Balloons, jumping dogs give Perry Dogwood Festival a lift

PERRY -- Two events added to the Dogwood Festival four years ago have pumped new life into the annual event.

One is the hot-air balloon rally, which was held Saturday night. The other is the dog dock jumping competition put on this year by Ultimate Air Dogs. It was held downtown Saturday and Sunday.

Dogs from beginner to pro leap off a dock to see which one can jump the farthest into a 45-foot-long pool.

Betty Giles, director of programming and events for the Perry Chamber of Commerce, said the balloon rally and dock dog jumping were important additions to festival.

"That has just really made it take off and become a bigger event," she said.

Giles was in charge of the arts and crafts festival, which had over 100 vendors. She said the festival is a celebration of springtime.

"We are just all ready to be outside," she said. "Everything is blooming and it's really beautiful in Middle Georgia."

The dog jumping is held in a rectangular pool set up behind the courthouse downtown. One lure is that anyone can bring a dog and give it a try. As long as a dog isn't afraid to jump into the water, and has a favorite toy to chase, most will jump right in the first time. The trick is in getting them to jump farther.

Some dogs jumped just a few feet, but many cleared more than 10 feet and some went beyond 20 feet. The record for Ultimate Air Dogs is 30 feet, 2 inches.

Brian Wilcox, who operates Ultimate Air Dogs with his father, said they got into it 14 years ago after watching it on ESPN.

He said it's an easy activity for families to get into if they have an active dog.

"It gives you and your family something you can go do together and it gives your dog a lot of exercise," Wilcox said.

Gracie Gay, 13, of Dublin, and her Boykin spaniel, Gypsy, were among the competitors.

Although a small dog and still a beginner, Gypsy managed to leap over 11 feet in the morning round Sunday.

Gracie's dad, Peter Gay, said the family got into the sport a couple of years ago and Sunday was their first trip to the Perry event.

"She loves dogs," Gay said of his daughter.

Jennifer Vickers, of Covington, brought her two dogs, Blindside and Rebel. Blindside, a German shorthaired pointer, jumped 21 feet Sunday. Blindside led Vickers into the sport about a year ago.

"He was about 5 to 6 months old he decided he wanted to jump off the dock into the water," she said. "We have been doing it ever since."

Emma Layson, of Perry, has come to the festival every year since it started. She was there Sunday with family members and her Pomeranian, Rocky. Rocky didn't get a chance to dock jump but he did score a new University of Georgia Bulldogs harness and leash from one of the arts and crafts vendors.

Layson said the festival has steadily grown through the years and she always enjoys it.

"It's just hometown," she said. "It's food, old friends. You can always find something to buy."

To contact writer Wayne Crenshaw, call 256-9725.

This story was originally published April 10, 2016 at 3:31 PM with the headline "Balloons, jumping dogs give Perry Dogwood Festival a lift ."