GoPro Mountain Games DockDogs Dominate Vail Lionshead Pool

The air in Lionshead Village smelled of wet dog, chlorine, and the distinct, nervous energy of a crowd waiting for something to break. It wasn’t the quiet, contemplative silence of a high-country hike. It was the raucous, barking chaos of a sporting event where the athletes have four legs and no hands.

This is the reality of Day 1 of the GoPro Mountain Games. While the rest of Vail prepares for the usual mix of alpiners and endurance athletes, the waterfront is currently dominated by DockDogs. Specifically, the Purina Pro Plan DockDogs competitions. It’s loud. It’s wet. And for the locals wondering how this fits into the broader "Mountain Games" brand, it’s a lot of splash for a mountain town.

Samantha Brady, a Longmont dog trainer, is in the thick of it. She’s here with her 3-year-old Dutch shepherd, Ire, who is currently eyeing the big air competition like a predator sizing up prey. Brady isn’t just a spectator; she’s running a tight ship. She has four dogs in Vail — two other Dutch shepherds and a Malinois. Her 10-year-old son is helping out, competing with one of the dogs. Her mom is arriving tomorrow to help move the animals around. It’s a logistical operation, not a casual weekend trip.

“I have my schedule up there, we’ve got our system,” Brady said. “My mom will be here tomorrow to help me move dogs around.”

The scale of the event is measurable. We’re talking about extreme vertical, outdoor big air, and speed retrieve. Then there’s Dueling Dogs, where two dogs race side-by-side for a floating toy, and the Incredible Dog Challenge Experience. All of this is happening in Lionshead Village. The Rocky Dog 5K kicked off the running events on Thursday night. Celebrity dog Rowdy Dachshund and Matt Nelson, founder of WeRateDogs, are set to appear at the CoLab Creator Stage at Solaris Plaza over the next four days.

Let’s look at the competition. Brady’s dogs are entering the “Iron Dog” competition, which combines extreme vertical, outdoor big air, and speed retrieve. It’s a grueling test of endurance. Ire, her primary competitor, flew just shy of his 22-foot personal best in his first qualification jump. He’s sitting first in the speed retrieve, an event where he ranks in the top 25 globally. Last year, he was runner-up to Zeppelin, a Belgian Malinois owned by Joe Harris. Zeppelin won the vertical and big air with a massive leap of 26 feet, 5 inches. But Zeppelin isn’t in Vail this year.

“So, we’re hoping that we’ll get it this year, but we’ll see,” Brady stated.

It’s a different kind of athleticism than the ski jumps or the rock climbing. It’s explosive. It’s repetitive. It’s also a major draw for visitors. Brady notes that they usually do six or seven competitions a year. They have a pool at their facility in Longmont, so she helps train others as well. But she’s here for the community aspect.

“We stay for the community,” Brady continued. “I just love the people here and they become like family. You keep coming, you get to c...” The quote trails off, but the sentiment is clear. The people here aren’t just watching; they’re participating.

The scene at the pool was chaotic. As Brady answered questions, Ire tugged on his leash, joining a barking chain alongside a young yellow labrador and a chorus of border collies. Another owner corralled a nervous pup onto the dock for its first jump. A crowd formed around the pool as the second round of wave three began. It’s not just about the dogs jumping. It’s about the noise, the water, and the sheer volume of people packed into Lionshead Village to watch it happen.

For context, this isn’t a niche event. It’s a central part of the GoPro Mountain Games identity this year. The integration of these events into the core Vail footprint means more foot traffic, more noise, and more disruption to the usual mountain town rhythm. It’s a spectacle. It’s expensive to run. And it’s definitely not quiet.

The practical impact? If you’re staying in Lionshead or near Solaris Plaza, expect more crowds. Expect more noise. Expect the usual mountain town tranquility to be replaced by the sounds of barking and splashing for the next four days. It’s a specific kind of chaos that defines the modern Mountain Games.