Lithuania’s corgi racers run at their own pace

Corgis don't typically excel at racing, but that didn't stop hundreds of them from participating in the Corgi Race Vilnius 2026, held in Lithuania's capital city of Vilnius. The event, dubbed the "European Corgi Capital," saw participants from eight countries taking to the wooded park for an annual celebration. Organiser Edvinas Miskas Grinius explained that corgis are naturally slow, which contributed to the unpredictable nature of the races.

Some dogs froze at the starting line, while others stopped to play with fellow competitors or even turn around and head back the way they came. Grinius launched the event six years ago during the Covid-19 pandemic, initially expecting only friends and family to watch his and a friend's corgis race. However, the turnout far exceeded expectations, with spectators numbering in the couple of thousand.

The event has since become an annual occurrence, attracting visitors from as far as California. Alongside the races, attendees could enjoy a corgi costume parade and a "loudest bark" competition, with the latter won by a California-based owner whose dog registered a noise level of 111 decibels. The corgi's distinctive appearance, characterized by a long body and short legs, made it a popular choice for costume choices, ranging from clowns and medieval nobles to cowboys and even a horse, as seen in the winning entry featuring a six-year-old girl and her corgi, Amigo.