The event unfolded Saturday at Vingis Park in the Lithuanian capital, drawing competitors from Lithuania, Latvia, Poland, Estonia, Germany, Ukraine, the Czech Republic, the United States and Britain. Organizer Edvinas Miskas, who has shepherded the gathering since its inception, noted the dramatic growth from its humble beginnings.
“In the first year, we gathered 40 corgis from one city. This year, it’s 150 from nine countries, and for the first time we have a participant from the place where the breed originated,” Miskas said.
“We call Vilnius the European capital of corgis, and when people from the breed’s homeland start coming to us rather than the other way around, that title begins to sound a little more serious.”
Ninety-four dogs competed in the main running event, progressing through qualifiers and semifinals before the final showdown. The championship race pitted corgis against each other over 25 meters, with American competitor GG — short for Gustave the Girl Dog — crossing the finish line first. Another U.S. Entrant, Mr. Corgington, finished a close second, while Lithuania’s own Moka, a two-time former champion, settled for third.
Mr. Corgington had traveled far for his shot at redemption. The Vilnius final offered him a rematch after he finished second against GG at a major race at Emerald Downs in Auburn, Washington, her second consecutive win there.
But speed was only part of the weekend’s draw. The event also showcased corgis in a costume parade featuring 38 dogs in diverse outfits. Amigo swept both the four-judge jury and the public Facebook vote for a flawless costume entry with a knight-like look. Other entries included a dinosaur suit, a dress and doggy sports gear.
The “smartest nose” challenge tested dogs’ ability to search for hidden treats, with Latvian corgis Tora and Rusty sharing the victory. And in the loudest bark competition, Mr. Corgington claimed another title to go with his second-place racing finish.
The first British competitor, 12-year-old Pembroke Welsh corgi Duke from Sedbergh in northwest England, did not participate in the main race because of his stately age but was a hopeful in the barking stakes after, as his owner put it, training for his whole life.
Half of the corgis registered in Vilnius this year were taking part for the first time. But six veterans — costume winner Amigo, Foksas, Foksis, Madeira, Bulka and Dziugas — have attended every edition.
In the viral moment that has come to define this growing phenomenon, the Corgi Race Vilnius has expanded from a local gathering to an international spectacle attracting media coverage across dozens of countries. The breed’s association with the late Queen Elizabeth II, who famously favored Pembroke Welsh corgis throughout her reign, has only heightened global fascination with the short-legged dogs. Britain’s participation this year marked a symbolic homecoming, with the breed’s country of origin finally represented at an event that Lithuanian organizers have built into one of Europe’s premier canine competitions.
The 2026 edition is already scheduled for August 15 at Vingis Park, with organizers promising an even bigger celebration of corgi athleticism and charm.