Sausage dog sprint a success
While the election race was in its final leg, another race was heating up in Auckland on Saturday.
A collection of dachshunds lined up at the start line of the Flying Moa Pub’s second annual Wiener Dog Derby. But only two dogs came out on top.
The races were open to all sausage dogs and saw miniature and standard-sized dogs racing separately at the Mount Wellington venue.
The short-legged, long-bodied dachshunds was of German origin, originally being bred to burrow into holes to catch badgers and foxes.
Owners loved the hounds for having an independent, even stubborn, character.
Organiser Sarah-Lee Rashleigh, who is also the pub owner and had a miniature dachshund named Chorizo, first organised the race after seeing a simular event held in Melbourne.
After a series of heats, quarter and semifinals, miniature dachshunds Brody and Marlow took out third and second place, while Ruby beat the other stubby-legged racers and took out first place.
Standard-sized sausage dog Frankenstein beat out the other competitors to take first in his category.
Other racers included Chorizo, Frank, Pluto, Ernie and Sausage McMuffin.
Dressing up was also an option with long-, short- and wire-haired pups parading and masquerading as everything from a bee to a pirate and a hot dog.
A sausage sizzle was also put on – but don’t worry, no sausage dogs were harmed.