Flight school for Fido

When the International Sportsmen’s Exposition opens in Pomona on Friday, among the more splashy features will be Tony Reed and his flying dogs. Reed trains retrievers and mutts alike in the little-known competition of dock diving, in which canines hurtle off an improvised dock and hit big air before splashing down in a 50-foot indoor pool. The dog who flies the farthest wins. “We measure from the dock to where the base of the tail crosses the water,” says Reed. The entry fee is $20 per heat, and the winner takes $200. Top dogs face off at the Championship Dock Diving Series finals in Pleasanton, Calif., on Feb. 27 (see www.splashdogs.com). In the meantime, dogs take the plunge at the Fairplex amid two exhibition halls, filled with freshwater fishing tackle, hunting accessories (no firearms), fishing and hunting videos and demonstrations. The exposition, expected to draw 20,000 people, differs from other large hook-and-bullet shows because it features both instructional and offbeat hands-on activities. There’s an 80-foot fly-casting pond to try out products and take free lessons, and a catch-and-release pond for kids (gear and guides provided at both ponds). Ever wonder how to cook a wild turkey or boar, or make your black-pot cuisine taste better? A Dutch oven competition challenges wannabe camping chefs. Admission is $10 for ages 13 and older; 12 and younger get in free. Go to www.sportsexpos.com.

-- Scott Doggett