Oh Baby what a wiener dog! Katherine and Eddie Kirshner’s Baby Bo of Newport Beach dominated the 23rd annual Wienerschnitzel Wiener Nationals title for the second year in a row, winning the biggest dachshund derby in the nation by about 10 foot long sausage links on Saturday night at Los Alamitos Race Course.
The long and lanky shaped Baby Bo, a 2 ½- year-old black doxie, won his trial in decent fashion, but he was the Boss Baby in the 23rd running of the Wienerschnitzel Wiener Nationals final, easily defeating nine other rivals in the 50-yard final.
“We were a little nervous after the trials because there were a lot of nice runners this year,” Katherine Kirshner said. “He showed us in the final that he still has got it.”
As a pup, Baby Bo was the runt of his litter and no one wanted him according to his owners. The Kirshners ended up buying him for $300. He’s now earned the first place prize of $1,000 in each his two championship races. To coax Baby Bo to the finish line, the Kirshners showed him the Frisbee he chases daily.
“He’s a Frisbee fanatic,” she said.
The championship race was never in doubt, as Baby Bo led from gate to wire. He also won his second doghouse in the shape of a Wienerschnitzel restaurant, the title of the Fastest Wiener in the West, and a trophy blanket. He’s the fourth two-time winner of this event.
Adam Ortega’s Too Short of Norwalk, one of the biggest doxies in the history of the event, earn the second place prize of $500 in his first ever race in the Wiener Nationals. Bryan Butler’s Levi of Buena Park finished third. The rest of the finalists were Julia Janov’s Molly of Tustin, who advanced to the final for the second straight year, Paul Evans’ Bella Scoopski Long Beach, Christian Carlson’s Mac of Manhattan Beach, Melissa Ortega’s Missy Elliott of Norwalk, Jenavi T’s Penny of Gardena, and Armando Lara’s Foxy Cleopatra of South Gate.
The Wienerschnitzel Wiener Nationals is a fundraising event for the Seal Beach Animal Care Center, a non-kill shelter in Orange County. The Wiener Nationals and SBACC have raised over $260,000 over the years. The total attendance was estimated at 8,500.