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MANSFIELD — It’s about 100 miles from Newton Falls (near Youngstown) to Mansfield.
But the trip became a profitable journey on Tuesday night for Kari Mendenhall and her dog Oscar. The speedy canine won first prize of $500 at the Richland County Fair’s 2nd annual Wiener Dog Derby.
“(The drive) is worth it,” Mendenhall said. “He loves it.”
The crowd-pleasing event was made even more fun by its sheer unpredictability amid wet, muddy conditions at the grandstand.
Some dogs refused to leave the starting chute. Others meandered toward the fence. A few headed back toward the paw pound where they entered the track.
Three heats with six dogs each yielded the top-two finishers. Those winners were invited to the championship round.
But one was the class of the field.
Oscar won his first heat, then came back for the championship round and again topped the field.
Mendenhall’s partner Jeremy Mechling said this is Oscar’s first year racing, but already his second championship this summer.
“He won the Trumbull County Fair, too,” Mechling said. “These things are a blast.”
(Photos by Sydney Phillips)
