Entertainment

Catchers on the fly

Dogs and their trainers will show off their skills plucking Frisbees out of the air during an event at Clearwater's Fun 'N Sun Festival.

EAST LAKE - This ain't fetch.

This is a sport.

And Rusty Graham Cracker is in training, eating deer meat and working out every day.

At a practice session Tuesday morning in John Chesnut Park, the dog even tried to hurry things along by trying to open Ann Farmer's green backpack to get the equipment stored inside.

"If I had a thumb, I'd open these zippers!" said Farmer, speaking aloud what Rusty was probably not thinking as he fought to get inside the bag. "The opposable thumb gets them every time."

But Rusty made his owner eat her words, yanking the zipper down and pulling out a white Super Pro Whammo Frisbee and bringing it to her.

She tossed it, and the 3-year-old went long, tearing across the baseball diamond, bandana flying. All the while he had his eyes to the sky while the spinning white disk he was watching slowed in mid-air. He got under it, turned around and positioned himself in a crouching pose, his body jerking in anticipation.

Then, when it was inches from his snout, he lunged for it.

"Get it, Rusty!" Farmer yelled.

Rusty, of East Lake Woodlands and a contender for the fifth annual Central Florida Canine Flying Disk Challenge at Clearwater High School this weekend, leaped into the air and tried to snatch it.

But, alas, it bounced off his front teeth.

And, with a thud, it hit the grass and skidded into the orange dirt.

No matter. The competitive disk dog, who just a year ago was a homeless reject saved by Border Collie Rescue of Tampa Bay, dove on top of it with his front paws. Then he picked it up with his mouth and brought it back, slobbery and upside down, to Farmer.

In competition, the judges may have frowned on Rusty's C plus performance, but Farmer just laughed and pet his shiny coat.

She blamed herself.

"It was a bad throw," she said, laughing.

Indeed, in Rusty's defense, the Frisbee had arced hard to the right.

He and Oreo Cookie, 6, a talented black and white short-hair Border collie also owned by Farmer, will be among the entrants at the Central Florida Dog and Disc Club's competition, part of Clearwater's Fun 'N Sun Festival. Novice, intermediate and advanced teams from as far away as Birmingham and Denver will compete in freestyle, throw and catch, accuracy, open and "quadruped" long distance contests.

Freestyle is thrilling to watch. Advanced handlers do upside down, backhand and reverse overhand throws. The dogs try to catch the disks, sometimes doing "ramps" off the owners' backs, a trick called "vaulting." All of it is choreographed to music.

Although he said the "top guns of Frisbee dogs" will be at the challenge, "it's a great opportunity for teams new to the sport," said Chuck Hensley, director of both the club and the tournament.

"They get to try their hand at some Frisbee-playing with their dog," he said.

If your dog cannot catch a disk let alone bring it back, don't leave him at home. Bring him along and enroll him in the Bowser Games sponsored by the Pinellas County Animal Foundation.

Some of the games include "Slobberiest Pet" and "Waggiest Pet." "It's neat to watch," Hensley said.

WHEN: From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday (registration begins at 9 a.m.).

WHERE: Clearwater High School, 540 S Hercules Ave. (along Gulf-to-Bay Boulevard).

WHO: First-timers to advanced teams.

NOTE: All dogs must be on leashes. First 50 people to register will get a complimentary disk and T-shirt.

ENTRY FEES: $10 for novice and advanced teams, $15 for intermediate and open divisions.

ADMISSION: Free for spectators, although donations to the Pinellas Animal Foundation are welcome.

CONTACT: Interested owners should call (863) 859-4770.

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