FUR FLIES AT FUND-RAISER.

Byline: Jim Feehan The Register-Guard

SPRINGFIELD - Athens isn't the only place they were dispensing gold medals on Sunday.

In Springfield, a 16-month-old athlete rocketed through an 18-foot-long dryer hose in record time. Coaxed by the scent of small animal treats, Boots needed only six seconds to scurry through the 4-inch-wide tube and win the gold at the eighth annual Ferret Olympics at Island Park.

"He did that lickety-split," boasted Boots' owner, Kayla Hood of Springfield.

In fact, it wasn't even close: Okashi, the silver medalist, needed almost twice as long - 11 seconds - to traverse the hose.

In all, about 30 ferrets competed in the Ferret Olympics, which drew an enthusiastic crowd of 75 or so ferret aficionados. The event served as a fund-raiser for the Lane Area Ferret Lovers Rescue and Shelter in Eugene, which cares for anywhere from 10 to 20 ferrets, said Melanee Ellis, shelter president and founder.

Other competitive events included a paper bag escape, raisin bob, cup tip and digging contest. There were also medals for longest and shortest tail, lightest and heaviest entrant, and even a "most yawns" competition.

Tulip, a 3-month-old ferret owned by Chelsea Carothers of Eugene, won the latter category with five big yawns in half a minute's time.

Two-time defending champion Tank, a 3-year-old albino, was the odds-on favorite to capture the gold in the heaviest ferret competition - and he didn't disappoint owners Cindy and Jim Kiely of Eugene.

The corpulent ferret tipped the scales at 1,706 grams (about 4 pounds), more than 400 grams heavier than the second-place finisher.

"What can I say, he's kind of chunky," Cindy Kiely said.

During a lull in the competition, Eugene veterinarian Ron Titterington gave a presentation on ferret health care. He said ferrets are becoming increasingly popular, especially among apartment dwellers.

When he began his practice 12 years ago, Titterington saw three to four ferrets a week. Today, he sees about three a day. Ferrets constitute about a third of his practice, sharing equal time with cats and dogs, he said.

After Titterington's presentation, the crowd gathered under the park's north picnic shelter for the much-anticipated cup tip event.

A matrix of 22 paper cups were placed in a checkerboard design at the center of the shelter. The ferrets had 60 seconds to knock over as many cups as possible.

Inquisitive by nature, ferrets sniff about and topple unattended cups and glasses, generally making a mess, Kiely said.

Gold-medal champ was a 4-year-old ferret, coincidentally also named Boots, owned by Sandra

Dietz of Vancouver, Wash. Dietz said she saw an advertisement about the Ferret Olympics in Ferrets magazine and decided to make the drive to Springfield.

For her troubles, her Boots is now a champion. "He very much loves to look at everything," Dietz said.

Kayla Hood's ferret, Boots, posts the fastest time in running through an 18-foot-long dryer hose Sunday at the Ferret Olympics.

CAPTION(S):

Chelsea Carothers holds her 3-month-old ferret Tulip, the gold-medal winner for most yawns - five in 30 seconds. Ferrets are becoming increasingly popular. - RON TITTERINGTON, VETERINARIAN F e r r e t O l y m p i c s