For the third year in a row, runners, dog lovers and their K-9 friends came out for the Chase Race and Paws to benefit Friends of Conway Animal Shelter and Arkansas Children's Hospital.
Despite temperatures in the low 40s, runners lined up at 8 a.m. for the Chase Race 2 Mile Awards near the edge of the Pet Smart parking lot. The race is an Arknasas Grand Prix Championship Race, meaning runners from all around Arkansas participated. Overall finishers were Brian Sieczkowski of Sherwood, Markus Pearson of Conway and Caleb Mays of Arkadelphia.
After the two-mile race, hundreds of dogs of all sizes and colors lined up for the 1 Mile Paws Race/Walk around the Pet Smart parking lot. Winner for the third year in a row was Todd Hink of Greenbrier and his black lab, Sassy. "She about took my arm off today," Hink said. He doesn't take Sassy running too often because "she chases squirrels" and "she's hard to run with."
Kim Graham of Conway took first place in the women's division of the race.
There was also a doggy costume contest in which participants disguised their K-9 companions in outrageous outfits. The winner of the contest, Cache Deupree dressed his Labrador as a princess. Deupree's Labrador, Miss Dixie Bell, donned a blue ball gown and bejeweled crown. Fourth-place winner David Repp, a member of the U.S. Air Force, transformed his Pugle, Howie, into a C130 plane.
Conway Animal Shelter volunteers strolled around with dogs wearing red "Adopt Me" signs. Though the dogs didn't take part in the race, the Conway Animal Shelter's trailer was a large draw. Of the nine animals that the Conway Animal Shelter brought out, seven were adopted. "If we adopt out one, we've made progress," Showna Osborne, manager of Conway Animal Unit said.
Part of the day's proceeds will benefit Friends of Conway Animal Shelter who help sponsor the Conway Animal Welfare Unit. Proceeds would "benefit the animals at the shelter whether it be through vaccinations, spays and neuters, whatever the case may be," Osborne said. Sponsors included Tim Tyler Surveying & Mapping, Best Buy, Conway Copies, Conway Physical Therapy Clinic P.A., Custom Metals, Dayer Jewelers, Music Man Entertainment and others.
Both races are held each year to memorialize, Chase Potter, the son of race director Don Potter who organized the race after losing both his son and wife.
"He has done so much for the running community in Arkansas. You would be hard pressed to find a runner in any Arkansas town that has not been impacted by him in some way," Conway Running Club president Dana Goff said.
Don Potter organized the event around two of his son's favorite things, running and animals.
"For him to take his grief and turn it into something so positive like this race, is really a testament to the kind of man he his. There is a lesson in this for all of us," Osborne said.
(Staff writer Monica Hooper can be reached by e-mail at monica.hooper@thecabin.net or by phone at 505-1266. Send us your news at www.thecabin.net/submit)
