Corgi Minnesota Day
Queen Elizabeth II of England is often known for her charisma and devotion to Britain. Her Corgi fascination, on the other hand, is a lesser known fact. Multiple reports suggest that during her life, she has been the owner of over thirty Corgis.
Queen Elizabeth isn’t the only avid Corgi enthusiast; Minnesota is home to a group dedicated to these short-legged furry friends. Corgi Minnesota was established in 2008 as a group to come together for formal Corgi socials. They scheduled a social on May 15th, expecting their usual ten to forty people to attend.
Little did they know, over two thousand Facebook users would join their online page promoting this May 15th social. As a result of this unexpected attention, Corgi Minnesota Day was born. This event was shared so many times over social media that the administrators felt the need to expand from one original location to eight across the state of Minnesota. Corgi Minnesota Day was celebrated in Bloomington, Cottage Grove, Plymouth, Maplewood, Elk River, Sartell, Duluth, and Moorhead.
We were lucky enough to visit one of the more popular locations for this event: the off-leash dog park in Bloomington. Upon arrival, the parking lot was already overflowing–so much so that people had to park on the grass.
An overwhelmingly large amount of Corgi adorers showed up for Corgi Minnesota Day
The time had finally come for Corgis to meet and play with each other. Never have we seen so many little legs moving so fast before. The dogs weren’t the only ones enjoying this sunny day; it also brought together their owners.
Corgi owner Ethan Manley has been a lifelong admirer: “(Corgis) act like large dogs in a small package.”
Manley also provided some history about the breed: “Corgis are herding dogs; they are short so they can herd cattle without being kicked in the face. There are also two different types of Corgis: Cardigan and Pembroke, both dating back to the Welsh.”
Even within Apple Valley High School, these little dogs are adored.
Corgi clothing in full swing at Bloomington celebration
Senior Ellen Ennett said, “The Queen of England has Corgis, which proves that they are an awesome dog. Plus, they look like chubby weiner dogs and their ears are super cute. I am going to have a Corgi named Simon when I’m older.”
Junior Vanessa Westerberg shares this love for Corgis: “Just looking at them makes me happy.”
Junior Katie Lorenz agrees: “If I could have a dog, I would have a Corgi.”
Junior Zach Crowley states: “Corgis are super cute, but I don’t see too many in Minnesota.”
As shown through Apple Valley students’ infatuation with these dogs, even those who do not own a Corgi share appreciation for their unique personality and characteristics.
It is safe to say the first ever Corgi Minnesota Day was a success. One administrator of this event, Jaxi Schulz, has high hopes for the future of this gathering: “We hope people really enjoy the day and…we hope to make it an annual statewide event.”
As Schulz said, “Corgis are awesome dogs.”
