ROCKLAND — The anticipation is building for the 17th Annual World Championship Boatyard Dog® Trials, according to Maine Boat & Home Show, in a news release.

Potential contestants are busy writing application letters, posing for photographs, tailoring costumes, and honing talents for the trials, which will be held Sunday, August 11, at 10:30 a.m., as part of the Maine Boat & Home Show, August 9-11, on the waterfront in Rockland.

Everyone is invited to join the fun, according to  While preference will be given to dogs that work in a boatyard, crew on a boat, or direct operations of any kind on are given for originality and humor.

Applicants should ask: Do I love to watch Lassie re-runs with my dog? Does my dog’s tail wag faster when s/he dreams of cold ocean water? Does the applause of the crowd entice us both to strut our stuff? If the answers are yes, they are a “paw-in” to compete in the World Championship Boatyard Dog Trials.

Dogs (and their handlers) who are chosen for the quirky competition might be asked to navigate an obstacle course on a tippy dock, clamber in and out of a dinghy, or fetch objects from the water. Either dog or owner must end the segment completely soaked.

To cast a paw into the ring for a chance to act foolish before an adoring crowd, email a letter of interest, a flattering high-resolution photograph, and daytime contact information to byd@maineboats.com. Extra points will be given for humor; this is NOT a serious competition.

Submissions are due by July 1, 2019, send to byd@maineboats.com.

Finalists will be notified by July 8.

(NOTE: For liability reasons, only bona fide service animals (preferably marked as such) and the field of predetermined trials competitors are allowed on show grounds. Plan accordingly and leave all other pets at home.)

For more information and photos visit https://maineboats.com/boatshow/visitors/boatyard-dog

Boatyard Dog Trials Sponsors:
Bell’s Furry Friends Photography, Casco Totes, Loyal Biscuit, Water Bark Wellness

Overall Sponsors:
Awlgrip/Interlux, Bangor Savings Bank, Camden National Bank, CedarWorks, Courier Publications, Epifanes, LCI Fiber Optic Networks, Maine Homes & Harbors magazine, Owls Head Transportation Museum, Rock Harbor Brewing, US Harbors, and Yarmouth Boat Yard. The support of the City of Rockland, the Rockland Main Street program, and West Bay Rotary is also much appreciated.

17th Annual Maine Boat & Home Show

August 9-11, 2019, Harbor Park, Rockland

The show was founded in 2003 by Maine Boats, Homes & Harbors magazine. Held annually on the second weekend in August on the waterfront in Rockland, the event attracts thousands of discerning attendees from all over the country and world. The three-day event is also Maine’s only in-the-water boat show.

Adult tickets are $15, available online or at the gates (kids under 12 get in FREE). Special Access Passes, which include parking and other perks, are also available. Gates open at 10 a.m. daily.

For more information and to purchase tickets, visit maineboats.com/boatshow or call 800-565-4951.

Maine Boat & Home Show
P.O. Box 566
Rockland, ME 04841
800-565-4951
showinfo@maineboats.com
maineboats.com/boatshow