Naperville, IL – This Labor Day weekend, the Ashley Whippet World K-9 Frisbee Championship is taking over Naperville, Illinois. The event, held at Nike Sports Complex, celebrates 50 years of canine frisbee.
Competitions run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, featuring about 75 dog-and-human teams from around the world, including participants from Hungary, Spain, and Japan. Events include open toss and catch, as well as a freestyle round judged by K-9 frisbee experts.
The sport’s origins date back to August 5, 1974, when Alex Stein and his whippet, Ashley, performed an impromptu frisbee routine during the seventh-inning stretch at Dodger Stadium, inadvertently founding the sport. Stein was arrested for his stunt, but the sport’s impact was enduring.
Special guest Adrian Stoica, last year’s “America’s Got Talent” winner with his dog Hurricane, will be attending with her sisters, Inu and Iris. The championship, the longest-running disc dog competition in the world, is hosted by local resident Tom Wehrli, who has been deeply involved in K-9 frisbee since 1980.
The event is free to attend, with food available for purchase to benefit the Children’s Dyslexia Centers in Illinois. Stein, now reflecting on the sport’s growth, called it “phenomenal.”
Source: chicagotribune.com
