6/28/2026
(Auburn, WA) The 2026 World Championship Corgi races were held Saturday and Sunday. On Saturday there were 8 qualifying heats with the top two finishers advancing to the finals on Sunday.
2025
Last year Gustave the Girl Dog beat everyone and took home the Championship. Owners Alicia Wen and Dustin Embrey of Seattle were back to defend their title. Last year’s top 4 finishers in the final heat:
1st, Gustave the Girl Dog “GG” (#2), Alicia Wen & Dustin Embrey Seattle, WA
2nd, Dudley (#10), Shannon Smith Redmond, OR
3rd, Banana (#5), Anne Pham, Seattle, WA
4th, Milo Bigglesworth (#3), Amy & B.J. Williams, Rice Lake, WI
This year’s competition will again make it’s way to ESPN for broadcast in August. Below is a completed portion of the ESPN show and something similar will hit the airwaves in August.
ESPN Video of 2025 competition and Championship race
2026 Championships
After 150+ dogs, 16 qualifying heats over two days the 2026 Corgi Championship came down to a final 9. In that field was last year’s defending Champion, Gustave the girl dog otherwise known as “GG”. Owners Alicia Wen and Dustin Embrey believed she could win and said GG loves to run but being the defending Champ, she didn’t need to qualify and went straight to the finals heat.
The best of the rest had battled over two days to get to the finals including some well known racing Corgi’s with the biggest challenge maybe Mr Corgington shipping in from Palm Springs with his owner Zane Strong.
Newcomer from Snohomish was Ranger who bolted to a straight and strong qualifying run from the 11 position. Owners Mike and Joni Dold were excited with Ranger’s 1st run and with a large contingent on hand to support him in his quest for the World Championship.
In a pre-race interview, GG’s family were claiming she may have gotten a “big head” from last year’s win and has been a bit bossy since all the attention.
In the end, it came down to those 3 and it looked to be Mr Corgington but as he approached the finish line he started to let up and GG flashed by him in the final 10 feet to defend her Championship. Early in the race, GG was a bit distracted and got near Mr Corgington then all of a sudden kicked in her after-burners to win the photo finish and hold onto her title.
It was a valiant effort from Mr Corgington and no doubt is playing the “what if” game but what a performance after traveling all the way from Palm Springs.
3rd place went to Ranger who did not disappoint his large fan base with their “Ranger” T-Shirts. For his first time he may have given notice that you will have to contend with him again next year. Ranger in both heats ran straight and did not get distracted at all. He was about 2 feet behind both GG and Mr Corgington. He’s on my “one to watch” list.
The dogs that ran on Saturday had to finish 1st or 2nd in their heat to get a chance to qualify on Sunday. On Sunday they had to win their heat to get into the finals. 3 dogs took the long way and made it from Saturday to the finals on Sunday. Congratulations to Piper, Grizz and Baxter of Olympia. None hit the top 3 places in the finals but they ran more than any of the other dogs over the 2 days.
The event was sponsored by Pacifico and proceeds of the admission and a special beverage called the Corgarita went to the Auburn Valley Humane Society. Emerald Downs President Phil Ziegler presented the AVHS with a check for $5,000.
Congratulations to GG and all the competitors. ESPN was there to film the event and will be producing a 30-minute show that will air later this summer on multiple ESPN platforms. In fact the 2025 show just aired Sunday morning at about 4am on ESPN News so the show will be re-run multiple times throughout the year.
2026 Corgi Championship Race Field
1 Taco (Dupont) Owners Princess & Brandon Bruce
2 Piper (Seattle) Owners Emily & Taylor Shaw
3 Grizz (Seattle) Owners Eliana Le & Song Chen
4 River (Seattle) Owners Amber Redig & Mike Denholtz
5 Mr Corgington (Palm Springs, CA) Owner Zane Strong
6 Baxter (Olympia) Owners Alexis & Ged Gillum
7 Gustave the Girl Dog “GG” (Seattle) Owners Alicia Wen & Dustin Embrey
8 Banana (Seattle) Owner Anne Pham
9 Ranger (Snohomish) Owners Mike and Joni Dold
2026 Corgi Championship Race
1st Champion Gustave the girl dog “GG” (Seattle) Owners Alicia Wen & Dustin Embrey
2nd Mr Corgington (Palm Springs, CA) Owner Zane Strong
3rd Ranger (Snohomish) Owners Mike and Joni Dold
Sunday Qualifying Heats
In the qualifying heats on Sunday only the winning dogs advanced to the Final race. Dogs that qualified on Saturday had to win on Sunday to get to the trophy race.
