Dogs to take fair stage today

• Agility practice

Megan Blanchard, 14, of Worthington, leads her dog, Snickers, through the agility course Tuesday at the Nobles County Fairgrounds.
• A little coaching

Logan Ellenbecker, 14, coaches his dog through an obstacle in the agility course Tuesday at the fairgrounds.

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• Regional Dog Show 2009

WORTHINGTON — The Nobles County Fair is going to the dogs today while 30 students participate in the Regional Dog Show at the Nobles County Fairgrounds.

The fast-paced obstacle course-like agility competition begins at 8 a.m. rather than the usual afternoon time, allowing the dogs to beat the summer heat. The more formal obedience and showmanship competition will begin when the agility competition is complete.

“I like that you get to work with your best friend,” said Ashley Kingery, 17, of Round Lake, who has participated in the dog show competition at the Nobles County Fair for about 10 years. “You learn so much. It’s a lot of hard work, but it all pays off in the end.”

Kingery will bring Reggie, a 2-year-old Brittany, to compete for the second time. Last year, at his very first fair, he won a champion award.

Students in six counties are invited to the Regional Dog Show in Nobles County, which is the only show in the region to include an agility contest. Some other counties host their own obedience and showmanship competitions, however.

In order to participate in the agility contest, students must be trained along with their dogs by an expert, to prevent dogs from getting injured. Students have practiced the agility contest with their dogs Tuesday nights all summer.

“The agility portion is very upbeat, with high action. It’s a fairly fast-moving part of the show,” said Cathy Steinmetz, who, with her husband Doug, has coordinated the dog show for 13 years. “(The obedience and showmanship competitions) are more formal. Kids are going to be pretty focused, and it tends to be quieter.”

This year, 30 students, with a dogs ranging in size from black Labradors to a rat terrier, will tackle the challenges of obedience, showmanship and agility.

“I like seeing kids learn how to develop the ability to take control of the situation,” Cathy said, adding that typically, the first year at the show is spent training the student, the second training the dog, and the third year is when everyone starts to see results.

The dog show at the Nobles County Fair will be more stylish and practical than ever before, with the addition of new mats and gates, which keep the dogs in the ring for the obedience and showmanship portions of the contest.

The gates help keep the dogs from becoming distracted, explained Kris Doeden, one of the organizers of the dog show, recalling one dog who left the ring in order to beg for French fries from a spectator.

The gates and mats belong to Nobles County 4-H’ers, and were donated by the Ribbon Sale Committee.

Each year at the end of the fair, 4-H’ers are allowed to auction off their ribbons, and a small portion of the proceeds goes to the Ribbon Sale Committee. The committee uses the funds to do fair-related projects or make fair-related purchases.

Most recently, the committee opted to spend about $3,300 on the dog show, with $3,000 going toward the mats and gates and another $300 going toward materials for the agility show.

“We’re thrilled and very grateful,” Doeden said.

The dogs learn a lot from participating in the show, but so do the students.

“You have to use a firm voice to tell them what to do, and you have to say certain words for them to do certain things,” said Gavin Engelkes, 11, of Rushmore, who is participating in the obedience and showmanship contests with his dog, Gretchen, a cocker spaniel.

What’s his favorite part of the competition?

“I get to play with the dog,” he said with a smile.

Tags: nobles county fair, news, worthington, dogs