Tumbleweeds of dog hair rolled down the halls of the Monroe Civic Center on Saturday, past several men in suits teasing the bangs of
poodles. Later that night dog breeders would watch charity competitions of “ugliest dog” and “dog and owner look-alike” contests, presumably with the owners showing different dogs for each contest. While the Cotton Land Cluster of Dog Shows can at times border on the frivolous, the show remains the oldest and one of the most lucrative events held at the civic center. Pat Booker, treasurer of the Bayou Kennel Club, said a 2004 study by the Monroe-West Monroe Convention & Visitors Bureau”&1and the University of Louisiana at Monroe estimated the dog show had an economic impact of $2.1 million. He said the event has grown since that time, and the reputation of the show’s international judges draws owners from more than 30 states, Canada, Mexico and Costa Rica. Usually the show falls on Labor Day weekend, but because the event was held earlier this year, Booker said he expects attendance to drop off on Monday. Still, the hard economic climate has had little effect on turnout, and Bookers said lower gas prices this year have helped eclipse last year’s total.
Nine-year-old Brooke Priddy shows her standard poodle Antigua Exhilaration during the Cotton Land Cluster of Dog Show at the Monroe Civic Center. The four-day dog show began Friday and ends on Monday. The show includes four all-breed dog shows and thirteen specialty dog shows. Proceeds support the Ouachita Parish K-9 Unit.