Tomorrow marks the beginning of the 103rd annual Drake Relays at Drake University, at which more than 8,000 athletes and spectators will gather to participate in the record 120 events at this year’s competition. The Relays began in 1910 with 100 people both competing and cheering each other on. Now, the event is widely regarded at Iowa’s premier sporting event. Better luck next year, competitive corn shuckers.
But more importantly than any heptathlon, decathlon, or dodecahedronathon was the Drake Relays preliminary event that took place yesterday as the official launch to the week – the 33rd annual Drake Relays Beautiful Bulldog Contest. Fifty bulldogs showed up for this year’s poochstravaganza, and a bulldog named Tyson (above) was the ultimate good widdle boy. Joining Tyson’s court were:
Runner-up – Charlie
Oldest bulldog – Max, 10-year-old
Best Dressed – Flethcher, dressed as Jethro’s BBQ’s famous “Emmenecker” sandwich
Mr. Congeniality – Vinny
Miss Congeniality — Heartstopping Ittybitty
Farthest from the Doghouse – Pork Chop, from Cambridge, Minnesota
(Via the Des Moines Register)
I’ve definitely added the Drake Relays to my sports bucket list, but not because I want to go see a few thousand people try to be the best at exercising – although finding the next Allison Stokke should be any sports blogger’s greatest ambition. I just want to spend a whole day judging bulldogs for their costumes. Seriously, costumed bulldogs are the key to world peace, just look at the pictures after the jump and tell me you feel like doing anything other than rubbing a tummy or 50.
(All images via Flickr/Drake University.)
