12 May 2015
By Joanna Dunn Samson, FOTAS Vice President
Imagine this: It’s Saturday morning, May 2nd, at the Woofstock Dogs, Cats and Music Festival at the Aiken County Animal Shelter. It’s 10 a.m. – almost starting time. Excitement is running high. Competitors and handlers crowd around the starting gate, jockeying for position, muscles tensed in anticipation. At last, for one brief second everyone settles. Then the bell rings and the announcer cries “They’re off!”
And so they are. 10 floppy-eared, muscle-bound short and long-bodied dachshunds erupt out of the starting gate and race to the finish line – or at least most of them do. Occasionally this one might get turned around, or that one might get distracted, or a few others might be unclear on the concept, but all in all, FOTAS’ first Aiken Doxie Derby promises to be a riot.
Here’s how it works. For a registration fee of $20 in advance or $25 on the day of the event (come early!), you can enter your “real” Doxie in the first 8 races or your “Wanna be” Doxie in a special race of their own – no prior experience is necessary. The winners of the races will qualify to compete in the Big Weiner Race Off for a chance to win real prize money ($100 for first prize, $75 for second, and $50 for third).
No Doxie’s or “wanna be” Doxies in your house willing to take a run for the roses? That’s okay. You can donate $5 to FOTAS to sponsor the Doxie Derby for a chance to win $300. Visit www.FOTASAiken.org, click on Woofstock, and donate through PayPal, or visit any of these downtown stores: Aiken Dry Goods, Downtown Dog, The Screenprint Factory, and Palmetto Package and Fine Wine. The Doxie sponsor drawing will take place at 2:30 p.m. the day of the event. You do not have to be present to win.
The dashing Doxie’s won’t be the only canines competing for fame and glory at Woofstock. The afternoon dog contests will be the perfect venue to demonstrate the versatility and smarts of your lovable mutt. You can show off your bordering-on border collie’s captivating costume, your sort-of shihs tzu’s splendid hairdo, your doubtful dobie’s delightful smooches, your half-hound’s hair-raising fetching ability, your tenuous terrier’s talent for tricks, or your precious pibble’s powerfully-radiant smile.
Not interested in competing? That’s okay too. Load up the kids, dress up the dogs and head out to Woofstock for a carefree day of music, mindless fun and a few yucks.
Plus, there will be children’s activities, raffle baskets, give-a-ways, face painting, food, and local exhibitors. Admission is free.
And here’s the thing: not only will you and your family have a grand time on a beautiful spring day (fingers crossed on the weather), you will be benefitting the County’s thousands of homeless and abandoned animals. Virtually all of the proceeds from the Woofstock Festival will be used by FOTAS to assist the County in its dauntless task of caring for all of those animals.
Come on down this Saturday and join us for the fun. Maybe you’ll even fall for one of our adoptable animals and go home with the greatest prize of all – a new best friend to love.
