Have you seen any snow!!!!

Question: What question/statement does a dogsledder hate to hear in January?

Answer: Should I rake the leaves or cut the grass.......

A Few more weeks until the SHCC- S/C Ontario 3-4 dog Championship.

No snow insite at least in this area of Southern Ontario.

Everything is in place, the purse, wild wing lunch both days for racers, prizes slowly coming in, gold-silver and bronze medals for both classes and a pretty cool looking T-shirt ready for print waiting for the alls clear. All we need is some snow on the trail.

I'll keep you updated but it's not loooking good as of Christmas 2009.

Some nice news-for me that is- my favorite bar QB's in Burlington,Ontario is going to put some pictures of me racing at different events and some framed pictures of Lance Mackey signed as well. Of course they have info on them of the Kortright dogsleddn event.

Check out QB's on the you tube link below.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dARVvxYvxMQ

Jacko looking for a home.

This is Jacko. His family's house burned down and they are looking for a home for him.

He is an outside dog and is very active and strong. He is not good with smaller animals.

I do not know anything about the dog except what I have been given. If you are interested please contact the family directly as that will be the fastest way.

Speak to Theresa (Stergon Falls).

705-753-2772.

Igor and his Inuit Sled Dog

Here is an interesting article from our good friend Igor. It was written for "The Fan Hitch".
This is quite the igloo. I remember getting the email from him when he built it. I'd like to try if I had enough snow to make a snow ball here in Burlington.
Igor has asked if he might be able to run at the Kortright Centre this year with AVALAK.
I told him that I could put him in as an exhibition run. I have had Alaskan teams, short haired pointers and even a siberian team with a Border Collie lead dog last year. It's good for the spectators to see the different types of dogs that can run.
This is still a SHCC S/C Ontario event with the 3-4 dog championship on the line but I do welcome other teams on special invitation only who will not compete for this title.
It will be great to see Igor and his dog at Kortright again -my old friend.

http://homepage.mac.com/puggiq/V12N1/V12,N1FIDO.html

SHCC Southern/Central Ontario 3-4 Dog Championship

SHCC Southern/Central Ontario 3-4 Dog Championship
Sponsored by the Kortright Centre and Nutro Products.
At The Kortright Centre Jan.30-31,2010.
20 minutes North of Toronto-North on the 400 hwy.
Get off at the Canada's Wonderland exit and go west 5 minutes to Pinevalley rd.
Follow the Kortright Centre signs with the White Wolf on them.

Both days schedule.
Dog sled rides from windriftkennels.com all day both days.
3 dog race starts at 11:00 am (drivers meeting/bib draw at 10am).
4 dog race starts at 1:30 pm.
Awards after the race on Sunday in the main building.
$2500 purse.
Gold- silver- bronze medals(Donated by Michelle Redstone).
Prizes-Nutro Product Dog food-signed photo of the man Lance Mackey(Donated by Joel).

My meeting with Lance

Wow!!! I really got to meet Lance Mackey.

He is a true gentleman and as humble as Alaskan pie. I really don't think anyone else at the top of their sport is as humble as he (Tiger Woods nope, Roger Federer no, Schumacher no way..do I need to go any further-Gretzky well he's Canadian).

Lance was at a Fund Raiser for the Jamican Dogsledding team in Toronto and made the trip down to support them. He signed every picture that I brought and there was a lot of them without a single thought. I even managed to win the Lance Mackey come back Kennel sweat shirt that I had my eye on as soon as I walked in (directly after getting my Jamaican red stripe beer). At the event they showed the movie of the Jamaican Newton Marshall's run at the Yukon Quest. It was very interesting and if you get the chance to see it I would recommend it (4 stars). Another humble individual is Newton.

Well, I guess I can cross Lance off my list of people I want to meet (he has joined my list of people I have met along with James Taylor, Kim Mitchell, Ann Rohmer-I took her for a ride on my sled in the park in 1999 on BT. She nearly fell off and I had to grab on to her tightly, I didn't meet Wayne but I did play golf with his dad Walter Gretzsky... by the way this section of "name throwing" was for Hugh in England who I can say I have met when he becomes a famous rock star or famous dogsledder, which ever comes first.

