each wave (group) is $20. Pre-registrants will be given priority within the running order for each wave. You may also register on-site the day of the event. You should arrive at least one hour prior to the wave in which you would like to compete. On-Site registration will be available only as space permits. The cost for each wave will be $25 for on-site registration.
Along with the competition schedule, there will be a new and exciting way to have some fun with your dog. On Friday afternoon from 3:00-6:00 there will be a Fun Jump. That's 3 hours of practice, training, getting some hints from club members and a time to perfect you and your dog's skills on the dock. The cost for the Fun Jump will be $10.00 and registration will be on-site. This fee includes unlimited access, during the allotted time, to practice your dog in: Big Air, Speed Retrieve, and/or Extreme Vertical.
Let's Try Dock Dogs will also be available. It is an instructional class available for anyone interested in learning more about the sport, as well as providing an opportunity to experience a jump before entering the competition. There will be a brief explanation about the different divisions of the sport, how each works, and an overview of the rules and regulations. After the class, and with the help of an instructor, participants will get a chance to try it out. Participants will pay $10 per dog for the class, receive an instructional packet, a Certificate of Completion, and a $5 voucher (which can be used either towards the purchase of a wave or items at the Dock Dogs Northern Stars' merchandise tent). This class runs approximately one hour. There are 2 sessions available on Saturday June 6th, 2009: 8:30am & 11:30am. Please arrive at least 30 minutes early to allow time for registration. Class size is limited to 10 dogs.