Heat 1
1 Scratched
2 Gouda (Vancouver, WA)
3 Zoey (Tacoma)
4 Bronco (Puyallup)
5 Tydus (Carnation)
6 Nelly (Bellingham)
7 River (Seattle)
8 Blue (Seattle)
9 Morris (Mount Vernon)
10 Gwynedd (Seattle)
11 Monty (Tenino)
12 Nori (Kirkland)
Winner: 4 #7 River (Seattle) Owners Amber Redig & Mike Denholtz
Sunday Heat 1
Heat 2
1 Nasa (Lynnwood)
2 Winnie (Mountlake Terrace)
3 Kilo (San Diego, CA)
4 Ollie Overdrive (Bellingham)
5 Harvey (Gig Harbor)
6 Milly Maple (Gig Harbor)
7 Seasons (Seattle)
8 Riley Incognito (Tacoma)
9 Hammy McChonky (Auburn)
10 Sonar (Port Orchard)
11 Piper (Seattle)
12 Timmy (Seattle)
Winner: #11 Piper (Seattle) Owners Emily and Taylor Shaw
Sunday Heat 2
Heat 3
1 Nola (Edmonds)
2 Tilly (Belfair)
3 Bacon (Chandler, AZ)
4 Twinkie (Temple City, CA)
5 Monet (Seattle)
6 Knox (Puyallup)
7 Tati (Seattle)
8 Penny the Peanut (Tacoma)
9 Winifred (Portland, Or)
10 Pinfree (Seattle)
11 August Corona Padden (Renton)
12 Taco (Dupont)
Winner: #12 Taco (Dupont) Owners Princess & Brandon Bruce
Sunday Heat 3
Heat 4
1 Rosy (Bonney Lake)
2 Bowie (Seattle)
3 Dayzee (Paulsbo)
4 Mochi Bean (Seattle)
5 Denny (Shoreline)
6 Buko (Shoreline)
7 Cosmo out of this world (Portland, Or)
8 Lilo (Tacoma)
9 Stella (Olympia)
10 Finn (Seattle)
11 Scratched
12 Baxter (Olympia)
Winner: #12 Baxter (Olympia) Owners Alexis & Ged Gillium
Sunday Heat 4
Heat 5
1 Nala (Bothell)
2 Freyr (Puyallup)
3 Winston (Tacoma)
4 Chanel (Tacoma)
5 Hank (Spanaway)
6 Lola (Bremerton)
7 Mr Corgington (Palm Springs, Ca)
8 Lulu (Bothell)
9 Wrong Way Loki (Everett)
10 Master Roshi (Auburn)
11 Oscar (Sequim)
12 Waffles (Issaquah)
Winner: #7 Mr Corgington (Palm Springs, Ca) Owner Zane Strong
Sunday Heat 5
Heat 6
1 Sister (Arlington)
2 Baxter (Bremerton)
3 Rui (Bothell)
4 Cheddar (Bonney Lake)
5 Dudley (Redmond, Or)
6 Sandia (Seattle)
7 Frank Fluffybottom (Spokane)
8 Scratched
9 Suki (Seattle)
10 Peji (Skokomish Nation)
11 Grizz (Seattle)
12 Cado (Federal Way)
Winner: #11 Grizz (Seattle) Owners Eliana Le & Song Chen
Sunday Heat 6
Heat 7
1 Valkyrie (Olympia)
2 Intercooler (Yelm)
3 Junior (Missoula, MT)
4 Rogue (Seattle)
5 Lilibet Von Wigglebottom (Port Orchard)
6 Tony (San Francisco, CA)
7 Dolly (Custer)
8 Wilson (formerly Russell) (Bellevue)
9 Hazelnut (Enumclaw)
10 Cheerio (Portland, OR)
11 Ranger (Snohomish)
Winner: #11 Ranger (Snohomish) Owners Mike and Joni Dold
Sunday Heat 7
Heat 8
1 Bowie (Olympia)
2 Banana (Seattle)
3 Chili (Centralia)
4 Madeo (Bellevue)
5 Borghi the Corgi (Pasco)
6 Butter (Seattle)
7 Ernie Banks (Ocean Shores)
8 Sage (Tacoma)
9 Brody (Bothell)
10 Walter-Mochi (Ballard)
11 Reuben (Seattle)
12 Zoom Zoom Lilly (Olalla)
Winner: #2 Banana Owner Anne Pham
Sunday Heat 8
Saturday Qualifying Heats
The top 2 finishers advanced to Sunday’s qualifying heats.
