Jamaica Dogsled Team

Thursday, July 19, 2007

Danny Melville (left) founder of the Jamaica Dogsled Team with three-time Yukon Quest champion Hans Gatt (right) and sled dog Emma in Whitehorse, Yukon. Melville announced his lead musher, Jamaican Devon Anderson, will train with Gatt with the goal of qualifying for the 2009 Yukon Quest 1000-Mile International Sled Dog Race -- billed as the toughest sled dog race in the world. Photo by Chukka Caribbean Adventures.

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“SUN DOGS will melt the coldest heart. ONE MUSH!” – Jimmy Buffett

Jamaica Dogsled Team 2009 Schedule

2009 Long Distance Race Schedule

Dec. 13-14, 2008 2008 Sheep Mountain Lodge 150 Sled Dog Race, AK

Jan. 10, 2009 Copper Basin 300 in Copper Valley, Alaska

Feb. 14, 2009 Yukon Quest International Sled Dog Race (1,000 miles) in Alaska

2009 Sprint Schedule

Dec. 8, 2008 - Jan. 7, 2009 Snow/Sled Training in Minnesota & Michigan

Jan. 10-11 Markstay-Warren "Challenge the Champ" Sled Dog Race in Warren, Ontario 6-Dog Pro

Jan. 16-25 IFSS World Championship-Daaquam River International Sled Dog Race
St-Just-de-Bretenières, Quebec
4-Dog & 6-Dog Pro / 3 days racing each class

Jan. 30-Feb.1
Marmora Sno-Fest
Marmora, Ontario
6-Dog Pro

Feb. 6-8 Kearney Winterfest in Kearney, Ontario
6-Dog Pro

Feb. 14-15 Haliburton Sleddog Derby in Haliburton, Ontario
6-Dog Pro

Feb. 21-22 Cannington Sled Dog Race in Cannington, ON 6-Dog Pro

Pine River Run in Merrill, Wisconsin
4-Dog & 6-Dog Pro

Feb. 28- March 1 Cross Lake Winterfest Dog Derby in Cross Lake, Minnesota
4-Dog & 6-Dog Pro

March 7-8 Snowflake International in Duluth, Minnesota
4-Dog Pro

Susie Rogan answers the question: What Makes a Good Sleddog?

Ever wondered what makes a dog a good sleddog? A good sleddog has many important traits, but these 7 top the list for what Alaskan Huskies are bred for:
1. Endurance
2. Mental attitude and a will to run
3. Mental strength under pressure: they keep running when the going gets tough
4. Strength: but this is not the most important trait by any means - you want a strong dog but they actually do not have to work that hard for the main part, they just need to keep going at a reasonable effort level.
5. Friendliness: Myth Buster - despite what you read in White Fang or Call of the Wild, sled dogs are bred to be friendly and not to fight with other dogs. The last thing you need out on the trail is a dog that creates injuries with other dogs or which intimidates other dogs into not working. Also, there is no way you would keep a dog that bites people or is not interested in bonding with his or her musher because the relationship between the dog and the musher is critical when things get tough. The dog carries on because he or she trusts her musher and feels a bond. A dog that does not care about the musher will quit when it's not fun anymore.
6. Good eater: This is incredibly important - dogs on the trail in a race like the Yukon Quest or Iditarod consume between 10,000 and 14,000 calories PER DAY! That is 5 to 7 times what an adult human will consume in a day. Dogs that are about the size of a child (45 to 65 pounds) eat about 6 of an adult's breakfasts, lunches and dinners every day for 10 days! To accomplish this amazing feat, they are 'snacked' about 12 times a day, plus 'fed' 3 or 4 times a day, eating a meal about every hour and a half on average. If they are picky eaters or slow eaters, they won't get a chance to eat these meals and they will not make it to the finish line.
7. Good feet and coat

2007-2008 Schedule & Results

DRYLAND SPRINTS (Damion Robb)
Cannon Falls, Minnesota
– Byllesby Dryland Classic, 4-Dog Rig Class, October 20-21, 2007
– Results: In his first-ever race, Damion Robb finished in 2nd Place

Pearson, Wisconsin
– Dirty Dog Dryland Derby, 4-Dog Pro Class, October 27-28, 2007
– Results: Damian Robb finished in 3rd Place

Brainerd, Minnesota
– East Meets West Dryland Challenge, 4-Dog Pro Class, November 17-18, 2007
– Results: Damian Robb finished in 1st Place

SNOW SPRINTS (Damion Robb)
Kinross, Michigan
– Kinross Classic Sled Dog Race, 4-Dog Pro Sled Class, January 5-6, 2008
– Results: In his first race on snow Damion Robb finished in 7th Place

Kalkaska, Michigan
– Kalkaska Winterfest, 4-Dog Pro Sled Class, January 19-20, 2008
– Results: Damion Robb finished 10th out of a field of 32 teams

Haliburton, Ontario
– Haliburton Highland Dogsled Derby, 4-Dog Pro Sled Class, January 26-27, 2008
– Results: Damion Robb finished 11th out of a field of 19 teams

Land O’ Lakes, Wisconson
– Winter Festival/Three Bear Winter Sled Dog Races, 4-Dog Pro Sled Class, February 2-3, 2008
– Damion Robb finished 11th out of a field of 23 teams

Kearney, Ontario
– Kearney Dogsled Races, 4 or 6 Dog Sled Class, February 9-10, 2008
– Results: Damion Robb finished 10th out of a field of 28 teams

Merrill, Wisconsin
– Pine River Run, February 16-19, 2008
– Results: Damion Robb finished 8th out of a field of 24 teams

Bemidji, Minnesota
– 35th Annual Paul Bunyan Sled Dog Challenge, February 23-24, 2008
– Results: Damion Robb finished 5th out of a field of 15 teams

Duluth, Minnesota
– Snowflake International Skijoring Classic, 4 Dog Sled Class, March 1-2, 2008
– Results: Damion Robb finished 7th out of a field of 23 teams

SNOW -- LONG DISTANCE YUKON QUEST QUALIFIERS (Newton Marshall)
Dawson City, Yukon
– The Percy DeWolfe Memorial Mail Race, March 27-28, 2008 (210 miles from Dawson City, Yukon Territory to Eagle Alaska and back) www.thepercy.com
– Results: Newton Marshall finished 7th out of a field of 15 with a time of 24hrs and 44mins and received the Sportsmanship Award.

Thursday, July 19, 2007

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