About 50 dogs from all over New York traveled to Garrattsville Wednesday, Sept. 9 to compete in the annual K9 Frisbee Worldwide Championship New York Regional.
Owners threw flying discs and dogs mostly sprinted to get them. Some dogs did not wait for the disc to leave their owners’ hands before leaping for it. All visible tails wagged.
The results of Wednesday’s event will be tabulated with a worldwide organization and the dogs will be ranked internationally, said Sonja Galley of Silver Spoon Dog Sports, the host of the event.
The K9 Frisbee Toss and Fetch Worldwide League has clubs across the United States, in Canada, some places in South America and western Europe and one in Mexico and Singapore each, according to the league’s club map.
Galley said it was the third year the New York regional event was held on her farm, Silver Spoon Dairy.
“We have German shepherds, Australian shepherds, border collies. Mixed breeds participate,” Galley said. “Any dog that’ll chase a Frisbee is more than welcome to join a team and jump in on the fun.”
In the worlds competition, Galley said, dogs earn points based on how far down the field they catch the disc. They have 60 seconds to get as many points as they can, she said.
“If they make an air catch where they catch the disc with all four feet in the air, they get an additional half point,” Galley said.
Emily Cheney, of Redfield, came with two competitors: Squash and Montey. Her other 16 dogs, six of which are puppies, were at home, she said.
Fresh off a trial with Montey, a 6-year-old yellow Labrador Retriever, Cheney said, “he tries hard on the way down, trots on the way back.”
“He puts his heart into it,” Cheney said.
“We do sprint sled dog racing,” Cheney said about her interest in the competition, which is a good year-round way to “keep up with our running and endurance.”
According to event results provided by Galley, the first place winners for the Garrattsville event were: Jim Hammond and border collie Marmite, of Bainbridge, in the expert division; Marlys Delaney and Marmite, of Bainbridge, in the master division; Angelo Prisco and Labrador Bo, of Bainbridge, in the handler division; and Clara DiDominicis and Boston terrier mix Roy, of Garrattsville, in the junior division.
The next season is slated to begin in early October, Galley said.
“We’ll be playing Tuesday nights at 6:30 p.m., and newcomers are always welcome,” she added.
To learn more about the worldwide league, visit tossandfetch.com.