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| May brings annual Chihuahua Races to Chandler | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tribune | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| May 1, 2008 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Down in dusty, agri-burban Chandler, a creature no bigger than a thoroughbred’s hoof print is also training for a May 3 contest: the city’s annual Chihuahua Races, a Southwestern alternative to horse racing’s storied Run for the Roses. For Pinto, a year-old fawn-and-white Chihuahua who looks an awful lot like a bug-eyed Bambi, the races are semiserious business. The dog tears across a grassy retention basin to a high-pitched soundtrack of kissy noises and baby talk. “C’mere, Pinto. C’mere, good boy,” urge Beth Matthews and her son, Jacob, 11. They’re “running” Pinto, as they have most evenings for the past several weeks, in the green space of their condo village. Mule deer-size ears perked, Pinto slices a tight half-moon through the grass and barrels back across the field, ripping up mouthfuls of turf along the way. “What are you doing eating GRASS?” Beth Matthews exclaims. “You crazy boy!” The tasty blades could prove a costly distraction come race day: Pinto will race on grass. Matthews doesn’t bat an eye. “He’s ready,” she nods, gaze fixed on the furry blur. “He’s been bulking up, eating his peanut butter.” The 8-pound dog with a full name as flowery as that of any noble steed (Pinto Bean José Juárez de la Mancha Matthews, for official purposes) just may take the cup — in this case, a 3-foot trophy that could crush him if it ever topples over. RACE DAY, FIESTA-STYLE Unlike their 1,200-pound counterparts, Pinto and more than 100 other Chihuahuas won’t break from fancy, mechanized gates on Saturday to a backdrop of mint juleps, fussy hats and Southern gentility. The feisty fidos will spring from their owners’ clutches six at time in narrow lanes separated by netting. Winners will face each other in elimination rounds until a champion emerges. But their 50-foot dashes will be no less spirited or spectacular than the thoroughbreds’: About 6,000 people are expected to cheer on the pups. “We have people up and down the sidelines, up on the second, third and fourth floors of the parking garage next door watching,” says event planner Joe Garcia. The races are part of Chandler’s 11th annual Cinco de Mayo Festival, a celebration of Mexican history and heritage featuring mariachi and salsa bands, folklorico dancers and mounds of Cholula-doused chicharrones. Judges, picked from the community, will crown a king and queen Chihuahua from the hordes of costumed cuties on hand. The city offers this bienvenidos to south-of-the-border culture for free, and they do it all without the holiday’s customary tequila shots and margaritas. “We’re proud to offer something that’s nonalcoholic and family-friendly. People have a blast, but in a very different way from the typical Cinco de Mayo celebration,” says Leah Powell, the city’s diversity administrator. BETTING ON A LONG SHOT Trembling and slight, Pinto doesn’t look like much of a contender. His giant ears frequently go limp in a timorous head-duck. His teary eyes make him look like he’s always on the verge of weeping. A soft spot in his skull (a common feature in Chihuahuas called a moleta) makes him a good candidate for a helmet. But get him going, and Pinto is a bullet. “He was itty-bitty when we got him,” says Matthews, a hotel reservations manager, “but then those legs just came out of nowhere. He is FAST!” According to gold lettering printed across his black training jersey, he’s also a “stud muffin.” “Really, he’s the world’s biggest baby,” confides Matthews. “That’s why we think he’ll do a good job; he’s going to come running because he’ll want to be picked up so bad.” 11th annual Cinco de Mayo Festival & Chihuahua Races What: Chandler’s annual celebration features the food, music, dance and ... dogs of Old Mexico. The first 150 Chihuahuas registered will gallop for first-, second- and third-place wins. There are also activities for kids and a crowning of king and queen Chihuahuas. When: Noon to 8 p.m. Saturday. Chihuahuas race 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.; king and queen Chihuahuas are crowned 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. Where: Downtown Library Plaza, 100 E. Commonwealth Ave., Chandler Cost: Free admission; $10 fee to race your Chihuahua. Dogs are registered on a first-come, first-served basis up to 150 dogs. Information: (480) 895-0440 or www.chandleraz.gov |
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Reader comments (2)
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Santa Jim
Can I enter my reindeer in these races? Suggest removal of this commentMay 1, 2008
mom
lola is gonna kick ass! Comment has been reviewedMay 1, 2008