By JULIE CARLE
BG Independent News
The first Wood County Fair Wiener Dog Derby Monday night was a howling success.
With a full race card of 32 dachshunds vying for top dog honors, a packed grandstand proved the fair board‘s decision to bring wiener dog races to this year’s fair was pawsitively perfect.
The race consisted of four qualifying heats featuring eight dogs per heat, dressed in adorable color-coded racing vests. As emcee Clint Corpe explained, the first-place dog in each heat would advance to the championship heat.
The races on the 30-foot track, complete with a starting gate like race horses, were fast and furious, and more than a little chaotic. Very few of the dogs stayed in their lanes or went to their beckoning owners at the other end.
Despite owners calling their dogs’ names, trying to make eye contact, and holding squeaky toys, balls, frisbees or other enticement—though no treats were allowed—most of the dogs didn’t make a beeline to the other end. They may have raced, but veered way off course, often past the finish line and outside of the boundaries of the racetrack. Each heat was done in seconds.
Kira traveled for nearly an hour from Ottawa, Ohio, with her owners Anne and Dave Boniasegna to compete in her third wiener dog race. Previously, the mini, long-haired blondie won a couple heats in Findlay and a second place in Columbus.
In the end, the little speed demon missed her chance to make it to the championship when she came in second in the third heat, outraced by that speedier Ursa of Oceola, Ohio.
Two-year-old Gemma, a dapple dachshund with the telling mottled spots—hers were white on black—and partial blue eye, was racing for the first time, said her owner Debbie Meldrum of Toledo.
“I’ve always wanted to go see a wiener dog race, and I figured since this one was so close, I might as well just go and put her in to see what happens,” she said.
Gemma’s rule-following ways earned her a spot in the championship, but not because she was fast. Odin, Meldrum’s grandson, said Gemma “is like a motorcycle. She likes to zoom around the house a lot.”
In the fourth heat the orange vest-wearing, 13-pound pup was last, but she was the only dog to actually reach the end of the track between the two cones, Tyler Burris, fair director in charge of the event, explained to the participants and audience.
Jacob DeSmith of Custar brought Humphrey to his first race after training him by putting him under a cardbox, lifting the box and running him around in the backyard.
Dalton Reynolds of Pemberville was on hand to help with Makaylee Saam’s dachshunds, brothers Oscar and Ozzy. “We saw it was something local, and we thought it would be fun,” he said. “Ozzy might have a chance more than Oscar, He’s pretty good.”
Gizmo, Remmington and Loreilai were hanging out together before the race, Gizmo and Remmington belong to the Parish family, Mom Amanda, daughter Katie (newly crowned member of the junior fair royalty court) and dad Tim.
Gizmo and Remmington, the two rescued dachshunds were older than a lot of the competitors, Tim said. “They’re geriatric. Gizmo is kind of lazy. It’s kind of 50-50 that she gets halfway and decides to lay down in the middle of the track, but Remmington can run with the best of them.”
They tried training them by offering them treats. “We held treats when we were training with them, so they’re going to think they’re going to get a treat, but you’re not actually allowed to bring treats,” Tim said, unsure what that meant for the dogs’ motivation.
Loreilai, named by owner Samiyah Bennett for the Gilmore Girls’ character, said Ashley Bennett, grandma to the dog. “Even though this was a spur of the moment decision to compete, she might have a chance,” Ashley said. “Every night she and our Bernadoodle are like Tom and Jerry. They have to play tag every night before they will go to bed. No matter what happens, it will be fun.”
And they’re off
At the start of the race, Corpe introduced each dog, owner, hometown and the color of jersey the dog would be wearing. He pumped up the crowd by encouraging them to cheer for their favorites.
“I’m going to ask you all to help out with the countdown,” he said. “And when they are done, we’ll wrangle the winning dogs when they’re done. It’s going to be fun.”
