|
Lake of the Ozarks, Mo. - Man's best friend will soar through the air and make a huge splash in competition to see who is the top dog at the fifth annual Canine Cannonball, June 10-12 at Dog Days Bar & Grill in Osage Beach, Mo.
Canine Cannonball is a DockDogs-sponsored, dock-jumping competition that has been an annual event at the Lake of the Ozarks since 2007. Dog Days Bar & Grill, located at 1232 Jeffries Road on land or at the 19-mile marker on the water, has been the lakeside host of the Cannonball since its inception. This furry aerial competition is a crowd favorite at Dog Days and has attracted an estimated 5,000 spectators on each day of the competition.
"Canine Cannonball is an exciting event for families and dog lovers," said Dog Days owner and event organizer Mark Barrett. "It's outdoors, it's on the Lake, it has a bunch of loveable dogs showing off their athletic abilities and if you like music, bands are playing live at Dog Days. It is the perfect fit for people who are traveling to the Lake and looking for a fun way to spend the weekend."  | |
Proceeds from Canine Cannonball go to Dogwood Animal Shelter at the Lake of the Ozarks.
|
All Canine Cannonball activities are free for spectators. Money raised at the event through donations will benefit the Dogwood Animal Shelter, a no-kill shelter in Osage Beach. The Shelter will also have pets available for adoption on-site during the three-day meet. According to Dogwood Animal Shelter officials, these pets have been given all required shots at the time of adoption.  | |
Owners work diligently with their canines to ensure they're ready for the spotlight.
|
The concept of dock jumping as a performance sport for dogs originated in the U.S. when dock workers would bet on how far their dogs could jump into the water. Since 2000, DockDogs has been the independent governing and sanctioning body for regional, national and international dock-jumping events for dogs. DockDogs tracks each official jump of all competitors and dogs are ranked nationally. DockDogs sanctioned 150 events in four countries in 2010, attracting more than 10,000 canine competitors. The sport is both serious business and a lot of fun for both dog and owner. Dock-jumping athletes and their owners can sometimes train together for a half hour or more each day in their respective events to hone their skills. Some families mark the Canine Cannonball on their calendar and build an entire weekend around the dock-jumping spectacular. The event is especially a highlight for Jeff and Rebecca Green of Osage Beach and their dog Ruger, a three-year old Labrador Retriever, who has participated in Canine Cannonball the past three seasons and is set to make another appearance this year. "We can't say enough about Canine Cannonball," said Rebecca Green. "Ruger loves it and we love it. The crowds are awesome and the dogs are phenomenal. We would watch the dogs jump off the dock at Dog Days all day, every day. Canine Cannonball is a big tradition in our family and we wouldn't miss it." Canine Cannonball judges a dog's physical prowess in three categories: the Big Air WAVE (dock jumping), Extreme Vertical (high jump) and Speed Retrieve (fetching). 
The Big Air WAVE, one of the most enjoyable competitions in this three-day event, consists of the dog running down the 40 x 8-foot competition dock and jumping off into the water for distance. Past winners have jumped as far as 25 feet; however, the average distance is usually about 10 feet. The Extreme Vertical is a dock dog's version of the high jump. In this leap-for-height event, a canine leaps high into the air off the "dock" to retrieve a toy suspended above the water. The third event, the Speed Retrieve, is a timed fetching event that has the dog jump into the water and swim to fetch a thrown toy into the water. Eager fans of the high-flying Canine Cannonball festivities can come out early to Dog Days Friday at 2 p.m. to assure themselves a good spot to watch their favorite dogs in action. Whether you are located on or in a boat, standing in the water by the docks or planted in a chair stationed on dry land, you're likely to find a vantage point and a comfort level that is suited for you.  | |
The high-flying action begins at 3 p.m. on Friday, June 10 at Dog Dogs Bar & Grill.
|
The actual competition begins with the Big Air WAVE dock-jumping event Friday at 3 p.m. This category continues Saturday at 1 p.m. on the dock. The Extreme Vertical high jumping contest starts Friday at 7 p.m. The Speed Retrieve competition begins Saturday at 11:00 a.m. and continues Sunday at 1:30 p.m. The Speed Retrieve finals kick off Sunday at 3:30 p.m. and Big Air WAVE finals start at 4 p.m. Winners will be awarded monetary prizes based on total registration fees, as well as medallions and ribbons. Dog owners headed to the Lake for the Cannonball will enjoy the pet-friendly accommodations at the Inn at Grand Glaize, Alhonna Resort, Golden Door Motel, Williamsburg Inn, Resort at Port Arrowhead, Town & Country Motel, Robin's Resort and Kirkwood Lodge. Most of these pet-friendly lodging facilities require a small per-day pet fee and/or a refundable deposit in return for a comfortable lodging experience for both man and beast. In addition to these lodging properties, the following campgrounds and RV parks also welcome pets: Bait's Motel & RV Park, Bear Bottom Resort RV Park & Campground, Bull Run Bluff Campground & Marina, Camping Paradise, Cross Creek RV Park & Campground, Lakeview Resort & RV Park, Majestic Oaks RV Park & Campground, Osage Beach RV Park, Ozark Trails RV Park, Peaceful Valley Resort & RV Park and Sunrise Beach RV Park. A few of the campgrounds and RV parks require advance approval, so be sure to call ahead. In addition to the canine competitions, the event will offer live music, vendors and displays including high-performance motorcycles from Lake of the Ozarks Harley-Davidson and Seebold Sports Motorcycle Super Center. For more details on rules and registration for the Canine Cannonball competition, contact Dog Days Bar & Grill 573-348-9797 or go online to DockDogs.com. | 