Lance it was a pleasure meeting you and I'd be honoured if you carried my Six Nation Iroquois feather across Alaska during the Quest and the Iditarod -I don't want to slow you down but it is as light as a feather.

Little siberian is off

Well the Little Siberian looking for a home is on her way to Nova Scotia.
The couple came to see her and had one other Siberian. They got along great and off she went.

Pretty little Sibe looking for a home

Here is a pretty little siberian that is looking for a good home. She getting into basic Siberian husky trouble-bored during the day and needs come exercise and company. Her name is Lara and she is 3.5 yrs of age. She is a purebreed siberian brought to Canada from Europe. Click on the pictures for a better look at her.

She is currently living in Toronto so if you'd like to see her better please contact the owner directly. Email Elena Zaralieva at husky.lara@gmail.com

Thanks for your help

My old sled new old look.

Here's my chatmac sled ready for race season.

Walter made this wind breaker for me in 1999 and managed to make the cover of the winter addition of the Norland paper that year. I stopped using it when we needed full dog bags instead of the old seat bag.

I wanted you to see what I did with it Walter. I attached it right over my dog bag where the zipper broke. I even sewed on some good old Canadian stuff to Canadian it up. Click on the pics and you can get a better view. If you look at my Feb. 03, 2009 post you could see I could of used it there. My dog bag zipper is wide open and acting like a parachut. I could have shaved 10 seconds easy.

I love it. It was almost my daughters powwow dress this year but she felt it was to eskimo for her (her words).

See you soon my friend Walter I miss running with you.

2010 Southern/Central Ontario 3-4 dog championship

It's official-2010 title

The SHCC/ Kortright/Nutro Challenge-team challenge's name has officially become the

SHCC-KORTRIGHT CENTRE-NUTRO PRODUCTS

2010 SOUTHERN/CENTRAL ONTARIO

3-4 DOG CHAMPIONSHIP

It's a mouth ful but it's a pretty cool title to win I would think.

I wouldn't mind having that championship for my own dogs.

The trail will be the same as last year and it is challenging enough to have this areas race title given to it. I have worked hard over the years to get the Kortright Centre to get the trail to this point and I wouldn't want to change a thing now. It's a flat start, it gets tough and driver and team have to work together in the middle in-order to shave time and then it's a nice flat finish.

Hope to see you all there Jan.30/31,2010.

Kortright Centre/Nutro "2010" 3-4 dog championships

I have an artist working on a very unique t-shirt for the race this year. Wicked design on the front and sponsors/ vendors websites on the back. When the design is complete I will try and put it on the site. I was planning on having 2010 championship on it but with the weather here in Southern Ontario I might just get stuck with em if there's no snow.

RACE DATE: JAN.30-31, 2010.

Please put me on your schedule- this is a 3 and 4 dog "Siberian Event"

4 mile loop trail-no head on passing. Same trail as last year this is my Kortright trail.

Please send my blog to any sibe racers that maybe interested so they can keep informed.

Nutro back to sponsor Kortright race.

Well, I spoke with our Nutro Rep. Justin Howard and Nutro will be sponsoring our race once again. This will guarantee my $2500 between the Kortright Centre, SHCC fundraising/entries and Nutro. Having the reps at the race gives racers and spectators an opportunity to talk about the products and to get samples. They have always been very generious with prizes as well so a big thank you to Justin.

They have also agreed to help with some promotional $ that I plan to get shirts printed for the race. I will be selling them to the public and to racers that could also generate a profit towards the race. I remember racing at the Trillium Trail Race and buying a shirt from the event knowing that I was there and that competed at that event.

Things are really coming together and I am very pleased that Nutro will be apart of this event once again. Kortright will be supplying lunch for racers and handlers this year for sure. I made it clear to them how important that this is for racers so that they don't have to get in the spectators line, slam their food into them and get ready for the second event in the afternoon. Chilly one day sandwiches another. This has been a very nice benefit in the past.

I will be working on my vendors that have come from year to year especially the Pride gang who have been giving spectators rides every year.

If you have any questions or ideas please email me at dogsleddn@hotmail.com

Kortright Centre-SHCC and ? 2010 dogsled race

Well it's nearly September so I thought I should start thinking about the Kortright Race 2010.

