A K9 Named Hiki Steals the Show at Newburgh’s Independence Day 5K
NEWBURGH, Ind. — Gannon Western crossed the finish line first on Saturday morning, but by most accounts, the real star of the Independence Day 5K was a dog.
More than 200 runners gathered at Friedman Park before sunrise to run 3.1 miles in honor of the nation’s 250th birthday, sweating through a warm, humid morning as a heat dome settled over the Ohio Valley. Temperatures at the 7 a.m. start hovered in the mid-70s, with high humidity that only thickened as the sun rose — a preview of a Fourth of July forecast calling for highs near 90 degrees and the kind of stickiness that makes finish-line popsicles feel like a public service.
Western, a 17-year-old from Petersburg, Ind., needed just 17 minutes and 56.5 seconds to win the men’s race outright, while Shelby Schultz, 29, of Hamilton, Ohio, topped the women’s field in 20:13.3. Both were greeted at the line not just by cheering volunteers and a well-stocked drink station, but by Hiki, the Oliver’s Heroes retired K9, who had appointed himself official finish-line greeter and photo subject for the morning.
“It was the perfect morning to celebrate America’s birthday with a 5k race,” said race director Brandon Barrett of Tri State Fitness. “We had just over 200 participants this year and all did a great job!”
The out-and-back course, hosted by Tri-State Fitness, started and finished at the park’s West Pavilion, sending runners down a straight shot and back as fireworks-minded families staked out picnic spots nearby. Awards went out to the top three men and women overall, plus age-group winners across nine divisions, from 13-and-under to 80-plus.
Beyond the medals, the race carried a charitable heartbeat: two dollars from every entry fee went to Oliver’s Heroes Retired K9 Association, a nonprofit that supports retired police and military dogs. Hiki, one of the organization’s own, made sure no one forgot it, posing for photo after photo as runners rolled in.
“Highlight of the event was seeing Hiki, the Oliver’s Heroes K9, at the finish line to greet all the finishers and pose for photos,” Barrett said.
Top 5 Men’s Finishers
- Gannon Western, 17, Petersburg, Ind. — 17:56.5
- Evan Shuff, 34, Lawrenceville, Ill. — 18:20.8
- Wesley Camp, 36, Evansville, Ind. — 18:48.3
- Reed Sallee, 15, Newburgh, Ind. — 19:06.6
- Brent Renshaw, 40, Mount Vernon, Ind. — 19:23.7
Top 5 Women’s Finishers
- Shelby Schultz, 29, Hamilton, Ohio — 20:13.3
- Lyndsey Winsett, 19, Boonville, Ind. — 22:11.3
- Kasey Spindler, 35, Owensville, Ind. — 22:29.6
- Emery Crume, 25, Owensboro, Ky. — 22:32.6
- Ashley Goedde, 33, Owensville, Ind. — 24:55.4
Timing was handled by To The Finish Timing, and full results are available through RunSignUp. For a town of just under 4,000 people, Newburgh once again proved it can turn out a crowd before most of its residents have finished their coffee — all in the name of red, white, blue, and a very good dog.