Preble County Tailwaggers 4H Club to purchase obstacle course equipment

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EATON — Thanks to fundraising efforts and donations from a number of local organizations, the Preble County Tailwaggers 4H Club is preparing to purchase $5,000 worth of equipment for next year’s Preble County Fair.

Members of the Tailwaggers Club worked diligently over the past year selling flowers and t-shirts to raise funds for the new equipment, according to 4H organizational advisor Taylor Leedy. The club also received monetary donations from the Preble County Farm Bureau, Prices Creek Veterinary Service, Town & Country Veterinary Clinic, Tufts of Fluff Pet Salon and local residents Jerold and Doris Bourne.

The funds will be put toward purchasing obstacle course equipment for the club’s Rally and Agility Show.

“2020 was the first year that we held both Rally and Agility competitions at the fair,” Leedy said. “This year we ran both new classes as exhibitions, as some of our clinics were canceled due to Covid-19 and we weren’t quite prepared to run a full obstacle course. So we used temporary practice equipment in the hopes of having new equipment for the 2021 season.”

The first Preble County Tailwaggers Rally and Agility Show took place Monday, Aug. 3, in the Rabbit Show Arena at the Preble County Fairgrounds.

“Our fair previously only consisted of showmanship and obedience competitions,” Leedy said. “But as our members are getting older and more experienced, most are looking for a bigger challenge. That’s why we decided that rally and agility would be a great addition to our fair schedule.”

The Tailwaggers Club has 20 members, according to Leedy, with not all working on dog projects. Some work with ducks, goats or miscellaneous other animals. The club has three advisors total, Leedy said, all of whom aged out of 4H themselves and decided to come back as volunteers.

Leedy said she was happy with how this year’s Rally and Agility Show turned out.

“We were very excited to run our Monday show, even if it was truly just for fun,” Leedy said. “We weren’t able to teach all of the disciplines that we were hoping to get to this year, due to the current situation. So we decided to make the best of the situation and proceed with a fun day exhibition for both rally and agility.”

The clinics the club was able to hold were introductory courses eaching kids the fundamentals of training their animals, mainly for agility, and sharing tips and tricks to get the dogs started with this new discipline.

“Myself and the other advisors for our club, Tristen Withrow and Jill Artz, are very proud of each of our exhibitors,” Leedy said. “Both classes are much more fast-paced than the other classes we do here at the fair. It gives the kids a chance to let loose a little and have some fun.”

Next year’s show will be even better, according to Leedy.

“We look forward to 2021, and we’re excited to see how it will look with our new equipment,” Leedy said.

Fundraising efforts and donations will allow the Preble County Tailwaggers to purchase $5,000 worth of equipment for next year’s Preble County Fair.
https://www.registerherald.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/41/2020/08/web1_Obstacle-1-.jpgFundraising efforts and donations will allow the Preble County Tailwaggers to purchase $5,000 worth of equipment for next year’s Preble County Fair. Anthony Baker | The Register-Herald

Fundraising efforts and donations will allow the Preble County Tailwaggers to purchase $5,000 worth of equipment for next year’s Preble County Fair.
https://www.registerherald.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/41/2020/08/web1_Obstacle-2-.jpgFundraising efforts and donations will allow the Preble County Tailwaggers to purchase $5,000 worth of equipment for next year’s Preble County Fair. Anthony Baker | The Register-Herald
Donations, fundraising allow stronger rally, agility show at next year’s fair

By Anthony Baker

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Reach Anthony Baker at 937-683-4057 or on Facebook or Instagram @mproperenglish

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