Harry has that Hairy Maclary look
Harry McKay doesn't hail from Donaldson's Dairy, but the adorable 6-year-old Alfin Pinscher is a dead ringer for Hairy Maclary.
So it is no surprise the sweet little guy from Greerton took out the Hairy Maclary category of The Great Hairy Maclary and Friends Lookalike Contest held at Tauranga Vets yesterday.
With author Dame Lynley Dodd as guest judge, 20 dog owners entered their adorable canines in the six categories with lots of oohs and aahs from the crowd as each strutted its stuff along the catwalk (or should that be dogwalk?).
As well as eight Hairy Maclary lookalikes, there were three Hercules Morses, two Muffin McLays, four Bottomley Potts, two Bitzer Maloneys and two Schnitzel von Krumms, as well as one or two Slinky Malinkys and Scarface Claws.
Harry's owner Lyn McKay told the Bay of Plenty Times she was rapt after collecting Harry's winner's certificate and a box of goodies.
"I am blown away and it's a huge honour to receive this award from Dame Lynley."
Ms Mckay said Harry, formerly named Romeo, had to be re-homed as a one-year-old and had "gone from knee to knee" before he finally landed on hers. It was love at first sight, she said.
"He's a great babysitter, goes with me everywhere and he's been great with the children today. Lots of people tell me he looks like Hairy Maclary and clearly the judges thought so too."
Dame Lynley said: "It's great to see so many people come along to enter the competition and show their support for the sculpture project.
"Judging the winners was quite hard, especially the Hairy Maclary winner as he is such a scrufffy little mutt. If we had been judging pedigree dogs it would have been far easier."
Children and parents also jumped at the chance to have Dame Lynley sign their own copies of her books.
Creative Tauranga chief executive Tracey Rudduck-Gudsell said the contest was a wonderful way to raise awareness of the Hairy Maclary and Friends Tauranga Waterfront Sculpture Project.
To help support this worthwhile project, text Hairy to 306 to make an instant $3 donation.
