PRESS RELEASE
submitted by Stacey Whichard ~ Wayne Co Tourism Bureau
Labor Day weekend means the return of one of the biggest coonhound events of the year, Autumn Oaks®, celebrating its 52nd year, is an extremely spectator-friendly event free to the public. Taking place September 2nd and commencing on September 4th with an awards ceremony, Autumn Oaks is a highlight event for coonhound enthusiasts and features challenging events showcasing the beauty and function of all seven coonhound breeds.
United Kennel Club’s Autumn Oaks has grown to be the largest coonhound Nite Hunt and Bench Show event in the world. Nite Hunts are simulated hunting events, with no game taken or firearms allowed, in accordance with UKC policy. An amazing 1,038 hounds have entered and are set to compete in one of the most prestigious events in all of coonhunting! No, this is not a misinterpretation or illusion of sorts where the likes of re-entries or otherwise might be thrown in to blow up the stats for whatever reason. There are over a thousand “different” hounds! This is undoubtedly a new record in all of coonhunting when it comes to number of dogs entered in an organized coonhunt of any registry – period.
Autumn Oaks has over 6,800 participants registered and with spectators regularly attracts more than 17,000 total people over the weekend. Both Friday and Saturday feature the world’s largest licensed Bench Show, with over 500 coonhounds expected. Sunday morning’s awards ceremony closes the event with a celebration of the weekend’s big winners.
United Kennel Club thanks Black Gold Premium Dog Food for their support as a return sponsor of this year’s Autumn Oaks. All Nite Hunt participants will be competing for valuable points towards this year’s Triple Crown, also sponsored by Black Gold (blackgolddogfood.com), which awards a prize package worth over $3,000 to the coonhound with the most combined points from UKC’s three largest coonhound events of the year – Autumn Oaks, Winter Classic and the World Championship. In addition, Nestle Purina® proudly sponsors the Bench Show portion of Autumn Oaks, with points accumulating toward the Purina Outstanding United Kennel Club Bench Show Coonhound, awarded at the UKC Winter Classic in January.
Be sure to catch all the action on our website: www.ukcdogs.com
For more information about details of the show, contact: Tanya Raab, traab@ukcdogs.com
See GoWayneCounty’s Event calendar for show times and days that are open to the public.
This is at the 4H Fairgrounds again this year!!!