Five More Top Dogs Advance to Championship Race; PETCO's Search for America's Fastest Chihuahua Continues
Over 1,000 Chihuahuas and their cheering pet parents competed Saturday for the chance to be named America's Fastest Chihuahua in the third annual PETCO Unleashed regional qualifying races.
San Diego, CA (Vocus/PRWEB ) May 12, 2007 -- Phoenix Over 1,000 Chihuahuas and their cheering pet parents competed Saturday for the chance to be named America's Fastest Chihuahua in the third annual PETCO Unleashed regional qualifying races. Races were held in Boston, Phoenix, Anaheim, Calif., San Francisco and Dallas.
The competitors, accompanied by their human family members, raced in heats of 10 along a 1/18th furlong (35-foot-long) track. The winners were awarded a trip to San Diego to race for the coveted title of America's Fastest Chihuahua in front of cheering crowds between innings of a major league baseball game at PETCO Park, home to the San Diego Padres, on Sept. 2, 2007.
The national race will decide a successor to the current title holder, 3-year-old Tiger from Rosamond, Calif. The winner will earn bragging rights, a trophy, a $300 PETCO gift card and a year's supply of Royal Canin Chihuahua food - approximately 12 times the average Chihuahua's weight.
The following five winners from Saturday's events will face off against 10 other regional winners. Regional races will continue Saturday, May 19, in Seattle, Denver, San Diego, Houston and Washington, D.C.
Boston Regional Winner
Name: Minnie
Age: 2
Sex: Female
Hometown: Seekonk, Mass.
Proud Pet Parent: Joe Escaler
Stats and Facts: Joe Escaler, Minnie's proud pet parent, says he knew he had a winner from the beginning. When he first heard about the PETCO Unleashed race about three weeks ago, he immediately went to his mom's house and measured off a distance of 130 feet. He said that Minnie, a 2-year-old that weighs about five pounds, covered the ground in 8.9 seconds. Yesterday, in final preparation for the race, she covered the same distance near his home in Seekonk, Mass., in 6.16 seconds. The length of the actual race is only 35 feet, so Minnie was well prepared to speed through the track.
Dallas Regional Winner
Name: Cricket
Age: 4
Sex: Male
Hometown: Garland, Texas
Proud Pet Parents: Brooke Stanfield and Pam Martin
Stats and Facts: Proud pet parents, Pam Martin and her 15-year-old granddaughter Brooke Stanfield of Garland, Texas, said that Cricket seemed extra focused on race day. After winning the regional title in 2005 and placing second last year, the team has practiced rigorously to make it back to San Diego for the finals. Cricket's training began after he was rescued from a local shelter and began dog training classes. Martin says that after learning how to come when called, racing for Cricket was cake - with the help of some hot dogs, of course.
Phoenix Regional Winner
Name: Rosie
Age: 41/2 months
Sex: Female
Hometown: Phoenix
Proud Pet Parent: Julie Trevino
Stats and Facts: Julie Trevino, Rosie's proud pet parent, was astounded her four-and-a-half month-old Chihuahua would take home the regional prize. "We did no preparation whatsoever, and we certainly did not expect to win, even though she loves to run and is definitely fast," Trevino said. "When we won the first heat, I was so excited, but astonished. Then, I was about to leave because it was so hot, but decided to cool off in the PETCO store. After cooling off, we went back out to the semi-finals and won that. Rosie did not hesitate in each race. It was as if she was on fire to get to me," Trevino said.
Orange County, Calif. Regional Winner
Name: Moet
Age: 2
Sex: Female
Hometown: Marina Del Rey, Calif.
Proud Pet Parents: Troy and Carrie Palmquist
Stats and Facts: Moet made it down the track in 2.34 seconds. "Moet loves to run, "says the Palmquists. "She likes to sprint between Troy and I in the hallway," Carrie said. "We know she is fast, but we never expected to win. The race was a lot of fun."
San Francisco Regional Winner
Name: Clara Belle
Sex: Female
Hometown: Boulder Creek, Calif.
Proud Pet Parents: Travis and Crystal Krepelka
Stats and Facts: Travis and Crystal were thrilled with the win. They said that Clara Belle, who placed third in last year's regional race, prepared this year by using a cardboard box that replicates the starting gate used in the real races. She would race down the hallway at home and was well-prepared for the run.
For additional information or to arrange an interview, contact:
Don Cowan, PETCO (858) 417-5244, donc @ petco.com
Rachel McLennan, PETCO (858) 453-7845 Ext. 2558, rachelmc @ petco.com
About PETCO
PETCO is a privately held specialty retailer that provides products, services and advice that make it easier for our customers to be great pet parents. We operate more than 850 stores in 49 states and the District of Columbia, as well as a leading pet products and information destination at www.petco.com. Our nonprofit organization, The PETCO Foundation, has raised more than $36 million since its inception in 1999 to help promote and improve the welfare of companion animals. In conjunction with the foundation, we work with and support more than 4,200 local animal welfare groups across the country to help find homes for more than 200,000 adoptable animals every year.
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