Dog festival a tail-wagging good time

MILLERTON — A large group of spectators, both human and canine, were on hand for The Festival of Dogs, an event the Harlem Valley Chamber of Commerce, partnering with Ledgewood Kennels and the Hudson Valley DockDogs, put on last weekend.

The two-day event was held Saturday and Sunday, July 11 and 12, at Ledgewood Kennels on Smithfield Road. The festival raised money to provide scholarship funds for Webutuck, Pine Plains, Dover Plains and Millbrook high school graduates.

The events lasted from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on both days, and showcased the many talents of man’s best friend. The aforementioned DockDogs took advantage of one of the only dog pools in the area, with dogs leaping into the water with (mostly) fearless abandon. With some of the dogs reaching lengths of 17 feet and longer, these were some high-flying animals.

“I don’t know what it is,� said Steve Bimbo, who’s from Cornwall. His dog, Sophie Bell, managed to leap 17 feet 2 inches on Saturday. “It’s just her drive and her loving to swim. She started at 4 feet, and now her personal best is 17 feet, 11 inches.�

There were the Flyball and frisbee demonstrations by Paw Stars, a group consisting of husband and wife Erich and Kara Steffensen of Millbrook, and their 10 dogs. They’ve been performing as Paw Stars for the last three years, and competing in events since 2004. One of their border collies, Moshi, has even qualified with Erich for the Sky Houndz World Finals in frisbee, which is a very big deal in the canine frisbee world.

“Every day we practice about 10 minutes with the animals,� Kara said. “We enjoy the bonding we have with the dogs. It’s competition, but it’s more about us and our dogs. It’s solidifies our relationship.�

That sentiment was echoed all over the festival by countless dog owners. Audrey McKay is a member of the Contact Agility Group, which takes its dogs through an agility course including jumps, tables, seesaws, tunnels and more.

“I love the relationship,â€� she said. “It’s a bond  you don’t get any other way. We do  dock diving, we hike every day. But with the agility courses, the dog really learns to watch your every movement. It’s an amazing bond.â€�

The festival was free to people to come and check out, and if they wanted to try any of the events with their own animals they could pay a fee. There were plenty of dog shows that owners could partake in, including one where prizes were given out to the owner who looked most like their pet (or is it the other way around?). Grooming demonstrations, costume classes and barbecued food all added to the fun.

Some casual onlookers brought their animals along, some didn’t. Some, like Kristine Kowalski and her one-year-old Pomeranian, Frodo, who was perched on her shoulder, were content to just sit on the sidelines and watch the dock diving. Others, like 6-year-old Hayden Myers and her puppy, DJ, a German Shepherd who would have been stiff competition in the Cutest Puppy in the Entire World Award (if said award existed), were happy to take home second place in the Puppy Class.

Ken Hale, who is president of the Harlem Valley Chamber of Commerce, said that the chamber intends to hold the festival every year.

“It’s a fun event, especially for the kids,� he said. “And a lot of what goes on is awareness of rescue dogs.�

Winners of the chamber’s scholarships will be designated by the individual schools, and this is the fourth year that the chamber has been involved with the program.

“Next year, we’re just looking for even more people to bring their dogs,� Hale said. “The groups we have here are about working with the community, and a lot of it is instructional for pet owners. Yesterday there were well over 100 people. We definitely had some good crowds.