So many things to do. Post the date with sleddogcentral.com-done,contact my race marshall,take a drive out to Kortright and walk my trail.

Oh yeah !!! Make sure I have a Major sponsor to co-sponsor the race with the Kortright Centre.

Lots to do but things will come together. I have many feelers out and I am confident in a contact.

Anyways, I wanted you to know I am getting ready. You get your dogs ready and I'll get the race together for 2010. The best Kortright Race ever....and last year was an incredible race.

18 teams of siberians in the 4 dog class and 10 teams in the 3 dog class.

That trail is a keeper-lots of fun and excitment for racers and dogs.

Great to see the Western Ontario members out, our friends from Ottawa and of course our friends from Central Ontario-oh yeah our Southern Ontario Racers as well.

Our BC friend is hit and miss-missed him last year (ALMOST MADE IT).

"Nothing New"-sleddogs

Nothing new going on. Here's sleddogs new song.
It sounds pretty good.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=an-WnX58iWM

hope you can get it???
anyways found this picture of me and put it on my facebook profile.
Kortright Race 2009. Love the snow flying from my shoe and the Canadian flag only seen from the back, which I've never seen before-now that is.
Take care

SHCC-Southern /Central Ontario area crests for sale

Hey everyone, I still have crest that I made up as a fundraiser for the Kortright Race. I have been given them out to individuals that enter my race in the past few years. I still have a lot that are for sale so email me at dogsleddn@hotmail.com if you are interested. They are $5.00 each and that includes postage in Canada. I will send to other countries if needed but I will have to check with the post office for the cost (shouldn't be much more).

The crests are 3 inches round and when they are gone they are gone. There will not be another run. The area put out another crest before mine that was yellow and blue and you can't get them anymore. I tried to find some and no one seems to have any. Don't be caught without yours.

I would be willing to trade crests if anyone has the old SHCC southern/central crest I need two for my kids.

I am also interested in the SHCC- Western crest put out a few (many) years ago. I would like three of those. Peter or Daryl from the western area told me they are all gone. I was going to buy some many years ago when I raced at Woodstock/Oxford park and forgot. Sooze ya loose.

I would also be interested in trading crests with any other siberian husky club in the world. I don't think any of my crests have left Canada except for a couple that came to visit from England and they took some home with them.

sleddogs- Perfect Place

Nice song-good band-great name.
I've listened to alot of their songs but this is my favorite. They have a new song coming out "nothing new" pretty cool too! Cold actually....just click on the www link.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yKLegF9T28s

I'd love them to play at my race this year on the Saturday. I have a link to there website on the right side of my blog so contact them and bug them to play. I'll ask them niceley.
If anyone knows how to show this video without it actually leaving my blog let me know. Until then this is it.

http://siberianhusky.gotop100.com

Thanks for leaving me comments on siberianhusky.gotop100.com

I don't know why but to go to this site click on the siberian husky.

It's an interesting site as it allows you to click onto different siberian webpages.It has many different people's sites who love siberian huskies from all over the world.

I recommend all my siberian friends here in Ontario to sign their website up. It's free and fun.

I still don't understand how sites are rated but it has to do with the number of people in section???

Anyways check out the site and sign up.

I did get a lot of new pictures from The Kortright Race 2009.

I will send people any pictures that they are in- in the near future.

My Friend and Mentor

While changing and re-looking at my blog for http://siberianhusky.gotop100.com/

I noticed that over the the last 3 years or so that I have been blogging , I didn't have a picture or mention my dearest dogsleddn friend Walter Grohman . He has taught me everything that I know and I have stolen some of his training and racing tips over the years and changed them to fit me and my dogs.

I first met Walter when I had one Alaskan Husky and one Siberian husky. I was fooling around with my two dogs and a home made sled that looked like something out of the Flintstones (but it was working). I had no idea what I was doing but it was only two dogs so I hooked them up and managed to get them to run somehow.

It was interesting but I knew there was more to it than that. I found out that there was an actual race hours from my home and I took off to see it. Walter was there and he always attracted the fans for some reason with his cool painted trailer and his all Copper Bullets. Before I knew it I was in the race (2 dog race-2 miles) with my one siberian and one of Walter's older and sweetest dogs Kaluha. I was thrilled but even more than that Walter became my Canadian idol.

