Satanta kennel secures a Silver Medal at ESDRA Champs

John & Mary Carter share their experience of attending and competing at the last ESDRA Dryland European Championships held in Germany. After overcoming an unprecedented amount of hurdles that life decided to put in our way our Satanta Siberian Husky teams finally set off on Tuesday 30^th October to drive to Christianslust, Germany, for the ESDRA Dryland European Championships.

Thursday 1^st November, we set up camp in the dark after an incredibly long and eventful 2-day journey.  The simplicity of feeding just CP30 & herbal supplements really comes into its own on these trips away when we are travelling for such distances (3600km round trip!).  Food preparation is swift & clean, the dogs stay well hydrated & their toilets are firm, a blessing when using doggie-poop bags in motorway services!

Friday 2^nd November, the dogs were noisy & excited with anticipation of the impending race. The stake-out was filling up, random vet checks were taking place; John attended the first of the many team leader meetings & managed to get plastered in mud during the all important ‘checking of the trail’.   Friday evening was the opening ceremony.  The athletes paraded through the town with local children bearing the flags of each nation.  Into an outside arena for the welcome speeches from various officials & dignitaries, then drinks & nibbles in the hall for the ‘Meet the Musher’ event.  The team leaders were given the bib numbers, start lists & goodie bags for their team’s competitors – we were delighted to see that there was included a bar of Kronch Pemmikan – one of our regular & favourite treats for our competing dogs – never refused & packed full of calories to help prevent weight loss without over burdening their digestive system during periods of intensive work.

Saturday 3^rd November, 8.30 am, the racing began with the Cani-cross, Bikejor & Scooter classes, followed by the team classes: 4 dog, 6 dog & 8 dog. 

John busied himself during the morning carrying out essential maintenance; selecting the appropriate wheels; general tweaking of our rigs to ensure they were both up to spec’ for the trail conditions (wet & muddy!) & ensuring they would satisfy the requirements for equipment as specified in the IFSS race rules.  My task was simple – keeping up the dogs’ hydration on a warm CP30 & Go-on!  broth.

The first of the SDAS international team members to compete was Bethan Fitzgrald, representing Scotlandwith her hounds in the 2-dog scooter, followed by Michael Gow, running his 2 Canadian Eskimo freight dogs.  Both had good clear runs & returned suitably splattered in mud but with smiling faces & happy dogs.

Next off was Danny Fitzgerald who had swapped classes to run with his 4-dog hound team.  Then it was me with my 4 siberians huskies.

My two leaders, Sookie and Heli, had both been taking ‘Stroppy Bitch!’ herbal supplement with their daily ration as Heli was 3 weeks past the height of her season, and Sookie just 3 days past her height.  I hoped that the blend of herbs would help to keep their mind focussed on working & prevent them from slipping into post-season blues!  Behind them ran our two big powerful lads, H & Nitro.  The team did not bat an eyelid at the crowds, the noisy generators, the PA system, banners etc, but stayed focussed in the chute and we were off!   Splashing straight through the puddles my team took off at an incredible pace.  The crowds were cheering and shouting encouragement & before we knew it we were into the narrow section of trail executing the head on passes without so much as a glance.  Soon we were round the next corner & making ground on the Lithuanian team that set off one minute ahead.  As we pulled closer I called ‘Trail’ so he could let me pass.  As we drew almost level, his team drifted across the tail & blocked my passage.  This happened again & again & soon we were back into the narrow head-on passing & all I could do was continue to hold on the brakes & bring the dogs down to a trot until my next chance of passing.  On a wider trail again & still he continued to ignore my plea & failed to move his dogs aside & give way to me.  Finally he takes heed to the spectators’ cries who are shouting to him “Stop”  & “You must let her pass” . So, after one kilometre of keeping it slow, I release the brakes & my leaders nudge their way past his wayward team as they stand strewn across the trail.  We make our pass and away we go to complete the remainder of the 4.5km trail.  Finishing strong & undeterred by the deep & wide puddles, my team powering right through the finish line then stop & wait on command for the vet check, microchip scan & equipment scrutiny.   I express my need to lodge a protest against the Lithuanian to the race judge then make my way back, teary eyed, to our stake out to give my team a well deserved drink, a good rub down with a towel & a chunk of Pemmikan as an energy filled reward for their good work.

