Dry-land dog racers make tracks
WORTH TWP — Many people would assume snow is a crucial part of a sled dog race.
But that's not the case for the mushers who took the trail Saturday for the fourth annual dry land sled dog race at Cooper's Lake Campground.
More than 30 competitors raced two or three wheeled carts, bikes and scooters pulled by their beloved canines, mostly Siberian and Alaskan huskies.
“We're gaining popularity,” said Sandy Stoner of Boyers, the lead organizer of the event.
Stoner, who has been dogsledding for two decades, hosted the event through the Canadian American Sledders group. She said there were race classes for all types of mushers, ranging from professional riders to first-timers.
While snow was not needed, the weather was still a concern for the race. Warmer than expected weather for mid-November made for a nice ride for the mushers, but it took its toll on the dogs.
“The northern breeds just can't handle it,” Stoner said.
Stoner originally planned to have two days' worth of racing, but decided to cancel Sunday's races due to the heat, instead opening the track area up as a playground for the dogs.
Melissa Watenpool of Saxonburg raced her Siberian husky, Ice, last year, but sat out this year due to an injury.
“I love it,” she said of the race. “I come out every year whether I'm watching or racing.”
Watenpool joked Ice was very disappointed he couldn't race this year, but said they'll be back next year.
“He just loves to run,” she said of her 6-year-old husky.
Ari Allen of Gibsonia was racing for her first time on her bike.
“It was fantastic,” she said of the race. “It's a lot more work than people think. It's harder than it looks.”
Allen was racing with her dog, Reno, and Buck, who belongs to Taylor Steel, a 16-year-old junior Iditarod racer from Hopewell, Pa.
“They're extremely strong,” Allen said of the dogs. “I had the brakes on the whole time or else they would've pulled even faster.”
Allen said she trained almost every weekend leading up to the race, often riding on the Butler-Freeport Community Trail.
She belongs to the West Penn Mushers group, which is dedicated to sled dog racing.
Dan Rehak of Pittsburgh also belongs to the group. Rehak said he has been to the Cooper's Lake event the past three years to compete.This year he raced with Bang and Casey, two huskies with plenty of experience.“Bang is a two-time Iditarod racer and Casey has plenty of long-distance experience,” he said.The 2-mile course at Cooper's Lake was perfect for anyone looking to get involved with the sport, Rehak said.“It's a good race for people who have never raced before,” he said.It also was good for mushers just looking for a good ride.Linda Herdering traveled nearly four hours from Deep Creek Lake, Md., for the race.Herdering said while there were some competitive riders in attendance, she thinks the best aspect of the event was simply bonding over the love of the dogs.“It's just great to speak to people who share your passion,” she said.Herdering, who operates a sled touring company in Maryland, said she owns about 25 dogs.It was only her second time racing, but she said she was impressed with the course.“It's really great,” she said. “It was very well done. You have to appreciate the organizers who volunteer so much time to make something like this happen.”Herdering said she was so impressed that she hopes to attend the event again next year.“Oh, absolutely I want to return,” she said. “This is great.”
