TESERO, Italy, Feb 18 (Reuters) – A husky with a lot of enthusiasm but no credentials burst into a women’s cross-country team sprint race on Wednesday, putting on an impromptu performance that made spectators howl with joy.

The dog entered the field of the Tesero stadium during the qualification test, saw a couple of athletes in the finishing line and decided to join the action.

A dog wanders down the ski slope during the women's team cross-country free sprint qualifying event.
A dog wanders down the ski slope during the women’s team cross-country free sprint qualifying event.

ANNE-CHRISTINE POUJOULAT via Getty Images

The canine sniffed a bit before running across the line in front of the skiers to wild applause from a crowd clearly entertained by the unexpected addition to the field.

Officers eventually caught the tail-wagging intruder, but not before timers preparing for a photo finish in the race captured an image of the dog crossing the line.