FIDO FUN FAIR A Big Success

        Somerset's first celebration of the American Kennel Club's Responsible Dog Ownership Day, FIDO FUN FAIR, was a big success any way you look at it.  Sponsored by Lake Cumberland Kennel Club (LCKC) in cooperation with Love On A Leash Therapy Pets (LOAL) and Pulaski County Humane Society (PCHS), the event drew over 350 dog lovers to Pisgah Church & Schoolhouse on Saturday, September 17th.

        The day commenced with a Blessing of the Animals led by Rev. Armando Divas, pastor at Pisgah Church, the second oldest church in Pulaski County, founded in 1806.  IAMS  representative, Pam Hurst, then presented an educational program in the Pavilion to both children and adults about constitutes good dog care and distributed various canine items and products to the eager children and adults in attendance.  K-9 units in the Pulaski County Sheriff's Department and the Somerset City Police Department were recognized, including a presentation to Deputy Warren King and his Labrador Retriever, Ben, drug enforcement team in the county sherrif's department.

        The Dosado Square Dancing Dogs, sponsored by Ruby's Dos for Dogs, captivated spectators with their graceful footwork--both the two legged and the four legged kind.  A longtime dream of planner and choreographer, Norma Campbell (evaluator and volunteer with Love On A Leash and owner of Ruby's Dos for Dogs) the group made its debut the previous evening at the Catfish Festival in Burnside and offered an encore performance the next morning at the Fido Fun Fair.   The group was attired in matching bandanas and performed 4 different dance routines. Campbell also organized the Fun Games area hosted by LOAL at which "children of all ages" and their dogs played games and won prizes donated by Ruby's Dos for Dogs.

        Angela Ferguson and her Border Collie, Diogee, and Alyce Grover with Skye, also a Border Collie, demonstrated the fast growing sport of Flyball--a relay race involving retrieving a ball while bounding through a series of jumps.  Ferguson is organizing Kentucky's first flyball team--the "Flying Furballs Flyball Club" in Somerset and signed up eager participants for lessons beginning in October.

        Canine Good Citizen (CGC) is an American Kennel Club (AKC) program which tests dogs on ten different obedience and temperament qualities.  It began in 1989 and is a means of rewarding dogs who are well-behaved companions at home and in the community.  Norma Campbell is an approved AKC CGC tester and volunteered her services at the fair to test prospective dogs for CGC.  Four dogs successfully passed the test:  Tucker (Australian Shepherd owned by Robin VanNoy), Bobby (Gordon Setter owned by Jean Janzen),  Huey (Golden Retriever owned by Chris Wilson) and Hannah (Soft Coated Wheaton also owned by Chris Wilson).

        The Bandstand area was the site of the Fun Contests--ten fun competitions sponsored by Lake Cumberland Kennel Club (Chris Wilson, Chairman) from which a TOP DOG was selected.  Celebrity judges Jack Keeney (Director, Pulaski County Chamber of Commerce), Julie Cottrel (Principal, Woodstock Elementary), Fonda Crawford (Principal, Hopkins Elementary), Carol Sexton (Pulaski County Public Library), Jo Marshall (President, Somerset Community College) and Bruce Jasper (Midway Veterinary Hospital) judged the event before a packed crowd which cheered and applauded the dozens of dogs competing in the various categories.  Emcee for the occasion was well known performer, John Alexander, who was available as a tie-breaking vote for the judges' panel, as well as to introduce the contestants and provide his always humorous banter.

        Winners in the ten contests were--Longest Ears: Rebecca, Basset Hound owned by Vicki Landell; Longest Tail:  Bobby, Gordon Setter owned by Jean Janzen; Tallest Dog:  Logan, Bouvier/Lab owned by Bev Marshall; Shortest Dog: Gucci, Yorkshire Terrier owned by Fran Treado; Best Costumes:  Littles, Maltese owned by Rachel Hartman; Best Tail Wag: Robin, English Cocker Spaniel owned by Patty Janzen; Best Singer:  Happy, Springer Spaniel Owned by Scott Underwood; Best Kisser:  Happy, Boxer owned by Casy Sorrell; Best Trick:  Diogee, Border Collie owned by Angela Ferguson; Best Ball Catch: Diogee, Border Collie owned by Angela Ferguson.

        TOP DOG selection by the judges was Diogee, Border Collie owned by Angela Ferguson.  "Dio" as he is called, is a flyball and agility champion and a therapy dog in the Somerset Love On A Leash program.  In addition to bragging rights for the coming year, Dio will enjoy a year's worth of Eukanuba donated by the IAMS company, a fire hydrant toy box donated by The Paw (a new gift shop on Maple Street), a fancy ribbon befitting his new status and all the goodies in a Top Dog Basket donated by Baxter's Coffee, presented by Baxter himself and owner, Terri Tuttle.

        The Pulaski County Humane Society provided educational information about low cost spay neuter programs, the current animals available for adoption, and information about good dog care.  Their low cost microchipping administered by local veterinarian & PCHS volunteer, Dr.Cynthia Mullins, drew a crowd.  "We microchipped 89 dogs! That must be a record for the most dogs microchipped in one day in Pulaski County," quipped PCHS president, Bill Lippert.

