A day at the park: Local dogs try the Fast CAT

May 13, 2022  |  By Lisa Scagliotti 

Pitbull mix McKenzie appears skeptical at first of the task at hand.
Photo by Gordon Miller

McKenzie sees and chases the lure to a photo finish. Photo by Gordon Miller

Georgie the border collie crosses the finish line into her enthusiastic owner Randi Barrett's welcoming arms. Photo by Gordon Miller

Boomer, a German shorthair pointer, is all in to chase the "bunny" lure and show the other dogs how it's done. Photo by Gordon Miller

Is that a smile? Boomer keeps his eye on the lure. Photo by Gordon Miller

Members of the Green Mountain Dog Club organized their third Fast CAT Fun Trial for area canines last Saturday at Dac Rowe Park in Waterbury. 

The event was an unsanctioned-demonstration version modeled after the American Kennel Club's Fast CAT competitions ("CAT" short for Coursing Ability Test.) 

The official event is a timed 100-yard dash where dogs run one at a time, chasing a lure referred to as a "bunny." Mixed and purebred dogs can participate and dogs are ranked by speed and breed. Saturday's event in Waterbury was just for fun and it attracted 38 dogs (and their humans) for approximately 100 runs. 

Organizer Andrea McMahan said the club hopes to eventually hold official sanctioned events where runs are timed and scored as part of the national event. 

"Having the unsanctioned fun trial gives us the opportunity to involve more of the local dogs to have a fun outing and to let local dog people see what it would be like to train and run an AKC Sanctioned Fast CAT," McMahan explained. "Even if the club does become sanctioned, we will continue to hold the fun trials."

The Green Mountain Dog Club is looking to schedule another fun trial in September.