Lithuania has crowned Europe’s fastest and most stylish corgi: photo report from Corgi Race Vilnius

Batman, the King of Great Britain, a bunny in the hay, and a Labubu fan. These weren’t party guests but corgis in costumes – participants of the costume contest held in the central park of Vilnius as part of the 4th annual Corgi Race Vilnius. This year featured 110 Pembroke Welsh Corgis and Cardigan Welsh Corgis from six European countries: Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Poland, Germany and Finland. Around 7,000 spectators came to watch the cheerful races of the fluffy companions.

Corgis may be small, but they are remarkably agile. Despite their looks, their short legs don’t stop them from sprinting like the wind — they can reach speeds of up to 40 km/h. For the fourth year in a row, Vilnius has hosted the competition to crown Europe’s fastest corgi, earning the city recognition as the breed’s unofficial European capital. The event even welcomed representatives from the British Embassy, as the UK is considered the homeland of the corgi.

“This is a celebration of the breed and of life itself. Dogs are our best friends — they always have been — and this event is proof of that. It’s all about the bond between dogs and their owners,” said Edvinas Miškas, the organizer of Corgi Race Vilnius. He knows that bond firsthand: together with his partner Dovile, Edvinas is a proud pet parent to a corgi named Dziugas.

This year’s group race champion was a Lithuanian corgi named Mango, who covered the 50-meter distance faster than anyone else.

“Last year, we trained every day, but we didn’t manage to finish the race perfectly. This time, we decided to skip the training, just take part, and enjoy the day,” shared Mango’s pet parent, Ignas Klimaika. “Mango knows he won, and he’s very proud of himself.”

In addition to the group races, this year’s participants also competed in four more events: the crowd-favorite costume parade, a solo sprint, a “strongest bark” contest, and a puzzle challenge to determine the smartest dog.

The final competition took place in the newly opened Blue Zone of Corgi Race Vilnius, organized by the event’s main sponsor, pet food producer Kormotech. The company, an international family business with Ukrainian roots and factories in both Ukraine and Lithuania, created a space where corgis could play, snack, and even cool off in a pool, while their owners had a chance to relax and connect with one another. 

“We’re delighted to be the main partner of this celebration, as it brings together true dog lovers. We believe that love for animals makes life better,” said UAB Kormotech director Andrii Bereziuk. “The idea for the race came from Edvinas, Dovile, and their corgi Dziugas, which makes the event especially meaningful for Kormotech as a family-owned business.”

Kormotech is an international family company with Ukrainian roots that has been producing high-quality food for cats and dogs under the trademarks Optimeal, Delickcious, Club 4 Paws, Hav!, Miau!, and My Love since 2003. The company has production facilities in Ukraine and the EU. The product range includes over 650 items. Kormotech is a market leader in Ukraine, ranks in the top-55 global and top-20 European pet food manufacturers. The company's products are represented in 51 countries worldwide both under its own trademarks and under partner company trademarks.