He showed me different trails that I could run at and let me use some of his dogs so I could get the real speed of the breed. He took me to buy my first real sled at snowmist kennels, a sled that I still have today. He took me double sleddn so I could see how he moved his feet and shifted his weight. He introduced me to other Southern/ Central Ontario racers and I followed him to races all over Ontario. At the Canadian Championships at Trillium trails Walter became my real idol. He raced his oldest and dearest Siberian's for his last time before retiring them. There were many competitive racers there to win and I knew people were looking at Walter's dogs scatching their heads wondering what he was doing. He ran those dogs and finished last each day in the 6 dog class. In the truck lot there he was coaching and praising his dogs like their old champion selves they were. Walter and his old dogs won that race no matter what and it still gives me an old tear telling the story. He is one of my dearest friends on the planet, my mentor and I'm glad to see him racing every winter especially when I see his face at my Kortright Centre race.

By the way you sure were looking good this year.....

Siberian Puppies and some adults 4 sale

Some very good friends of mine have Siberian puppies and some adult dogs for sale.

Some of the dogs are leaders and some are team dogs. You need to speak with them directly about the litters and the adults. Kathy and Robert breed racing Siberian's and are very active racers in the Southern/Central Ontario circuit. Kathy raced in the 2009 World Championships and received a Silver Medal in the Siberian Class.

Please contact them directly as I have no breeding information about their dogs (They have many more photos if needed).

They are good friends of mine and very gooooood people so as far as a reference you can speak with me about them and I'd say buy their dogs. I'd buy their dogs the next time I am looking.

Anyways call Robert or Kathy Kilbreath and speak to them about their dogs .

(613) 399-5632

Iditarod 07-08-09 Champion

Well was there any doubt that this was going to happen..... maybe from the other racers.

Great job Lance Mackey Champion again.

Iditarod 2009

I was talking with my dogsleddn facebook buddy Kiara about this years Iditarod. As Canadians of course we started going with Canadians. She was going for Aaron Peck and I was hoping for adopted Canadian Hans Gatt. Both of us knew inside that we should say that "LM"was the man and no more said.

But as Canadians we like to see others win, vote for new comers and underdogs, but inside we should of just said "LM" and no more said. As we got to the end of our conversation she thought Jeff King would do well and learned many new lessons from "LM" from last year-No sleeping on the job with "LM" around. I always hope for personal favorite Martin Buser- always smiling.

Well as it gets closer to the end it looks like "LM" is making them all work hard not to come second for the third year in a row.

Just before Kiara and I logged off we said "Lance Mackey is the man enough said".

After seeing this picture I will always go for Lance. It reminds me of myself at the Norland race just outside of Minden,Ontario. We had to run through a farmers field and the cows- yes cows, were suppose to be in the barn. As I turn into the field there she was a big fat cow in the middle of the trail. My lead dog Tyler thought he could take her so he headed right for her. I set my snow hook -(actually the only time I can remember setting my snow hook during a race as a sprint racer)-and I ran over to the cow. See wasn't going to move so I wacked her in the nose with my snubb line and the quick release clip landed in the perfect spot and she ran off. I crapped my pants and finished the race. Okay it's not the same a moose but who cares.

Go Lance Mackey Go!!!!!!!

Kortright 2009 Challenge Results.

The Challenge this weekend was to get the second day heats in before there was to much heat. Sunday was plus 6 at one point but our trail stood strong. Well it did weep in one area but only for about 12 feet. Other than that lots of fun, lots of spectators and lots of siberian husky 4 dog teams (18). This picture shows my physical ability on Saturday by the time it was my turn to race ZZZZZZZZ. Thanks Peter for catching me a sleep at the wheel. It's not really true Kathy and Robert I think it was a cat nap.
Well, here our the results I have everyones full name in the car and I'll add them soon.

