The World Coon Hunt gets underway in Salem Monday evening with over 1,200 dogs and their handlers expected to compete for the title and a first place prize of over $30,000.
Roger Dale Carnegie who heads the sponsoring Professional Kennel Club says there have been some changes this year.
“We had regional qualifying hunts this year for the first time in 6 different sites 2 weeks ago. And the dogs that won 2 rounds either night there qualified to come here for Friday night. There’s 47 I think of those that are qualified and the rest of the qualifiers will be qualified this week.”
And those seeing the world title will come from across the country and even Canada.
Carnegie continues to like Salem and the Marion County Fairgrounds for the event.
“I got a superior relationship with these people. They’ve been better to us better than anywhere we have ever been. Especially Cindy Eller. She is a crown jewel for the city of Salem.”
The preliminary rounds and semi finals all this week lead up to the finals on Saturday night.
Meanwhile, the Youth Sweepstakes concluded early Sunday morning with Leoma, Tennessee high school freshman Chase Laws winning the competition. Laws wins $2,000 cash and $4,000 in scholarship money.
Laws says he has been coon hunting since he was four years old and this is the 4th generation his family has been involved. Laws says his dog ‘Tobo’ was trained by a friend and the two have just been hunting together for a month. The duo was able to win with points tallied while treeing two raccoons. This is Laws third time hunting in Salem, but the first time to place. With COVID-19 restrictions lifted, the youth sweepstakes banquet returned at the Salem Community Activity Center.
