Hot Dogs

Short & Speedy: Winners of Buda's Wiener Dog Races have a doggone good time

Every April in Buda— the "Wiener Dog Capital of Texas" — hundreds of Texans bring their beloved dachshunds to compete in a glorious contest of short-legged speed and highly customized beauty.

The Buda Wiener Dog Races & Lions Club Country Fair has become an annual tradition that draws good-natured dog lovers from across the state and combines expected hilarity with surprisingly genuine competition. Of course, it's the owners who get competitive; the dogs are just doing what they love: running and being the centers of attention.

Of course, it's the owners who get competitive; the dogs are just doing what they love: running and being the centers of attention.

Almost 15 years ago, Budan Diane Krejci approached the 30-member Lions Club with the suggestion for a dachshund race to help fundraise during the Buda Country Fair and Cookoff. What started as a humble, quirky idea now draws more than 400 racing dachshunds each year and twice as many humans, hungry for hot dogs and fast dogs.

For those who aren't familiar with the broad world of competitive wiener dogs, you've still got time to get caught up before the first gun goes off. Canadian director Shane MacDougall chronicles the whole amazing microcosm of dachshund racing in his 2004 documentary Wiener Takes All, which features all the pageantry of Toddlers & Tiaras alongside the heart-swelling thrills of Seabiscuit. Yeah, I said it: Seabiscuit.

But if you prefer your wiener races more local, you can turn to Austin director Elise Ballard, who made the Buda-focused doc, Lord of the Wiens. ("One wien to rule them all.") Ballard was married to former mayor Buda mayor John Trube, so it's a real insider's look at what makes this festival such a homegrown treat.

To give you a sense of what a true wiener dog champion looks like, you simply have to learn the tale of Copper, a sweet reddish-brown male who was born to run. Over the course of his career, he won every race between 2001 and 2007, except one in 2003. He truly was the fast and the furriest.

Upon retiring in 2007, Copper's coach, Brian Shocklee of Georgetown, finally admitted his training secret to the Hays Fre Press: "Yeah, we'd just go out and throw the ball around the yard." Amazing.

To find out who will be the next tiny wonder, you're invited to bring the whole family down to Buda to support the Lions Club and laugh your faces off. As long as you're not wierded out by their awkward body proportions or their subsequent troubles with the mechanics of racing, you're in for the

Dachsunds, start your engines, and may the best wiener win!

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The Buda Wiener Dog Races & Country Fair takes place Saturday and Sunday, Apr 28 - 29 at Buda City Park. Tickets are $3 at the gate.

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Exploring Texas

Texas' new, 4,871-acre state park is now open to the public

Photo courtesy of Texas Parks and Wildlife Department

Palo Pinto Mountains State Park opens March 1.

Outdoor adventurers are able to hike, fish, camp, and explore Texas' first new state park in 25 years.

Open since March 1, Palo Pinto Mountains State Park, located at 100 Park Road 77 in Strawn, spans 4,871 acres of former ranchland between Abilene and the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex (about five hours from Houston).

According to a release, the land was originally purchased by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) in 2011 and the park was expected to open three years ago, but construction delays impeded the opening. Funding for the park was provided by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation (TPWF), the Texas Legislature, the Sporting Goods Sales Tax, the federal government, and $10 million was raised by TPWF through private donations.

The park offers more than 16 miles of trails for hikers, bikers, and horseback riding, and the park's website states 1.25 miles are ADA compliant, and all-terrain wheelchairs are available for some non-accessible trails. Campers and overnight guests also have three campsites to choose from, including RV sites, walk-in tent spots, and primitive camping areas.

Visitors are also welcome to swim, fish, and boat (note: motorboats are not allowed) in the 68-acre Tucker Lake using the park's accessible kayak/canoe launch, fishing pier, and fish cleaning station. Visitors don't need a license to fish at Palo Pinto Mountains State Park, and the park will loan fishing gear upon request.

Tucker Lake at Palo Pinto Mountains State Park Visitors are welcome to kayak and canoe at Tucker Lake, but motorboats are not allowed.Photo courtesy of Texas Parks and Wildlife Department

Birding enthusiasts might spot golden-cheeked warblers during their visit, as the endangered species take residence in the park's oak and Ashe juniper trees in the spring and summer months. Many other migratory birds can be seen at the park throughout the year.

Palo Pinto Mountains State Park is anticipating high visitation in March with the spring season's temperate weather and Texas schools' spring breaks. TPWD strongly encourages visitors to reserve day passes in advance to avoid being turned away if the park has reached its capacity limit.

"This is a tremendous moment for Texas State Parks and the state of Texas," says Texas State Parks director Rodney Franklin in the release. "Opening Palo Pinto Mountains State Park represents the culmination of collaborative efforts that includes our Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation as well as private donors. I am proud of the dedication of our TPWD team but also the unwavering support of the Texas Legislature and the voters of Texas that have brought us to this moment. State park staff stand ready to welcome families far and wide to begin making memories at Texas’ newest state park."

Day passes are available up to one month in advance, are non-transferrable to another person or park, and are valid all-day until 10 pm unless the park closes earlier. Day passes can be reserved online or by calling TPWD's Customer Service Center during regular business hours at (512) 389-8900. Entrance fees are $7 daily for adults and children aged 13 and older, and admission is free for children 12-years-old and younger.

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