2021-08-22 Hardly Raining
The annual Wiener Dog and Wiener Wannabe Races returned to Emerald Downs after a COVID hiatus in 2020. (For the uninitiated, see this overview of the 2018 event.)
Defending champion “Slinky,” a red dachshund with a grey muzzle and paws, retained the title in the Wiener Dog category. Slinky is trained by Denise Avery and Greg Rovetta of Olympia. The Wiener Wannabe winner was “Benny,” a sleek black dog trained by Nicole Dimak of Woodinville.
As a notable change this year, the starting box was replaced by a starting line, presumably for social distancing. The second Wiener Dog heat brought a possible false start, but too many hounds had sped away to attempt a do-over.
The family of “Anderson Pooper,” Dave and Brenda Sizer of Mountlake Terrace, shared that the beloved celebrity wiener dog had died in February. Pooper experienced paralysis of her hind legs and used a wheeled disco-ball cart to race. This year, the Sizers introduced a new dachshund athlete who also uses a cart: “Mary Poopins.”
Emerald Downs also hosted ten thoroughbred (horse) races throughout the afternoon.