Heat winners were Taylor Sheffer’s Stella (Heat 1) and Sterling, (Heat 2); Ursa (Heat 3), owned by Ron and Patricia Rothharr of Oceola; and Meldrum’s Gemma (Heat 4). (complete results are at the end of the story)
“Let’s get these athletes ready for the final heat,” Corpe announced. “I don’t know what’s more funny watching the dogs or the parents trying to catch the dogs afterwards.”
Once the dogs were stationed in the starting gate, and owners were at the finish line for the championship, the countdown was on.
In the blink of an eye, Stella bolted to the finish line and was named the big dog of the inaugural wiener dog race at the Wood County Fair, winning big box of goodies and $500 cash prize. Second place went to Stella, earning $300. And the third-place winner for $200 was Ursa. All contestants received a doggie bucket of goodies. The awards and prizes were sponsored by Family Farm and Home, Range Line Excavation and Land Clearing, and Bob’s Plumbing and Heating.
A list of all racing dogs and their owners follows:
HEAT 1
- Post Position #1 Remmington wearing teal, Bowling Green, Amanda Parish
- Post Position #2 Odin wearing grey, Pemberville, Makaylee Saam
- Post Position #3 Stella wearing orange Columbus, Taylor Sheffer: Placed 1st to move on to championship heat
- Post Position #4 Goose wearing red, Swanton, Chad Collins, wants to help next year: 2nd place
- Post Position #5 Venus wearing yellow, Bowling Green, Elizabeth Swartz
- Post Position #6 Marley wearing blue, North Baltimore, Jaime Keller
- Post Position #7 Reba, wearing lime green, Bowling Green, Kayla Storey
- Post Position #8 Max, wearing black, Bowling Green, Doug and Julie Wulff
HEAT 2
- Post Position #1 Gizmo wearing teal, Bowling Green, Amanda Parish
- Post Position #2 Oscar wearing grey, Pemberville, Makaylee Saam
- Post Position #3 Sterling wearing orange Columbus, Tayla Sheffer – 1st place
- Post Position #4 Dale wearing red, Millbury, Maddison Ankney
- Post Position #5 Ellie wearing yellow, Bowling Green, Peg Swartz
- Post Position #6 Gus wearing blue, Bowling Green, Chezney Taube
- Post Position #7 Gracie Lou Tuttle lime green, Bowling Green, Bill and Kristin Tuttle
- Post Position #8 Ruby wearing black, BG, Doug and Julie Wulff: 2nd place
HEAT 3
- Post Position #1 Ozzy wearing teal, Pemberville, Makaylee Saam
- Post Position #2 Kira wearing black, Ottawa, Anne and Dave Boniasegna, 2ndplace
- Post Position #3 Lorilai wearing orange, Perrysburg, Samiyah Bennett 3rd
- Post Position #4 Zoey wearing red, Perrysburg, Samiyah Bennett
- Post Position #5 Squidward wearing yellow, Perrysburg, Camryn Goodell
- Post Position #6 Prince wearing blue Perrysburg, Cassie Beaverson, 4th place
- Post Position #7 Ursa wearing lime green, Oceola, Ohio, Ron and Patricia Rothharr – 1st place
- Post Position #8 Humphrey DeSmith wearing grey, Custar, Jacob DeSmith
HEAT 4
- Post Position #1 Rudy wearing teal, Freeport Harbor, Ohio, Jay and Sarah Schiffbauer
- Post Position #2 Freya wearing grey, Swanton, Tifffany Malone
- Post Position #3 Gemma wearing orange, Toledo, Deb Meldrum— 1st place
- Post Position #4 Hank wearing red, Perrysburg, Aaron Miller
- Post Position #5 Hank Stewart wearing yellow, Bloomdale, Cory Stewart
- Post Position #6 Chip wearing blue, Walbridge, Kennedy and Lindsey Loving
- Post Position #7 Winnie wearing lime green, Bowling Green, Kayla Storey
- Post Position #8 Merle wearing black, Bowling Green, Doug and Julie Wulff
CHAMPIONSHIP HEAT
- 1st place—Stella wearing teal
- 2nd place—Sterling wearing grey
- 3rd place—Ursa wearing lime green
- 4th place—Gemma wearing orange