Heat 1
1 Nola Barber (Seattle)
2 Joji (Seattle)
3 Duncan (Canmore, AB)
4 The Great Gatsby (Lacey)
5 Wilson (Fomerly Russell) (Bellevue)
6 Skates (Tacoma)
7 Banditn(Seattle)
8 Suki (Seattle)
9 Bean (Issaquah)
10 Archie (Tacoma)
11 Nori (Kirkland)
Winner: #8 Suki (Seattle) Owner Emma Liu
2nd Place: #5 Wilson (Formerly Russell) (Bellevue) Owner Jean Oh
Saturday Heat 1
Heat 2
1 Toast (Tacoma)
2 Kirby (Renton)
3 Cooper (Maple Valley)
4 Georgia (Mount Vernon)
5 Piper (Seattle)
6 Belly (Federal Way)
7 Timmy (Seattle)
8 Moose (Bellingham)
9 Mr CashMan (Normandy Park)
10 Arrow (Auburn)
11 Pinfree (Seattle)
Winner: #5 Piper (Seattle) Owners Emily and Taylor
2nd Place: #11 Pinfree (Seattle) Owner Mike Zuniga
Saturday Heat 2
Heat 3
1 Cado (Federal Way)
2 Gino (Lynnwood)
3 Sasha (Auburn)
4 August Corona Padden (Renton)
5 Finn (Bonney Lake)
6 Howie (Gig Harbor)
7 Bruce (Bonney Lake)
8 Dumbo (Lynnwood)
9 Brie (Lake Srevens)
10 Dolphin (Mercer Island)
11 Gizmo (Tacoma)
Winner: #4 August Corona Padden (Renton) Owners Averill Aubrey and Chris Padden
2nd Place: #1 Cado (Federal Way) Owner Min Phan
Saturday Heat 3
Heat 4
1 Peji (Skomish Nation)
2 Billy (Bothell)
3 Foxy Mae Meadow (Yelm)
4 Monty (Tenino)
5 Samwise Gamgee (Sequim)
6 Koda (Arlington)
7 Luna King (Moses Lake)
8 Ronan (Puyallup)
9 Ollie Boy (Lacey)
10 Sadie (Renton)
11 Dolly (Puyallup)
Winner: 4 Monty (Tenino) Owner Megan Pendragon
2nd Place: #1 Peji (Skokomish Nation) Owners Choya & Renee Vann
Saturday Heat 4
Heat 5
1 Daffodil (Everett)
2 Ponyo (Tacoma)
3 Martini (Tacoma)
4 Rei (Seattle)
5 Woodrow (Edmonds)
6 Theo (Seattle)
7 Monet (Issaquah)
8 Waffles (Port Orchard)
9 Millie Paige (Puyallup)
10 Ted Lasso (Kenmore)
Winner: #6 Theo (Edmonds) Owner Melanie Gunn
2nd Place: #8 Waffles (Issaquah) Owner Chase Juza
Saturday Heat 5
Heat 6
1 Taco (Dupont)
2 Raccoon (Centralia)
3 Cora (Black Diamond)
4 Zora (Tacoma)
5 Breyerwood Bella (Seattle)
6 Penny (Federal Way)
7 Thea Queen (Snohomish)
8 Scratch (Olympia)
9 Buffy the Vampire Slayer (Federal Way)
10 Grizz (Seattle)
11 Baxter Gillum (Olympia)
Winner: #10 Grizz (Federal Way) Owners Eliana Le & Song Chen
2nd Place: #11 Baxter (Olympia) Alexis & Ged Gillum
Saturday Heat 6
Heat 7
1 Simon LeBron Salter (Seattle)
2 Cheddar Biscuit (Lacey)
3 Wilbur (Lynnwood)
4 Luna (Marysville)
5 Chewy (Olympia)
6 Butters Munoz (Federal Way)
7 Bauer (Edgewood)
8 Bob (Seattle)
9 Hazelnut (Enumclaw)
10 Knox (Puyallup)
Winner: #10 Knox (Puyallup) Owner Leanne McKillip
2nd Place: #9 Hazelnut (Enumclaw) Owners Heidi & Eric Smith
Saturday Heat 7
Heat 8
1 Penny the Peanut (Tacoma)
2 Hamilton (Steilacoom)
3 Ozzie (Woodinville)
4 Spud (Issaquah)
5 Charlie (Paulsbo)
6 Harvey (Gig Harbor)
7 Bambi (Auburn)
8 Oofy (Seattle)
9 Ember (Enumclaw)
10 Lulu (Tacoma)
11 Theo (Puyallup)
12 Ammo (Burien)
Winner: #6 Harvey (Gig Harbor) Owners Melody & Bryce Godfrey
2nd Place: #1 Penny the Peanut (Tacoma) Owners Keli’l Arkana & Kristin Buffaloe
Saturday Heat 8
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