Dogs and owners alike enjoy afternoons of camaraderie and competition with Bull City Toss and Fetch
By Ginny Smith | Photography by Olivia Paul
Close to 30 pups line up with their handlers at Lowe’s Grove Middle School every Wednesday to play fetch. Dog owners exchange friendly greetings and advice for effective Frisbee tosses as well as enthusiasm and encouragement for even the smallest furry friends playing on the grassy field.
Bull City Toss and Fetch, which kicked off its inaugural season in January 2023, is one of 250 K9 Frisbee Toss and Fetch leagues across the globe. The organization reimagines the classic game of backyard fetch in a supportive and social environment for both dogs and their owners, with the option to also participate in challenges. Jeff Cohn and his Australian shepherd, Bindi, have been with Bull City Toss and Fetch from the start. “The bonding experience with [Bindi], for me, is my favorite part,” he says. “She just loves the competition.
“I found out that toss and fetch was an organization through the Tar Heel Toss and Fetch group in Mebane,” Jeff continues. “I was calling around and posting on Facebook and finally found a couple of people who were willing to set up a league here in Research Triangle Park.” Enter Marcia Corprew-Duncan, founder of Bull City Toss and Fetch. “Marcia took it upon herself to get the ball rolling and did a phenomenal job organizing and publicizing [Bull City Toss and Fetch],” Jeff says. The self-proclaimed “crazy dog lady” and owner of Abi, a Labrador retriever and German shepherd mix, and Quincy, a treeing Walker coonhound, became the group’s official captain in January and quickly grew the league to more than 20 dog-human duos.
The official club rules incorporate a simple-yetambitious point system with on-site, video-recorded judging. The “team” (dog and handler) must complete as many Frisbee catches and retrievals as possible in either 60 or 90 seconds, depending on the season. The greater number of yards that the Frisbee is thrown, the more points the team receives. Additional points are awarded if the catch is completed midair. The point system is a sporting incentive for some teams while others may find it less important.
“It’s as serious as you want to make it,” Jeff says. “For folks like me who are more casual, it also works for us. If the dog takes it seriously and wants to do it, then that’s great. You can try to get the highest score you want and be competitive, or you can just go out there and have fun. There’s room for everybody and their interest level.”
“It’s just so fun to watch,” Marcia explains, “and the dogs just love it.” Managing the league is clearly a passion project for Marcia. “She made knit hats, sweatshirts and even business cards,” Jeff says. “She would set up a booth at other events to attract more members, and now it’s so big we have to have two or three sessions a night to make room for all the people, it’s just been phenomenally successful.” But Marcia is quick to give credit to her fellow Bull City Toss and Fetch participants. “I went on vacation the other week, and people were so willing to step in for me, take responsibility and handle meetings while I was out.”
“It’s definitely a growing sport,” says Lisa Brockmeier, who’s competed in dog agility contests for 20 years with her rescue dog, Janet. “There are more and more leagues popping up all over the place.” Bull City Toss and Fetch is Lisa’s first foray into a disccentered sport, and it’s helped her connect with others who are involved in similar national dog disc leagues, like the UpDog Challenge. “Doing this toss and fetch league opened me up to new fun things to do with [ Janet],” Lisa says. “I even went to the [UpDog Challenge] nationals in April.”
Marcia hopes to see more young kids join the league, and she would also like to obtain a more reliable location since reservation availability at Lowe’s Grove often varies. Members currently meet once a week, but Marcia is optimistic that the club might be able to meet more frequently.
Follow these Durham pups on Instagram for even more inspiration on dog-friendly outings.
