2005 DockDogs Western National Championship back at Marymoor Park

2005 Archived News

They're back! Those crazy, diving DockDogs will compete once again in King County's Marymoor Park May 20 - 22 and you can expect a howling good time. Friday, Saturday and Sunday May 20 - 22 thousands of dogs and their hopeful owners will converge for a dog-jumping contest like no other.

"More than 5,000 people attended the three-day event last year," said Tom Teigen, King County's program manager for enterprise activities. "Including 180 local dog owners who registered their pets for the qualifying trials. It was a blast!"

Never heard of a DockDog Contest? Here's how it works: Dogs in the contest sprint down a 40-foot dock then leap into a 40-foot pool. Handlers are allowed to throw a single, floatable object to encourage their dogs to leap from the dock which is equipped with nonskid mats. Winning pooches are judged by the distance of their jumps.

On Friday and Saturday the competition is open to locals. Sunday is the championship round where highly trained, pre-qualified dogs from around the country compete. Last year competitors came from as far as the East Coast. Winners of final round earn a spot in ESPN"s "Great Outdoor Games"—the Olympics of dock jumping.

"Last year, most of the dogs in the final competition round were at least 20-foot jumpers," said Melanie Field, executive director of DockDogs. "These are highly trained, very athletic dogs. It's really amazing to watch."

The contest is free to spectators. Advance registration is $20 and closes May 15, 2005. Owners can register their pets on the day of the event for $25 but slots go quickly. Donations will be accepted in support of Serve Our dog Area (S.O.D.A.), King County Parks and the newly formed local DockDogs Club.

"The contest is part of the county's entrepreneurial approach to parks," explains Teigen. "Parks and open space are critical to the physical, financial, emotional and environmental health of our region. We work towards a triple bottom line-- generating revenue, building community and providing new park amenities through non-profit and corporate partnerships". Non-profit partners such as Serve Our dog Area (S.O.D.A.) and the local DockDogs Club will be providing over 80 volunteers to produce the event with the national DockDogs group."

What: The 2005 DockDogs Western Regional Championship.

When: Friday, Saturday, and Sunday May 20- 22, 2005 from 9 to 8 p.m.

Where: King County's Marymoor Parks near Redmond.

Registration: Leaping will begin at 9 a.m. Friday and Saturday. On Sunday, the competition will start at 4 p.m. For more information, or to register, go to www.dockdogs.com online