Weenies get ready, weenies get set, weenies go!
by hannah riggs
The Germantown Racing of the Weenies, a tradition started as a sister city project with a city in Germany, is a popular attraction of the Germantown Festival that has been around for 17 years.
“We started with about six or seven dogs, just a little event, but every year it just kept getting bigger and bigger and bigger, and more people wanted to enter it,” Germantown Animal Shelter’s manager Bethany German said.
The race was started as a way to have a small fundraiser for the shelter that has now turned into one of their major fundraisers, bringing in around $4000 per year and drawing more crowds each and every year.
“We have had people come from almost every state I think. Every year we have people come from a different state. They will hear about it from family or friends, and come down here to be a part of the festival,” German said.
“It’s a really different tradition. No one else has it,” senior Lauren Horton said.
Horton has been attending the weenies races for five years, but every year is full of more entertaining surprises.
“One year my friend’s dog was racing and I started cheering for her. But then she jumped over the fence to me instead of finishing the race. Her owner doesn’t let me cheer anymore,” Horton said.
Senior Adam Sommers has been coming to the races on and off for his whole life and enjoys the spectacles as well.
“It’s so entertaining to watch little weenie dogs sprint along and get distracted,” Sommers said.
But like many people, Sommers doesn’t watch for the intense race, but rather for the chaos that ensues.
“I like watching the weenies get off course and start like sniffing something. One year a weenie ran into the hay bale and knocked over the whole finish line pole down,” Sommers said.
Along with the many faithful weenie spectators, the event draws newcomers every year.
“It was way better than I anticipated,” senior Emily Neale said. “I expected them to either stand still or run straight. But there were dogs who ran in circles or opposite directions. They made my day.”
The Racing of the Weenies always draws a large crowd. Whether they are regular attenders or first time viewers, everyone comes away with an amusing story of something one of the dachshunds did.
“It’s downright entertaining watching little dachshunds run. But it is certainly a very cherished tradition,” Horton added.
“We started with about six or seven dogs, just a little event, but every year it just kept getting bigger and bigger and bigger, and more people wanted to enter it,” Germantown Animal Shelter’s manager Bethany German said.
The race was started as a way to have a small fundraiser for the shelter that has now turned into one of their major fundraisers, bringing in around $4000 per year and drawing more crowds each and every year.
“We have had people come from almost every state I think. Every year we have people come from a different state. They will hear about it from family or friends, and come down here to be a part of the festival,” German said.
“It’s a really different tradition. No one else has it,” senior Lauren Horton said.
Horton has been attending the weenies races for five years, but every year is full of more entertaining surprises.
“One year my friend’s dog was racing and I started cheering for her. But then she jumped over the fence to me instead of finishing the race. Her owner doesn’t let me cheer anymore,” Horton said.
Senior Adam Sommers has been coming to the races on and off for his whole life and enjoys the spectacles as well.
“It’s so entertaining to watch little weenie dogs sprint along and get distracted,” Sommers said.
But like many people, Sommers doesn’t watch for the intense race, but rather for the chaos that ensues.
“I like watching the weenies get off course and start like sniffing something. One year a weenie ran into the hay bale and knocked over the whole finish line pole down,” Sommers said.
Along with the many faithful weenie spectators, the event draws newcomers every year.
“It was way better than I anticipated,” senior Emily Neale said. “I expected them to either stand still or run straight. But there were dogs who ran in circles or opposite directions. They made my day.”
The Racing of the Weenies always draws a large crowd. Whether they are regular attenders or first time viewers, everyone comes away with an amusing story of something one of the dachshunds did.
“It’s downright entertaining watching little dachshunds run. But it is certainly a very cherished tradition,” Horton added.