Jinxed again at Ford but 2 SDAS Gold Medals secured..

SDAS Ford Estate 18^th 19^th February.

One of the consolations for not making it to Europe for the ESDRA & WSA European & World on-snow Championships was that we could now attend one of our favourite, but always jinxed, races on the SDAS race calendar – Ford Estate.  The trails are generally fairly technical & the surface is kind on the dogs feet, and the spacious camping & stake out field makes the event a good deal less hectic for us than most.

We arrive mid afternoon to set up camp & John gets a look at the trail.   To avoid the recently re-surfaced stony section, the race organiser had cut a new trail to wind through the adjacent woods – the section that was to prove to be by nemesis! 

John had an almost seamless run 1^st day with his 6-dog team made up of our two most experienced young leaders, Crow & Brodick ahead of four of our yearlings. The new section of trail was quite a challenge for the dogs – the control & discipline proving invaluable as John commanded to dogs to stop and ‘reverse’ to bring the leaders back onto the relatively un-defined trail.  A faultless run day 2 keeping his team 16 seconds ahead to take first place and also to make his team unbeatable in the SDAS Championship,  securing his gold medal. 

My 4-dog team consisted of our trusty 10 year old sisters, Toots and Oxi in lead with our season’s newcomers Sookie and Finn at wheel (AKA the refugees).  Using the heavier 4 wheeled rig on the first day to ensure maximum control & braking power they negotiated the trail like true professionals.  I took a minute off my time on day 2 using the lighter 3 wheeled rig & took 2^nd place which also has secured for me the gold medal in the SDAS Championship.

My 3 dog team consisted of our 3 most powerful dogs to attempt to secure our 3^rdchampionship gold.

Disaster struck as the powerful lads and I failed to see the obscured left turn where the trail had been altered for the smaller teams.  Sharp application of the front brake resulted in me executing a summersault over the handlebars.  A tricky menouvre to stop the team, right the rig and get back on, then an extensive detour to get the team turned around.   I rejoin the trail again at the point of exit & eventually complete the trail.  Day 2, determined to negotiate the trail accurately, I take the heavier 4 wheeled rig and complete the trail but awarded the red lantern for that class.

Bruised, battered & with muscles aching, I take my 2 dog team accurately round the trail – cautious at my previous point of disaster to lay in 4^th place after the first heat.  Feeling more confident & patched up for day 2, I finish knocking nearly a minute of my day 1 time to just 3 seconds behind the fastest team getting back on the podium in 3^rd place. 

With the golds now secured in the 6 and 4 dog championships – all is left to be decided for the 3 & 2 dog classes at our home territory for the Championship final in March.

Mary C with brothers H and Nitro - SDAS Culbin
credit: Artur Bogdal & Pauline Soltysiak

(posted: Thursday, May 31, 2012)

Do You Have a CSJ Related News Item?

If you have a CSJ related news item that you think we may want to publish then you can use our submission form(### link to go here ###). We will then review the item and publish it if it is suitable.