Photo Story: Klamath goes to the dogs
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A handler shows her Shar-Pei during the 2019 Klamath Dog Fanciers Dog Show, May 10, 2019 (Brian Gailey / Klamath Falls News)
For the last two weekends, the Klamath County Event Center has been taken over by dogs both in show and in sport. Last weekend, the Klamath Dog Fanciers held their prestigious annual dog show, this weekend the group hosted the exciting agility trials.
Show
Four shows in four days to find out who is the top dog in a roaring 20’s themed show. The shows include all breeds, categories and groups - sporting, hounds, working, terrier, toy, non-sporting, and herding.
During the show, judges are looking for many qualities to locate and award the best canine each day. Poise, precision, grooming, and heath are just some of the traits they are looking for. Awards are given out in each group, then those winners return later for a chance at Best of Show.
Agility
If show was the ball, agility would be the stock car race – fast, furious, and full of energy.
In the agility trials competition, the event center comes to live with much bustling activity. Dogs race through a course full of obstacles – tunnels, jumps, gates, ramps, poles are just a few of the items the dogs are through around and over. They are trying to get the fastest time through the course with the fewest amount of penalties.
Economy
Most of the handlers and owners travel into the Klamath Basin via motorhome or RV filling up all the extra spaces of the fairgrounds around the event center. Some will stay in local hotels. All bring in much needed dollars into the Klamath Basin economy. They shop, dine, and spend money here that could have been spent elsewhere.
More information on the shows and the Klamath Dog Fanciers visit, http://www.klamathdogfanciers.org