What to Expect!

Dock diving runs from 8 until early evening each day. The action is pretty continuous! We have an amazing announcer who will describe how scoring works, and give information about each competitor. Frequently, the crowd is engaged with trivia questions or other fun ways to stay involved!

Dock Diving Disciplines

There are 4 event types in dock diving. The most common one is the Distance event, which is like a long jump. The dogs run as fast as they can down the dock, jump as big as they can, and their score is measured from the edge of the dock to the point in the water where the base of their tail first plunges in. Distance events run every day, with the finals being held at 4pm on Sunday. The pool record is currently 27 feet 9 inches and there is a great possibility that this record will be broken at the Western Cup with both the current record holder and several strong contenders already entered in the competition!

Air Retrieve is the most difficult game and will run on Friday evening. In this event, a bumper toy is suspended two feet above the dock and moves progressively further from the dock each time a dog makes a successful ‘grab’. Two misses in a row and the dog is out! The current pool record is 24 feet and will be tough to beat! This is a fun one to watch and starts at 4pm Friday August 12th.

Hydrodash is a swimming speed event! This runs Saturday at noon. The purpose of the game here is for the dog to take just a step or two on the dock, jump into the water, and swim as fast as they can to the end of the 40 foot pool where they will grab a bumper, turn around, and hustle back to the dock. The current pool record is 13.312 seconds. Some very fast dogs are travelling from Alberta to try to defeat this record for the Western Cup!

The last event is called Fast Fetch and it is a strategy game. Dog and handler teams must make 3 quick retrieves and points are awarded for the distance of each retrieve. Points are important and so is speed and the handler needs to choose a strategy that will help them maximize their score. Our pool record is also the world record in this sport and is 96 points in 48 seconds. The world record holder dog will be in attendance as will several contenders!

What to Bring

• Admission is FREE but you’ll want cash to participate in raffles, buy lunch and perhaps even donate to the Smiling Blue Skies Canine Cancer fund. We will also have a couple of vendors on site if you want to purchase toys, tshirts, or treats for your dog!
• Bring your friends, kids, and family – but please leave your dog at home. Non-competing dogs are not permitted on site.
• You’ll want to bring a lawnchair so you can sit and enjoy the jumping action!
• Camera- photos and videos are encouraged!
• Any other weather appropriate items- bugspray, sunscreen, a hat, etc.

Directions

The Western Cup Challenge is located on private property at 4131 Schemenaur Road. Please drive SLOW SLOW SLOW through the yard, past the house and barns without stopping, and follow signs out to the pool area. Several speed bumps are in place to ensure visitors are driving super slowly!

**Some GPS units map our location incorrectly. Use this map to verify your route!

Questions? Please EMAIL erin@kinderdoggin.com (note that we do not check emails during the event hours itself, so inquire early!)