        Winners in the LCKC essay contest (Pat Godby, chairman) which began in Pulaski County Schools last month were announced at the close of the Fair and one winner--Devin Montgomery (third grader in Kathy Clay's class at Hopkins Elementary) read her essay, "Why I Love My Dog & How I Take Care of Her".  Montgomery and the other five winners will receive savings bonds donated by Citizens National Bank, Sams Insurance Agency, Inc. and Cumberland Security Bank.  Essays were judged by Carol Sexton, Ann Haney and Vicki Lovins, staff at the Pulaski County Public Library, who awarded winners in elementary and middle school divisions (no submissions were made at the high school level). 

  In the elementary division, Devin Montgomery (Hopkins Elementary) took first place, Patrick Stephens (3rd grader in Mrs. Abner's class at Oakhill Elementary) and Caleb Reynolds (Kindergartner at Nancy Elementary) took top honors. Sarah Brown (1st place winner at Meece Middle School), Jenny Tan (2nd place winner at Meece Middle School), and a 3rd place tie between Kayla Luttrell (Northern Middle School) and Sarah Walden (Southern Middle School) rounded out the Middle School division.  In addition to savings bonds, winners will receive ribbons and certificates.  All children who submitted an essay will receive certificates and their essays compiled into a book which will be presented to Pulaski County Public Library for their permanent collection in the Junior Department.

        Funds were raised for Love On A Leash Therapy Pets and Hurricane Katrina animal shelters, including a significant donation of $322 by Pisgah Church & Schoolhouse (Carl & Carol Skaggs chairmen) whose members contributed all the profits from their food sales for the day to the Katrina shelter fund.  A donation of over $400.00 will be sent from the area to help shelter animals displaced by the disaster.

        Pine Cone Primitives, co-owned by Humane Society member Linda Spanier, offered fair goers a selection of clever dog and cat items.  Pet Pizzaz, specializing in pet photography, set up shop with a fall motif as background for pets and owners' souvenir photo of their day together.  Dozens of door prizes donated by area businesses were distributed by the time tired, but happy, dogs and their owners left the Pisgah campus, their tails dragging.

        "I'm so proud of our community for turning out in such great numbers to support responsible dog ownership in Pulaski County.  We had a wonderful time together and we're already considering holding a fair next year," added Gloria Sams, one of the organizers of the first time event.  "We couldn't have asked for a more perfect day."  For more information about the Fido Fun Fair and to see more photos from the event, visit the LCKC web site at:  www.lckc.net


PHOTOS: 

#1:     Nicholas Gibson and his beagle, Buddy, watched the Fun Games area led by Norma Campbell (Ruby's Dos for Dogs & Love On
        A Leash volunteer).  Gibson and Buddy are in the fall dog training class offered by Lake Cumberland Kennel Club.

#2:     Amazing footwork by the Dosado Square Dancing Dogs sponsored by Ruby's Dos for Dogs, won oohs and ahs from the
        crowd.  Dancing were:  (L-R)  Amanda Kelley and Casper, Alyce Grover and Skye, Norma Campbell and Cinnamon,
        Chris Wilson and Huey and Robin VanNoy and Tucker.

#3      Celebrity judges for the Fun Contests had a hard time selecting winners in the ten competitions.  Volunteering their
        services were:  (L-R) Jack Keeney, Julie Cottrel, Bruce Jasper, Jo Marshall, Carol Sexton and Fonda Crawford.

#4      The most popular of the ten Fun Contests was Best Kisser with 18 participants registering their dogs to demonstrate
        their goodwill to local veterinarian and good sport, Dr. Bruce Jasper.  Boxer owned by Casey Sorrell, was undoubtedly
        the winner, shown here demonstrating his enthusiastic technique on the hapless Jasper who was himself awarded a
        towel created by LCKC member, Charlotte Neeley, just for the occasion.

#5      Bragging rights as Top Dog for 2005 go to Border Collie, Diogee, owned by Angela Ferguson.  An agility and flyball
        champion, "Dio" is also a Love On A Leash therapy dog and visits the cancer center and other places every month.
        Prizes for top dog included a year's worth of premium dog food donated by the IAMS company, a fire hydrant toy
        box donated by the new pet boutique in town--The Paw, and a basket of dog delights donated by Baxter's Coffee.

#7      Devin Montgomery, third grade student in Kathy Clay's room at Hopkins Elementary, read her essay "Why I Love
        My Dog & How I Take Care of Her" at the Fido Fun Fair.  Montgomery won first place in the elementary division, with
        Patrick Stephens (3rd grader in Mrs. Abner's class at Oakhill Elementary) awarded second place and Caleb Reynolds,
        (kindergartner at Nancy Elementary) winning third place.  Middle School winners were:  Sarah Brown (first) and
        Jenny Tan (second) at Meece Middle School and in a tie for third place, Kayla Luttrell (Northern Middle School) and Sarah Walden
        (Southern Middle School).