Springfield’s fifth MustardFest a doggone good time for attendees

Other attractions included samples of 14 Woeber mustard and horseradish varieties along with a mystery 15th that was hinted at being very hot, but fortunately a beer tent was nearby. Not giving the four-legged attendees all the fun, a Spicy Mustard Eating Contest was added this year for competitive humans.

The dachshunds showed up in many forms, some with colorful outfits like a hot dog, a jockey or, in the case of Baker, in a mini jersey of his and his owners’ favorite team, appropriately nicknamed the Dawgs.

Marc and Cathie Scott were decked out in Cleveland Browns gears with Baker, named after former Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield, sporting the jersey. Marc Scott said his only goal was for Baker not to finish last.

“We’re Team Browns all the way,” he said.

A return competitor named C.J. from Dayton had his own team. Owner Amy Goodman, her boys Carson and Mason and friend Ethan Maxwell wore yellow shirts reading Wiener Pit Crew.

Amy Goodman was encouraged to enter C.J. last year after watching a fiction movie about wiener dog racing and he responded by winning two heats before his elimination. Being part of the pit crew meant massaging him when he wanted, keeping him hydrated and with enough air conditioning on the way up, the boys said, and training by chasing them on their scooters.

Even other dog breeds attended to cheer on the dachshunds. Or maybe just to take a nice walk around the park as with Atticus, a Bernese Mountain Dog. Owners David and Melissa Furrow attended the weekly farmers market, heard about MustardFest and wandered down.

Although his breed wasn’t qualified to race, Melissa Furrow joked the only contest Atticus may be interested involved eating hot dogs.

Walter Curt was definitely interested in competitive eating, signing up for the first Spicy Mustard Eating Contest. He may have had an edge in the event, which involved eating pretzels from Pretzlemaker dipped in sauces including jalapeno wasabi and sriracha mustards and 10X hot horseradish.

“I love hot stuff. I have a collection of hot sauces,” said Curt.

Possibly traveling the farthest for MustardFest were John and Theresa Cipollene from Parma, Ohio, who split the difference on their mustard preferences. Theresa liked the slightly spicy dill and especially the cranberry honey mustard, and John the hot and spicy and Dusseldorf mustards.

Woeber’s volunteers said the cranberry was among the most popular samples.

The Cipollenes love taking day trips around the state and found MustardFest on a website listing festivals after also recently attending the Ohio Shrimp and Fish Festival in Urbana. They hinted at possibly making return trips back here and maybe with a new friend.

“I had a wiener dog when I was a kid. Now we’d really like to get one,” John said, smiling as Theresa returned the smile.