Canine Cannonball at Lake of the Ozarks, June 12 – 14, 2015

Man's best friend will soar through the air and make a huge splash in competition to see who is the top dog at the ninth annual Canine Cannonball, June 12 – 14 at Dog Days Bar & Grill in Osage Beach, Mo.

Canine Cannonball is a Dock Dogs-sponsored, dock-jumping competition that has been an annual event at the Lake of the Ozarks since 2007 and attracts crowds in the thousands. Dog Days Bar & Grill, located at 1232 Jeffries Road on land or at the 19-mile marker on the water, has been the lakeside host of the Cannonball since its inception.

Many families mark the Canine Cannonball on their calendar and build an entire weekend around the dock-jumping spectacular. The event is especially a highlight for Jeff and Rebecca Green of Osage Beach and their dog Ruger, a seven-year old yellow Labrador Retriever (pictured below), who has participated in Canine Cannonball the past six seasons and is set to make another appearance this year.

"The Canine Cannonball is just so much fun," says Rebecca Green. "It's a great family-friendly event that's always really well attended. It's so awesome to watch all the dogs do their thing and the crowd gets really into it cheering them on. And, it's free to attend, so we just kind of camp out and make a weekend out of it. My husband and I really enjoy it and Ruger does, too."

The Canine Cannonball judges a dog's physical prowess in three categories: the Big Air Wave (dock jumping), Extreme Vertical (high jump) and Speed Retrieve (fetching). The Big Air Wave, one of the most enjoyable competitions in this three-day event, consists of the dog running down the 40 x 8-foot competition dock and jumping off into the water for distance. The Extreme Vertical is a dock dog's version of the high jump. In this leap-for-height event, a canine leaps high into the air off the "dock" to retrieve a toy suspended above the water. The third event, the Speed Retrieve, is a timed fetching event that has the dog jump into the water and swim to fetch a thrown toy into the water.

Canine Cannonball events get underway with the first three rounds of the Big Air Wave at 2, 4 and 6 pm on Friday. On Saturday, the next three rounds of the Big Air Wave take place at 11 am, 1 and 3 pm with the Extreme Vertical event taking place at 5:30 pm. The Cannonball concludes on Sunday after two more rounds of the Big Air competition at 11 am and 1 pm followed by the Speed Retrieve at 3 pm.

All Canine Cannonball activities are free for spectators. Money raised at the event through donations will benefit the Dogwood Animal Shelter, a no-kill shelter in Osage Beach. The Shelter will also have pets available for adoption on-site during the three-day meet. According to Dogwood Animal Shelter officials, these pets have been given all required shots at the time of adoption.

Dog owners headed to the Lake for the Cannonball have many options for pet-friendly accommodations, from resorts and hotels and motels to campgrounds and RV parks. Most of the pet-friendly lodging facilities require a small per-day pet fee and/or a refundable deposit in return for a comfortable lodging experience for pets and their owners. A few of the campgrounds and RV parks require advance approval, so be sure to call ahead. For a complete list of pet-friendly lodging options, please visit www.FunLake.com.

Summer's 1st HUGE Events Weekend at The Lake

Summer's first truly big event weekend, June 7 - 9, is finally upon us. There's no doubt that you will find something fun and exciting that suits your tastes. The best part - all of the following Lake of the Ozarks events are free to attend!

The Canine Cannonball (June 7 - 9), presented by Dock Dogs and hosted by Dog Days Bar and Grill in Osage Beach begs the question: How far can your dog jump? The annual jumping contest features canine athletes competing in Big Air, Extreme Vertical, and Speed Retrieve. There's still time to enter your own pooch in the big contest! For information on entering your dog contact Dog Days at 573-348-9797. For a complete schedule, contact info and directions, visit Dock Dogs' event page here: http://bit.ly/10gLBvZ

For the young, young at heart and those who enjoy extreme watersports, Liquid Force's world famous BROstock is back for the 2nd year on June 7th and 8th, hosted by Captain Ron's Bar and Grill at the 34.5 Mile Marker. You don't want to miss Lake of the Ozarks' transformation into Lake of the "BROzarks" as the world's top professional wakeboard riders compete for over $30,000. Fueled by Monster Energy, BROstock will feature twenty six of the world's best riders including Harley Clifford, Shane Bonifay, and Bob Soven. Come for the contest, stay for the party! Find more info and the official schedule at www.brostock.com. If you can't make it to BROstock, you can watch it via the following outlets: Locally on Lake TV Channel 24; Digital TV on station 108.17 or watch the live webcast on BROstock.com.

Finally, Lake of the Ozarks is proud to bring you the much anticipated Lake Race 2013, presented by Mt. Dew and Formula Boats of Missouri and hosted by Beavers at The Dam Bar & Grill at the 1 MM, Bagnell Dam on Bagnell Dam Blvd. Watch some of the world's fastest Offshore Super Series boats compete for huge cash purses as you enjoy Lake scenery by boat or several land viewing locations including Bagnell Dam and Willmore Lodge. Activities kick off with the Lake Race Street Party on Friday, June 7th. All classes of boats will compete through out Saturday, June 8th and the race finals will be held throughout the day on Sunday, June 9th. Please make plans to join us on one or all days of this action packed event. You don't want to miss the power and excitement of these magnificent boats. For more information, an event map that includes parking and viewing locations and a complete schedule at www.lakerace.com. If you can't make it to the Races, KRMS will be streaming the event live at www.krmsradio.com/lakeracestream beginning Saturday, June 8th.

That's a whole lot of fun stuffed into one weekend! You can choose your favorite event to attend - but believe it or not, it will be possible to enjoy all of them if you choose to do so. Visit the sites listed above for specific schedules as well as the Lake Events calendar at www.funlakeevents.com. For lodging, dining and additional attractions and activities, www.funlake.com has everything you need in one, easy to navigate location. Be safe and have a great weekend at Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri!