Wiener takes all

Light up your July 4 with the Firecracker Wiener Nationals in Rockaway Beach

By Gretchen Ammerman

Oregon Coast TODAY

I share my neighborhood with a great Dane named Clive. The gawky yet graceful gray-haired gentleman always seems to bring a smile to those he interacts with — a feature common to the breed. There is just something about their improbable size that is hard to take seriously but is easy to love.

At the other end of the spectrum are those clowns of the canine universe, dachshunds, or wiener dogs, some with legs so short that from certain angles they appear to lack appendages.

And so of course, there is a race just for the breed. Held annually just after the July 4th Parade in Rockaway Beach, the “Firecracker Wiener Nationals” is an all-comers event that gives the stature-challenged dogs a place to shine.

“It’s just such a delightful thing, watching these silly little dogs race,” said Eli Newell, who runs the event with his friend and business partner Chad Carter and help from a rotating band of many members of his own family. “Wiener dogs are small in size but big in attitude.”

Though Wiener dogs are the focus, all breeds of well-socialized dogs are welcome to join the organized chaos.

“Half of the dogs don’t even make it halfway down the course,” Newell said. “We’ve seen them get two feet from the finish line and turn around and go back. Everyone is cheering so loud so they get super distracted. There are the hardcore competitive racers, and they advance to the next heats, but there are always the ones that just want to sniff butts. It’s unlike anything you’ve ever seen. I’ve been talking about it to friends and family for years and they just don’t get it until they see it in person. And then they are hooked.”

Currently based in Los Angeles, Newell has deep ties to the Rockaway Beach area and has attended annual summer family gatherings there for many years, with Carter joining when he can.

“I grew up going to Nedonna Beach because I had relatives that lived in the area, so going to the parade has been a life-long tradition,” Newell said. “In 2006, we were all walking back from the parade and saw a flyer that said ‘Wiener dog races’ so of course we had to check it out. The races had only been going for a few years at that point and we outnumbered this small group of people that had set up this little track. So Chad and I were like 'This is an amazing thing, how can we help it grow?’”

Newell and Carter had met while attending school in New York. Both are comedy writers and performers that emcee events, so were a perfect fit to help the event grow, which was really brought home in 2022 when they had the first live race after the pandemic pause.

“We had close to 50 wiener dogs racing last year,” Newell said. “People were so ready for this first race after three years off and it was crazy — in a good way.”

The non-profit event raises money for the Tillamook Animal Shelter. Though the races are free to watch, there are t-shirts and food for sale and of course donations are gratefully accepted.

“Every year we’ve raised more money and at this point it is the primary fundraiser for the shelter,” Newell said. “There was already a lot of need there, but since the pandemic the need for these fund-raisers has really gone up. This year we are getting a lot of help from the city of Rockaway, too. They are wonderful.”

Though the number of dogs and humans that attend the event continues to grow, it is still just all good vibes.

“We’ve had 20 dogs racing at once and we’ve never had a problem,” Newell said. “It’s just the perfect family event, especially since it’s right after the parade.”

And it’s not just an observational event — people will get racing forms which adds to the fun.

Unfortunately, Newell is going to have to miss the event this year:

“I just had open heart surgery,” he said. “So, my heart is literally broken. The races are my favorite thing in the world. But though I’ll have to miss this one, I’m glad I’m still alive.”

Registration opens at noon and the races start at 1 pm on Tuesday, July 4, at Seaview City Park in Rockaway Beach. For more information, go to firecrackerwienernationals.com.