Press Release: 2009 Boatyard Dog Trials Contestants

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For immediate release - July 27, 2009
Maine Boats, Homes & Harbors Show Announces 2009 World Championship Boatyard Dog® Trials Contestants
August 7-9, 2009 Rockland, Maine


Camden, Maine: Show management announced today that a fine field of canine contestants has been hand-picked to compete in the 2009 World Championship Boatyard Dog® Trials. The trials will be but one highlight of the seventh annual Maine Boats, Homes & Harbors Show, to be held in Harbor Park, Rockland, Maine, August 7-9, 2009. The trials will be held on Sunday, August 9, 2009, at 10:30 a.m. (show gates open at 10:00 a.m.) The contest is equal parts entertainment, silliness, and good wet fun. Please note that ONLY pre-qualified competing dogs are allowed on show grounds. Leave all other pets at home. With the retirement of the 2008 Defending Champion, Truman, a shelter dog that has since been adopted into a new home in Connecticut, this year's competition is wide open. The 2009 winner will be featured in Maine Boats, Homes & Harbors magazine's popular Boatyard Dog® column (November issue), and will be the keeper of the cherished revolving "Pup Cup" for one year. Loyal Biscuit of Rockland is also providing goody bags to all competitors. Meet the 2009 Contestants: Mykala Brown of West Bay Boats "Last year's alternate could be this year's champ!" Mykala (a.k.a. Mickey) has been itching for August to come so she can strut her stuff in front of the judges. As part of the crew at West Bay Boats in Steuben, she keeps watch from under the owner's desk and helps with the entertainment portion of break time. Her uncle Glacier competed in the Boatyard Dog Trials a few years ago, where he proved reluctant to get his feet wet. Mickey knows she has some over-sized paw prints to fill, and this sleek shepherd aims to restore her family's reputation--she's not afraid of a little bit of water! Henri Getchell, the English Singer Spaniel "I sings what I wants to sing!" Henri is a veteran performer at the World Championship Boatyard Dog Trials, having competed at the very first show in 2003, and acted as course fore-runner ever since. This specialist in canine vocalization is not wild about swimming, though. Perhaps that's because he fell in during his first competition and has yet to get over the embarrassment? He plans to make up for it with a musical performance worthy of a certain wildly popular television show.... The Outward Hounds "Dogs with butterfly ears, frisbees, and juggling: What's not to like?" Sure to be a crowd favorite, this feisty all-girls team is made up of three papillons, their flying ears, and a border collie. That sounds like a lot of dogs, but taken all together Haiku, Karmela, Leap, and Sally only add up to 51 pounds of fur-flying fun. In the off-season, the girls all compete with the Flyball Maineiacs to keep in peak condition. As a warmup to the Boatyard Dog Trials, they recently attended a tournament in Prince Edward Island. Mattie Parker "Swimming's not my thing, but I've got my priorities straight!" Seven-year-old Mattie, a transplant from New Mexico, is presumed to be a wheaten terrier mix. At least, that's her story, and she's sticking to it. Coming from the desert southwest, she's not a big fan of the water, nor does she much like it when the boat heels. However, she puts up with sailing aboard her family's 34-foot ketch in order to be as close to her people at all times as possible. We are told she is an excellent jumper, so we expect that aerials might be a part of her freestyle routine. Pancho Villa “Make way, me hearties!” Pancho is a 2.5-year-old Puggle (which, for those who don’t know, is a blend: half pug, half beagle). He hails from Swanville, but now lives in idyllic Camden by the Sea. In honor of his favorite pirate star of the big screen, Pancho has taken to wearing heavy eye make-up (see photo). In fact, he’s a huge fan of all kinds of pirate movies, and spends a lot of time boating around Megunticook Lake in search of “treasure.” He has recently taken up windsurfing (this we have to see!), and he loves to ride on the surfboard behind the boat, accompanied by his crew of young Pirates-in-Training. He’s not much of a swimmer (it runs the mascara), but he loves his mates and being with them. Competing dogs (and their people) will, as usual, be held to uncompromising judging standards that focus on each dog's combination of style and pizzazz. The contest is based on three simple rules: --Rule 1: Either the dog(s) or handler(s) must finish completely soaked. --Rule 2: Cheating is not only tolerated, but encouraged. --Rule 3: There are no other rules. Judges will include: Dr. Bjorn Lee of Pen Bay Veterinary Associates; Lucinda Lang, Spaniel Aficionado; and Holly Sherburne of Downeast Dog News. Bob MacLaughlin will return as Emcee, and there will be special guest appearances by Youthlinks summer campers and by the newly crowned Maine Lobster Festival Sea Goddess. This year's trials will consist of three primary events. Dockside Obstacle Course: Dog and handler negotiate a maze of lobster traps, piles of rope, and other assorted funky dockside paraphernalia. The event is timed, with lowest elapsed time to serve as overall tie-breaker. Dinghy-Hopping Trials: Dog and handler hop into and out of a VERY tippy dinghy that has been tethered to a float. Freestyle Event: This is each dog's chance to show off any special talents. In the past, a German shepherd convinced his human to jump into the water to fetch the stick, and another dog danced in a sailor suit. One dog even impersonated Elvis! There's a 3-minute time limit for this event, the funnier the better. The MAINE BOATS, HOMES & HARBORS SHOW was founded in 2003 by Maine Boats, Homes & Harbors magazine. Held annually during the second weekend of August in Rockland, Maine, the show attracts thousands of attendees from all over the country and world. Maine Boats, Homes & Harbors magazine, the premier magazine about life on the Maine coast, is celebrating its twenty-second year. Noted for its eclectic and award-winning coverage of all aspects of coastal living, the magazine covers everything from maritime matters and natural history to boats, homes, fine art, and food. The magazine has loyal subscribers around the world and more than 100,000 total readers. The award-winning online edition at www.maineboats.com is filled with original content, photo galleries, tides and weather for Maine and New Hampshire, guides to products and services, and Local KnowledgeTM to help visitors enjoy the Maine coast. Show hours: Friday and Saturday 10-6; Sunday 10-4. Admission $10, under 12 free. For more information about the show, exhibitors, and events, visit www.maineboats.com. Reminder: No pets (except the pre-qualified competing dogs) will be allowed on show grounds. Media Contact: Leila Murphy or Jennifer McIntosh email: news@maineboats.com Maine Boats, Homes & Harbors P.O. Box 758, Camden, ME 04843 207-236-8622; 800-565-4951. www.maineboats.com High resolution images are available for download at: www.maineboats.com/boatshow/press/image-bank

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