Horse Trading Days reinstates dog show
ZELIENOPLE — Everybody thinks their dog is one of a kind.
This Saturday, canine owners will be given the chance to compare their beasts.
With the return of Horse Trading Days in Zelienople this weekend, an old event is being rejuvenated with the HTD Dog Show.
“The dog show was something Horse Trading Days actually did years and years ago,” said Matthew Edwards, Horse Trading Days director. “Those in charge back then kind of fell away from this event, but now we have some people interested in reviving that.”
The event will take place at 10 a.m. Saturday on the ShuBrew Main Stage at the corner of Spring and Main streets.
Downtown Zelienople is the site of the three-day event, from Thursday through Saturday.Live entertainment takes place on the Main Stage all three days, featuring Adam Hince (Mentalist), H-Z Jazz Band, Jeff Jimerson & Airborne, Jonathan Fisher, Rev Ezra and the Lone Pines, No Bad JuJu, Right Turn Clyde, This-That, & The Other Thing and The Low Kings.There are plenty of craft and food vendors and activities for children.
Entries for the dog show have been coming in already, Edwards said, and that is a good sign the event will be very successful.“That was really the catalyst,” Edwards said. “Just having people that remember this event and wanting to bring it back. I said: Let's give it a shot.”All dogs have different personalities and skills. Even for those dogs that tend to not listen at all, there will be some categories just for them.“One of the categories we are having is what we call the 'best misbehaved,'” Edwards said. “We're hoping people will get a little creative with that, and we are hoping there will be some people that bring some really talented dogs.”Other categories include best-dressed dog as well as best look-alike between the dog and their owner.“We just wanted it to be available to everybody,” Edwards said.With the cancellation of Horse Trading Days last year because of the pandemic, anticipation is really mounting and was the best reason to bring something like this back.“It was the reason we really pushed to have it this year,” Edwards said. “We certainly weren't the only event that went through that last year. We wanted to make sure we had some new things to really bring people back after a year off.”Prizes will be handed out to the winners, with a $100 gift card going to the main winner and $25 to the winners of each category.“Those gift cards are good to be used all over the Zelienople area,” Edwards said. “There are roughly 40 stores that have opted in from the Zelienople business association.”Dogs can be entered until the day of the event. To register, visit www.bit.ly/HTDdogshow.
As Horse Trading Days in Zelienople kicks off Thursday, the hot dog eating contest is one some people mark down on their calendars.On Saturday, “the hot dog eating contest follows the dog show on the main stage,” Edwards said. “That's an event we really wanted to start putting out there, and make people remember what Horse Trading Days was all about.”The hot dog eating contest will begin at noon on the Main Stage.
Looking for some team competition? The Saddle-Bags Cornhole tournament — at noon Saturday on South Clay Street — can fill that need.“We've grown this event every single year to the point we had 20 teams participate,” Edwards said. “And we are expecting a similar number, if not more.”One of the reasons this event is very sought after is the $300 cash prize that goes to the winning team.“I don't know if it's the cash prize or what, but we bring in some phenomenal talent for the cornhole tournament,” Edwards said. “I know some people think of it as some backyard drinking game, but we have drawn in some really talented teams.”The tournament is a two-loss elimination, so all teams are guaranteed two games with their entry fee.Even for those who don't want to participate, Edwards said that the atmosphere at the tournament can be entertaining just to experience. “It's really cool to see what some of these guys can do,” Edwards said. “If you don't challenge them and put some blockers in place, they will crush you.”For more about HTD, visit www.horsetradingdays.com.
