No matter how tough things are, dogs always seem to spark joy — and that’s exactly what these flying canines did for hundreds of spectators at this weekend’s GoPro Mountain Games.
The annual event in Vail, Colo., includes several events aimed at dog lovers, from group walks to wiener dog races to the ever-popular leaping contest. In fact, this year marked a new record in the DockDogs jumping contest: Mayhem the greyhound tied her own world record with a “jaw-dropping, 9-foot, 2-inch jump,” organizers said.
And many dogs received the greatest reward of all: new homes. GoPro partnered with an animal services group to find “forever homes” for 30 shelter dogs. Thanks to the help of event sponsors, the dog owners will get some help as they bring new pups into their families.
Purina will provide adopted dogs with a 6-month food supply. Pacifico also donated adoption kits with bowls, toys, leashes, and collars, while Thule provided high-quality harnesses, organizers said.
“In the way of dogs, this Mountain Games was arguably the greatest of all time,” event organizers said in a news release.
2026 GoPro Mountain Games
To be fair, dogs are far from the only attraction at the GoPro Mountain Games — though they’re obviously the coolest. The annual event includes a huge diversity of outdoor sports. Over 4 days, the festival included trail runs, mountain biking, bouldering, kayaking, and more. Some of the water-based events were canceled or relocated weeks before the event as a result of low water caused by historically low snow in Colorado this season.
So there were still plenty of events to keep the attention of the festival’s thousands of participants. But few of the human-based competitions drew as much excitement as the dog-based events, according to organizers. The inaugural Short Dogs In Da House Mountain Race attracted one of the biggest crowds ever seen at the CoLab Creator Stage.
“Hundreds of spectators lined the course as wiener dogs and an assortment of other short-legged pups went head-to-head in the quick, start-to-finish race,” according to a statement from GoPro.
The competition was won by Rowdy, a miniature dachshund and internet celebrity known for skateboarding antics.
The CoLab Creator Stage was also the center of adoption efforts. Matt Nelson — the founder of online store WeRateDogs and the nonprofit 15/10 Foundation, which financially supports pets with veterinary needs — helped kick off the adoption campaign.
But the ability to find new homes for so many dogs was a group effort involving many organizations. That’s the message from Rhiannon Rowe, the manager of Eagle County Animal Services, which spearheads adoption efforts at the GoPro Mountain Games each year.
“This effort was achieved not only because of our staff’s dedication. But also the amazing partnerships that we have created with other rescue groups as well as amazing fosters within our community,” Rowe said. “We worked with two rescue groups, one in New Mexico and one in Utah. These groups are often overwhelmed by an increased number of homeless pets, so they reach out to other groups for assistance. We were happy to step in. The GoPro Mountain Games are always a great place to showcase adoptable dogs.”
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