Zippity Do Dogs will run, jump and tunnel at the Old Spanish Trail Arena this weekend.
The dog agility club from Grand Junction, Colo. is hosting Moab March Madness, a Dogs on Course in North America (DOCNA) competition on Saturday and Sunday, March 2 and 3.
“The public is welcome to come watch, since it is a competition,” said organizer Catherine Stampe. “Just please leave your pets at home.”
DOCNA is a national agility venue that offers a variety of courses for a handler and their dog to run. Agility is a dog sport where dogs are handled through a series of times obstacle courses – teeter totters, tunnels, jumps, zig zag weave poles.
“Agility takes time to train, but the result is a very special bond with your dog, and lots of fun,” Stampe said.
There are multiple divisions, and levels. Many of the dog/handler teams at the competition have advanced titles and compete at a national level. For many, the Moab competition will be their first event. Several different breeds as well as mixed breeds will compete.
“Our trial is called Moab March Madness,” Stampe said. “We call it that because we are so eager for spring to be here so that we can get out and run our dogs.”
Stampe said that because it can still be snowy in Grand Junction during March, that the club members are willing to load a large trailer of heavy equipment, personal equipment and dogs and travel to Moab.
“Even though it adds to our cost and workload, it makes for a fun weekend for our club,” We love Moab in March.”
The Old Spanish Trail Arena will host additional dog agility trials in April that are organized through the North American Dog Agility Council. These will be held the weekend of April 12 through 14 and April 19 through 21.
As with the Moab March Madness held this weekend, spectators are welcome to watch for free, but they should leave their own dogs at home.
