Dog heaven: dogs baying at hogs

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It was a dog-eat-dog weekend in Nixon this past Saturday and Sunday.

Well, sort of.

What really took place at the Nixon Livestock Show Barn last weekend was the annual El Perro Loco, one of the largest dog baying events in the country. Founded by two brothers from Nixon, the event has grown over the years from its humble beginning into the second-largest dog baying event in the world, trailing only the Uncle Earle event.

The El Perro Loco featured over 55 entries in the single dog baying event, with over 100 entries in the two-dog category.

“Yes, it’s quite a different event than the first one we put on over 15 years or so ago,” said Slade Trammell, one of the co-founders. “I think we may have had 15 entries in the single dog event, but this event has grown over the years and now we have this wonderful two-day show where people come from all over the country.”

Jake Liocano, the owner/operator of the Uncle Earle event drove all the way from LaBelle, Texas to participate in this year’s event.

“This is a lot of fun for me,” Liocano said. “Some of the best dogs in the world are here. It’s fun to hang out with my friends and family—that’s what these people have become, family—and hang out, drink beer and compete.”

Liocana brought eight dogs for the two-day competition, and he is proud of the dogs he owns. “If anyone tells you they know how to train these dogs then I’ll show you a liar. Either these dogs know how to bay with these hogs, or they don’t. You can’t train them.”

For the founders of the event, they created the El Perro Loco not only to compete in the bay competition with their friends, but also to give back to the community they live in.

“We have created a scholarship program for the kids,” said Trammell. “Every year in November we hold a fundraising event where we have dog baying, a hog cookoff and rodeo among other things. It’s a family-oriented event and we like to get the kids involved. After expenses are met for the food, trophies and what-not, all the money raised goes back into giving scholarships to the kids.”

Everybody was enjoying themselves over the weekend, with lots of camaraderie and good-natured joking. Smiles were on everyone’s faces, and the hundreds of dogs that were there to compete seemed to be enjoying the company of the other dogs and the competition.

“I tell you what—I like coming here and having a good time but I also come here to beat my friends in this competition so I can prove I have the best dogs,” Liocana said. “It’s like playing poker with your buddies. You like hanging out with them, but it’s game-on time you want to win and beat them.”

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