Southern Heritage Hunt and Show set this weekend at fairgrounds

ALBANY — Coon hunters and coon dog lovers from across the country are set to return to Albany for the annual American Kennel Club (AKC) Southern Heritage Hunt and Show this weekend at the Exchange Club Fairgrounds. The event, along with the Winter Classic, is considered to be one of the nation’s most prestigious coon dog events.

Event organizer Jimmy Phillips said he thinks the weekend will feature more dogs than usual since the Winter Classic, which is usually held on the same weekend, switched the dates of its events.

“We expect to have more than 200 dogs this weekend,” Phillips said.

The hunt and show will take place today and Saturday, and is open to all coon hounds with no pre-qualifying or advanced entries required. There is no pre-registration; all entries are walk-ons.

While Phillips said no advanced entries are required, the staff can still help get dogs ready for future qualifying events. All that is needed to enter is a dog’s number.

“If your dog doesn’t have a number, just bring its current pedigree, and we will help you complete a registration application. The cost to register is $10,” he said. “All points will be counted in the 2017 National Sportmix Rankings. We’ll have our night hunt on Friday, then at 11 a.m. on Saturday we’ll start the bench show.”

Phillips said organizers are expecting more dogs than usual.

“We are expecting a pretty big weekend because the Winter Classic has moved their dates and this weekend is wide open for (dog owners) all to come here,” he said.

Now in its fifth year with AKC, the Southern Heritage Hunt is a benefit to aid in the prevention of child abuse and is hosted by the South Georgia Coon & Squirrel Hunters Association. A $5,000 purse will go to the overall hunt winner.

The event is also sponsored in part by the Exchange Club of Albany, the Albany Convention & Visitors Bureau, and Albany Beverage Company. Portions of the proceeds from the event go to various organizations that help in the fight against child abuse.

What makes this weekend’s event a strong draw for coon hunters is that it is also a qualifying event for the 2016 World Coon Hunting Championship Hunt and Show, held each year in Homerville, Ohio, and the 2017 World Sportsmix Championship.

The weekend’s festivities will feature two nights of coon hunts, with registration open until 6 p.m. both today and Saturday. The entry fee for each hunt is $35 per participant, each of which will be eligible for the 10 placements awarded each night.

“There are seven different breeds of coon hounds at the dog show, and the night hunt will also have seven different breeds of coon hounds,” Phillips said.

Phillips said he hopes for a large crowd, despite the recent storms that passed through Dougherty County this month.

“I don’t think the weather is going to be a big factor except for maybe some local people due to the tornadoes,” he said. “I just want people to come out, enjoy some good food, walk around and see some beautiful dogs.”

Event admission is free to the public.