Harry the Jack Russell terrier will be vying for his sixth win when he lines up against 60 other contenders in the Jack Russell Race at the Wānaka A&P Show next month.
The annual K9 Natural Jack Russell Race takes place at 12.15pm on Saturday, March 11.
Wānaka A&P Show event manager Jane Stalker said the Jack Russell race is an undisputed highlight of the two-day show.
“The atmosphere is quite incredible – it is fantastic to see thousands of people in one place, gathering around the arena to have a good laugh,” she said.
The race has been a drawcard of the Wānaka A&P Show since 1998 when it was introduced by the Burdon family, after being inspired by a similar event they saw in the United Kingdom.
The energetic terriers line up at the start line and run a lap of the arena with a little encouragement from a dead hare being dragged along by a horse.
This year, Southland police officer Ashleigh Smail will be riding the horse and only time will tell if veteran Jack Russell Harry – the event’s five-time champion – will once again be top dog.
“We invite any proud owners of a Jack Russell to bring him or her along to the next race. It’s free to enter and it’s guaranteed to be a great show,” Stalker said.
Months of intense training are not required for the K9 Natural Jack Russell Race – one sniff of the hare and the naturally adventurous terriers are ready to run.
The most important part is to ensure the dog is trained to come back to its owner after the race.
