Just before 10 a.m. on Thanksgiving Day, people and pets – and even a miniature horse – gathered at the pavilion in Parque de Vida, patiently waiting to start trotting in the 21st annual Turkey Trot put on by For Pets’ Sake Humane Society.
“The race starts in four minutes,” Lynn Dyer, the president of For Pets’ Sake, announced at 9:56 a.m. “Come sign up if you haven’t.”
It was $25 to trot the mile around the park, and all proceeds benefited the humane society.
“We use the money to spay and neuter, to trap and fix feral cats – we’ve fixed over 63,000 in Montezuma and Dolores counties so far,” said Dyer.
It also helps For Pets’ Sake foster kittens and puppies to ultimately find them “forever homes” and it funds their food program for people who can’t afford to feed their pets.
“Did I get it all?” Dyer asked Liz Markum, the treasurer of For Pets’ Sake.
“I think so,” Markum said.
Markum estimated there were 90 participants this year, up from 70 last year.
“It’s always interesting to see what shows up,” Dyer said.
Over the years, they’ve seen everything, it seems – there have been real live turkeys in the Turkey Trot, and goats too. Dyer remembered there was a ferret and a guinea pig one year.
“Don’t forget the hermit crab,” Markum said with a laugh.
“That was a riot,” Dyer said.
This year, the most unusual trotters were a miniature horse and a cat, and they tied for first place for the “most unusual animal” award.
The other prize categories were first to cross the finish line – though they stopped advertising the event as a race per an insurance company’s request – the last to cross the finish line, the best trick and best costume.
“It was so fun,” said the first to cross the finish line. “I’ve been doing it for eight years. I love the energy and supporting a great cause.”
“I got really tired,” said her 7-year-old son, out of breath but smiling.
While waiting for all the other trotters to cross the finish line, Ric Plese told The Journal the story of how the event got started.
“It was just a group of friends getting together for Thanksgiving, unofficially, 28 years ago,” Plese said.
He said he used to do a Turkey Trot in Denver, so when he moved here he brought that tradition with him. And after a few years, him and his friends turned it over to For Pets’ Sake.
Jack Schuenemeyer and his pup Gracie crossed the finish line not long after the first pair, dressed as a pilgrim.
“We normally walk two to four miles. This was an easy day today,” Schuenemeyer joked.
He said he’s been doing the Turkey Trot almost every year since For Pets’ Sake started doing it, and, of those years, he’s dressed as a pilgrim for most of them.
“It’s been a lot of fun to do,” said Schuenemeyer. “It’s fun just to talk to people and to support For Pets’ Sake.”
Though some trotters were seasoned, others started the tradition more recently.
Pumpkin, the miniature horse, “trotted a good bit” of her second Turkey Trot, said Ann Streett-Joslin, her owner.
“She’s got a short wheel base, but high RPM’s,” Streett-Joslin said.
Two dogs who looked like siblings – but were indeed unrelated – also looked like movie stars, and this year was their first organized strut through the park.
“They did well,” said Kathy Hennek, the owner of Poppy and Brie.
Once everyone finished the loop, they gathered at the pavilion to watch the pets do tricks, and decide on the best costume.
A miniature Australian shepherd named Beau stole the show and ultimately took home first place in the best trick category after spinning in circles on her hind legs.
Beau was in costume. dressed as a fairy with purple and blue sparkly wings and a matching tutu that tripped her only once.
“We have a dancer in our crowd,” a For Pets’ Sake volunteer said.
“She’ll do anything for food,” said Peggy Littlejohn, who owns Beau, with her husband, Tony. “She’s a foodaholic.”
Peggy said that Beau is known for these kinds of tricks, and that she’s really smart, though she’s not always obedient. She is, however, an agreeable travel companion, and the couple said she joins them in their van travels.
“At 29 pounds, she’s travel size,” Tony said.
The “best costume” was awarded to a small dog named Luna who was dressed as a pig.
And the last two to cross the finish line were Stephen and Emily Tarnowski.
“We went around twice,” Stephen said to the crowd after the For Pets’ Sake volunteers tried awarding the “last to cross the finish line” prize to them.
They were, however, technically the last to cross, regardless of how many laps they did, so they won.
“Thank you everyone, it’s been a wonderful time,” a For Pets’ Sake volunteer said. “See you again next year, and have a Happy Thanksgiving!”
