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Thursday, March 28, 2024

K9 Frisbee competition returns Labor Day weekend

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The competitive high-jumping canines will be back in Naperville, ready to run in the popular K-9 Frisbee World Championships for the high-flying Frisbees on Labor Day Weekend, Sept. 2 and 3.

According to organizer Tom Wehrli, the 2017 Ashley Whippet World Championship Last Chance Qualifier Naperville competition will be held at Nike Park, located at 288 W. Diehl Rd. at Mill Street.

First up beginning at 9:30AM on Saturday, Ashley Whippet Last Chance Qualifier is sponsored by Discovering the World.

Then at 9:30AM on Sunday, the Ashley Whippet K-9 Frisbee World Championships take center field.

Spectators are welcome to enjoy the entertaining showmanship of high-performing dogs in the spirit of Ashley Whippet (1971-1985), the dog that wowed crowds in awe of his disc-catching ability. In his heyday, Ashley Whippet ran up to 35 miles per hour and leaped 9 feet in the air to retrieve Frisbees. For info, visit www.ashleywhippet.com.

Going the distance for K-9 Competition

Wehrli said this year’s competition has attracted teams from as far away as Japan and China as well as 50 to 70 teams from all over the U.S.

“We invite everybody to come see the Leaping Labs, Awesome Aussies and Marvelous Mutts compete for the K-9 World Championships, said Wehrli, mindful to get the word out about the new location. “For over 15 years we’ve had World Class K-9 Frisbee events during the great Naperville Jaycees Last Fling … an awesome four-day family festival which raises money for a number of charities around the area.”

Wehrli went on to explain the change of location this year has nothing to do with Last Fling, but due to lack of resolution of certain noise factors that might frighten the dogs.

“We cannot take the chance that these dogs that are coming all the way from Japan and China might step on to the field and get startled and walk off,” Wehrli said, noting his appreciation to the Naperville Park District for coordinating the use of Nike Park.

For more information, contact Tom Wehrli (630) 913-5933.

Ashley Whippet Online Museum

To learn the history of the K-9 Frisbee sport, visit www.ashleywhippetmuseum.com.

Wehrli is recognized as the resident historian from Naperville who lives and breathes canine Frisbee. For more than 35 years, Wehrli has dedicated space in his home and basement to a huge displays of memorabilia he has collected.

His ever-growing collection is now showcased online, augmented by his knowledge and dedication to take on the mission of putting the history together about this now-international sport.

Many commemorative and collectible items are available for purchase.

According to Alex Stein, Ashley Whippet’s owner and trainer, Wehrli always has been the man behind the Ashley Whippet museum and is affectionately known by K9 Frisbee sports enthusiasts as “Curator of the Ashley Whippet Museum.”

“We recommend that everyone spends some time at The Fling in support the hardworking folks at the Jaycees event Labor Day Weekend,” added Wehrli. “And on Saturday or Sunday, go straight up Mill Street to Nike Park and come visit our event.”

Find plenty of free parking available at Nike Park.

Nike Park is just steps from many Naperville hotels located along Diehl Road south of I-88 and minutes from downtown Naperville.

For information about overnight stays, visit www.visitnaperville.com.

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An ombudsman is Scandinavian in origin dating back to Viking times; and refers to a community representative; usually acting independently on behalf of an organization, body of elected officials, or civic group. Thanks Scandinavia for inventing ombudsman.

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