December 30th & 31st, 2006
47th Annual
Canadian Open Sled Dog Championship - Ft Nelson BC
Sled dog racing
can be a roller coaster between speed and long
distance racing. Sometimes a kennel’s development
and direction is dictated by race venue
accessibility and as well racing can be mitigated by
the ever fluctuating daily life happen stances. In
any event, the Siberian Husky knows none of this and
fortunately remains a critter capable of
multi-tasking as evidenced by history.
Surely we would like to run Iditarod again. It is
the most recognizable sled dog racing format in our
sport today. There are certainly tangents of racing
which parallel the All-Alaska Sweepstakes and Borden
Cup put on by the Nome Kennel Club in the early
portion of the 1900s.
Through time, though times change, there are a
handful of races which seem to define the sport. In
long distance it is the Quest and Iditarod. For
speed racing; Laconia, The Pas, Anchorage Fur
Rondezvous, Open North American Championship in
Fairbanks.
Probably, in part due to our tutelage and
observation it became very apparent the best dogs
for long distance had a strong link to speed racing
kennels. So, our efforts, yes, even with a small
kennel are directed with that thinking in mind.
Our immediate plans are to continue directing the
kennel towards open class racing at the Rondezvous
and ONAC levels. In recent times, open class racing
has been suffering in participation due primarily to
the aura revolving around long distance racing which
has garnered the lions share of available prize
money. Call it marketing, call it evolution,
whatever you like, long distance racing has played a
significant role in the displacement of the once
popular long strings of open class dogs.
Speed is not necessarily where its at but it is the
one sole factor by which all sled dog racing is
judged and there are no better performance levels
for open class than Anchorage, Fairbanks and
Laconia. Hopefully these races will remain the
bastions for fast dogs.
Simply put, we WANT fast dogs. This pits us against
the best speed competition in the world which is
where we will be if the venues remain.
Assuredly Iditarod remains an option and with the
hundredth anniversary of the All-Alaska Sweepstakes
in 2008 the mental wheels continue to churn.
Too, in the back of our minds, we would like to go
on the “road” with the crew, race and visit the many
friends we’ve made through the years.
Tight lines.
