LEWISTON — Trainer Mike Piazza said his four high-energy, highly trained border collies don’t usually have as much space as Simard-Payne Memorial Park offered them Wednesday.

“We can actually run out for about 40, 50 feet here,” he said. “My record is more than 100 feet, but I don’t go that far any more.”

Thanks to misty weather that almost but didn’t quite turn into rain, Piazza’s Flying High Frisbee Dogs had plenty of room to run, leap, flip and catch flying discs — much to the delight of more than 120 spectators.

“My dogs actually like the rain,” Piazza told the crowd before the show got started. “It keeps them cool.”

Piazza’s dogs were the main attraction at the Wednesdays in the Park event.

“They are a working breed dog, and they need exercise every day,” Piazza said. “If you don’t exercise them and give them a job, they’re going to come up with a job of their own — like tearing up your couch.”

The show drew day campers and workers taking shift breaks from nearby TD Bank’s back-office operation in the Bates Mill complex.

Roger and Diane Torres of Louise Street in Auburn said they were there to see the dogs.

“We used to have collies and shelties, not the in-between ones, not the border collies,” Diane Torres said. “They are very gentle, very sweet, intelligent dogs.”

She said she didn’t train hers to catch discs, only to take walks.

“So, are you ready to get another dog now?” Roger asked, as Piazza brought dogs Biscuit and Bullet up to greet the couple.

“No, no more now,” she said. “We’re too old.” 

The series will continue July 29 with the Veayo Twins performing at Festival Plaza in Auburn.

staylor@sunjournal.com

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