Narcoossee Cash, a two-year-old English Pointer in Lake Nona, just broke the record for the country’s fastest dog in his breed! At the Orlando Convention Center on Dec. 12 and 13, the American Kennel Club (AKC) held Fast CAT’s (Course Agility Testing) trials, where Cash not only broke the AKC’s lifetime record for the 100-yard dash, he broke his own personal record three times! Cash conquered the 100-yard dash in 7.329 seconds, running approximately 27.91 miles per hour.
The AKC Fast CAT competitions are welcome to “All-American” breeds, where the dogs compete against other pups in their weight class. They run one at a time, chasing fluffy white flags flying in front of them, racing to their owners posted at the finish line.
Owners Cam and Mike Abascal, Lake Nona natives, adopted Cash from Louisiana nearly two years ago. They were drawn to the temperament of the Pointer breed and quickly snagged up their own from a new litter in our neighboring state. As luck would have it, another young girl from Orlando had her eye on a pup from the same litter. “At that point, we knew it was meant to be, so Mike and I flew to Louisiana and drove both Cash and his sister back to Orlando,” said Cam.
Cash lacked subtlety when showing his humans that he loved to run. He started with running against the neighbor’s Dobermans and hardly stood a chance, but after a short time, he could leave them in the dust. He had also tried out the Fast CAT “Fun Run” in 2019 in Deland and loved it. “He now runs wind sprints with all the neighborhood dogs and loves challenging the occasional rabbits passing through,” Cam told us.
Preparing a pup for a feat like this is similar to the way we prep ourselves for great athleticism: healthy eating, lots of water, practice, and exercise. It’s a natural instinct and talent for a Pointer to point. “We encourage fast starts by asking Cash to hold his point, and then, when ready, we say, ‘BREAK!’” Cam described. “Then, it’s on. He turns into Fast Cash.”
Cash doesn’t spend his days racing squirrels and burning rubber, like one may think. Rather, he leads a pretty luxurious life. Cam and Mike like to take him out for struts around the Lake Nona Town Center, and at home, Cash loves lounging around in his sunny window seat, relaxing and watching TV. His incredibly sweet temperament makes him a joy around other dogs and people. His talent for dressing up is not lacking, either; this speedy canine won the Inaugural Boxi Park Halloween Costume Contest with a “spotty” ensemble.
“Cash also likes catching the frisbee. My hubby, Mike, and he have sort of a Tom Brady-Rob Gronkowski relationship.”
Cam and Mike hope to bring Narcoossee Cash to the next Fast CAT Invitational, where he can showcase his speed and passion. For now, they plan to continue giving their sweet boy a healthy and full life here in Lake Nona.
Photos Courtesy of Cam Abascal
