Dog owners from multiple states filled up Joe Rowell Park in Dolores on the first weekend of August while their pets competed in the annual American Kennel Club agility trials.
This year, about 400 dogs raced with their owners through a maze of obstacles in the park on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, competing for the best score and the shortest time. The AKC, a national registry of purebred dogs, holds agility competitions for its members every year at venues like the one in Dolores. Organizers said the small town is one of the most popular locations for the trials in the West.
AKC members set up an obstacle course on the park’s large field, where dogs took turns racing against the clock from about 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day. Dogs of all breeds and experience levels, including mixed breeds that wouldn’t normally qualify for AKC registration can register for the trials, as long as they’re at least 16 months old and healthy. Some dog owners go on to compete in national or international events.
But in Dolores this year, the trials felt more like a party than a competition. After the trial runs ended in the afternoon, owners hung out together around food and glasses of wine near their RVs, played with their dogs in the park or went on hikes and bike rides through nearby trails. The atmosphere was friendly, cheerful and loud with dog barks.
The Durango Kennel Club organizes the Dolores event every year. Organizers Pam Leisle and Paula Scott said that although the agility trials are held in several other Four Corners locations, many people are willing to travel long distances to attend the one in Dolores. Many of the competitors this year came from New Mexico or Arizona, and a few have come from as far away as the East Coast in the past.
“People love this venue,” Scott said. “I think if we tried to change it, we’d have a revolt.”
She said that with the mountains nearby and a town government willing to let dog owners camp in the same park where the trials take place, it’s one of the most scenic agility trial sites in the country.
Leisle said the AKC has also developed a good relationship with the town over the years.
“I think we do a major service to the community of Dolores,” she said. “Everybody hits the liquor store, the grocery, everybody’s running around with pies from the market, restaurants do really well.”
She said Dolores residents often come to the park to watch the trials, which AKC members encourage.
“It’s a great way to learn about all the different things you can do with your dog,” Leisle said.
The trials are held in the same place on the first weekend of August every year.