3-dog race

1)Barry Cull-35:47.52 2)Colleen Heibein-35:59.82

3)Kathy Henry-Kilbreath 4)Laurel Turansky-38:15.24

5)Cherie McCallum-40:07.21 6)Daryl Schuler-53:52.49

7)Bailey Moffat-56:59.37 8)Vicky Hailey-OT (Sunday)

9) Renata Sauder-DNF (Sunday)

Cut of time-45:41.81

4-dog race

1)Laurel Turansky-32:48.09 2)Barry Cull-32:52.34

3)Michelle Redstone-34:24.06 4)Kathy Henry-Kilbreath-34:57.04

5)Joel Jamieson-36:07.15 6) Cheri McCallum-36:11.68

7)colleen Heibein-36:23.66 8)Walter Grohman-36:35.68

9)Janate Cooper -37:19.88 10)David Jolette-38:06.93

11)Daryl Schuler-39:59.21 12)Marilyn Graf -40:38.14

13)Dana Cranstone-41:02.64 14)Riley O'Connor-42:57.59

15)Jason Quinlan-46:31.03 16)Jason Quinlan-49:46.21

17)Mike Murphy-53:07.51 18)Marilyn Graf-56:44.67

Cut off time-41:41.87.

Kortright Challenge 2009 Pictures from the weekend.

Here are some pictures from this weekend at the Kortright race. I've tried to forward as many as I can and if I get more I'll send them along. I've talk to pretty much everyone and everyone loved the trail. This is the trail I will keep from now on and now it's up to the weather.

Saturday the weather was perfect for the dogs minus 14 but with the wind it was quite cold. At one time my eye frooze shut.

We managed to sneek it in on Sunday with the tempature getting up to plus 6 the last time I checked. The trail held it's own except for that one sloppy spot on the third field.

This was the greatest Kortright in the ten years. 9- 3 dog teams and 18-4 dog teams.

WOW the siberian teams were out and ready to go.

I will be putting the results on the blog, SHCC and sleddogcentral.com on Wednesday.

Thanks to Everyone who made it out. If there is a picture from this years race of you on my blog click on it and steal it. I managed to get 1 of me and I'll save it for the results page as it suited me for the weekend. ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ. I love it.....

Kortright Race-Is a Siberian Husky Race

Kortright Race is just 1 week away. Still lots of work to be done but a lot can't be completed until Thursday and Friday as the Kortright Centre is open to the public. Just a reminder that this is a Siberian Husky Race put on by the Siberian Husky Club of Canada Southern/Central Area.

The Kortright Centre is just off the 400 hwy. Get off at the Canada's Wonderland exit and head west. Go 5 minutes west of the 400 to Pinevalley Rd with large green wolf signs to the Centre.

Racers can arrive at 8:30am to get a spot for their truck -all are quite good for racers to get their sleds and dogs to the start line. If there any other questions please email me at

dogsleddn@hotmail.com

There is a racers enterence just North of the main enterence. A private rd. that will lead right down to the start line of the race.

I will have a sign there "for racers only"

There are many Hotels/Motels in the area but it seems that the best priced is the Vaughn Inn. It is only about 10 minutes from the race. (905-851-3831)

Kortright Challenge-SHCC 4 mile race

Kortright Challenge just two weekends away.

Jan.31 & Feb.01, 2009.

Lots of work still to be done but most of it will be done the week before. Peter French (race marshall) will take a look at my trail on Tuesday January 27,2009. Friday the straw bails will go out and we will be ready to race on Saturday and Sunday.

The Kortright Trail is a 4 mile loop starting off running around three flat loops and up and down a couple of the Kortright Valleys and finishing with a flat round and about way to the finish. It is quite exciting, the dogs can run all out in the flats and the driver and the team need to work together in the valleys.

Racers can arrive at 8:30 am to get settled in. Drivers meeting and bib draw at 10am but usually 10:30am. Spectators can enter the park at 10 am so we can't start the race until after that which is usually 11:15am starting with the three dog class. Lunch for racers and hopefully the four dog class can run after 1pm. Thomas Pride and windrift kennels will be there to give rides for adults and kids so there should be lots of fun. I have mentioned to some beginners and individuals with a few dogs that at the end of the two races they could run around the mile loop or around the 4 mile trail if they would like. There is a lot of spectators usually at Kortright so the more teams they get to see the better. If racers has more dogs than the two classes and wish to run their others, let me know so we can co-ordinate that the best way possible. Hope to see everyone soon.

If you have any questions please email me at dogsleddn@hotmail.com

I will send a list of hotels/motels in the area next week as the list is at work.