Nicolee Leonard’s Beenie Vonweenie of Fullerton, California got sweet redemption in the 2023 Wienerschnitzel Wiener Nationals, as he led from start to finish in route to winning the title of Fastest Wiener In the West in front of a huge crowd on Saturday night at Los Alamitos Race Course.
Racing from post number two, Beenie Vonweenie flew to a big lead early on, drifted outside to bump Cannonball Charlie and Rowdy, then barked at Penny G in mid run before focusing on the finish line to win the title by a long ear and tail. The German chocolate cake colored Beenie VonWeenie covered the 50-yard distance in 6.80 seconds in front of a crowd of around 7,000 weenie dog lovers to win the 26th running of the Wienerschnitzel Wiener Nationals.
The win was a year in the making after Beenie Vonweenie looked all but set to win the 2022 title before he stopped cold right before the finish line, turned sideways and once again bumped with both Cannonball Charlie and Rowdy. That allowed a doxie named Paisley to come flying late to claim the championship last year. There were no antics in the final yards this time around for the 2-year-old doxie Beenie Vonweenie, as he saved his best running for last as he ran to the arm of Nicolee at the other end of the finish line.
“We really focused on keeping him running straight and that was not an easy task,” Nicolee said. “He just started running straight when he was playing at the Brea dog park in the last three months. Last year he turned around. Now he’s the fastest weenie in the west.”
How does Leonard get him to cross the finish line now? Cookie treats? bacon bites? Mini Sausages? A tennis ball?
Photo by William Zuazo/ Los Alamitos Race Course Publicity
“My socks,” she said. “He loves my socks. Really exciting, I know.”
Beenie Vonweenie earned $1,000 for the win, a trophy crowning the Fastest Wiener In the West, a gold colored trophy blanket, and a yellow and red doghouse in the shape of a Wienerschnitzel restaurant. Ariana Gonzalez’s Burr of Cypress, California started slowly, avoided the crossing Cannonball Charlie and made up big ground in the final 20 yards to finish second. He earned $500 for running second.
Jenavi T’s Penny of Torrance, Lois and Luis Hernandez’s Kirby QT Pie of Ventura County, and Mark Kim’s Cannonball Charlie of Long Beach were all inches apart in a too close to call finish for third. Daniel Gomez’s Penny G of Long Beach finished sixth, Amy Long’s Bean also of Long Beach was seventh, and Ivan Cano and Kim Estrada’s Rowdy was eighth. Suzanne Yeager’s Wilbur of Yorba Linda and Erin Argot’s Frankie of Santa Fe Springs completed the field.
Total prize money in the final was $2,300. Three of the 10 finalists, Beenie VonWeenie, Cannonball Charlie, and Rowdy, were all returning finalists from last year. A total of 104 dachshunds raced in this year’s Wienerschnitzel Wiener Nationals. In the second running of the Diaper Dash for runners ages one and under, Dahlia Ordaz’s Vyenna, who came all the way from Fresno, California for the race, was the winner and will be one to watch in the main event next year.
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 around $300,000 over the years. Sign- ups for the 2024 Wiener Nationals have already begun at LosAlamitos.com.