No time to relax for the Scottish team as Tobias Leask takes his team of 6 hounds to the start in good time for his first heat, while we then prepare John’s 6-dog team.  The rig snubbed to the van, lines attached ready.  The dogs are harnessed & hitched in. With precision timing, the quick release is unsnapped while John & I control the team & Michael Gow adds ballast to the rig, covering the brakes as we make our Alaskan style start past the long line of dog trucks in the stake out & into the start chute.

The young team of two year olds, slightly unnerved by the noisy generator & engine fumes, wait anxiously until they are moved into the starting position.  The speaker announces ‘John Carter from Scotland’ and introduces ‘Glamis & Monk’, John’s young leaders, to the cheering crowds, with the black & white brothers, Denzil & Quick,  running at point & the red-heads, Bear & Scorch at wheel. 

5…4…3…2…1… Go, Go, Go!    And they’re off!    With a top speed of 24.7 mph the team make the first corner in no time at all, head-on passing incoming teams without a flinch, through the sand & mud they power ahead & soon catch the Danish team in front. A clean pass and they are pushing ahead leaving the team way behind.

I am anxiously waiting at the finish line.  I watch the teams come into view in the finish straight & see varying degrees of fitness & drive as some mushers struggle to keep their teams from either veering to the side to avoid the puddles or slowing or stopping to puddle dip & cool off – No such behaviour from our well trained & well hydrated teams!   A huge relief as I see John’s silhouette in the distance, with occasional scooting or running to keep up the momentum through the soft mud & water.  The two minute straight to the finish line seems like an eternity, but they make it in style, undeterred, splashing straight through the puddles. Monk & Glamis both make the occasional sideways glance at the cheering crowds until they are finally through the finish beam.  The months of hard training, conditioning and discipline pays off & the crowds admire the controlled team as they stop on command wait patiently while the vet scans the dogs & the race judge scrutinizes the rig & essential equipment.   Once completed, I jog alongside the leaders as John commands them ‘steady’ and we take them back to our stake out for a drink, dry off & a Pemmican snack.  Averaging 15.5mph over the muddy 6.3km course, John knew he could improve the time tomorrow with a change round in leaders, but was content with the dogs having all got round the trail safely & having had a trouble free run.

On checking the results, Bethan and her 2 hounds are sitting 15^th in the 2 dog scooter out of a massive class of 43, with Michael Gow bringing up the rear with his purebred Nordic Freight team.  Danny is also sitting 15^th with his 4 hounds. I am disappointed with my 4-dog result, sitting the 5^th amongst the Nordic pure breeds after my ill fated run.  Tobias is an impressive joint 2^nd amongst the top hound teams, just 9 seconds off 1st & John is sitting 3^rd with his 6 dog team in the Nordic pure breeds, just 9 seconds behind our Polish friend, Lukasz, who is sitting in 2^nd place, but a substancial 55 seconds behind the German athlete in 1^st place .

The evening Musher’s meal was held in the sports hall in the town.  Traditional German cuisine was served with delicious sour crout, local beer, good music, some dancing & much socialising.  The start lists were eventually given out for the next days racing, so, we make our way back to the stake out to see to our dogs before turning in for the night.

Sunday 4^th November The official race vet came to call & was only too pleased to sign off our Pet Passports ready for our return journey in exchange for a Scotland team 'Thank you!', which has famously become the obligatory bottle of single malt!  The morning was spent checking over equipment and supporting the various Scottish team mushers set off again & return with their teams, in between the all important hydration regime for our dogs.   Warm CP30 broth, with Go-On! Herbs, was again served at 6.30 am, 8.30 am & 11am with multiple opportunities for them to relieve themselves in between! 

Bethan ran first again, and similarly to only the top athletes in her class, made up a few seconds on her 1^st day time & kept her 15^th position.  Michael, had a slower time on day 2, along with the other Nordic teams & stayed at the bottom of the pack with his freight team.  Danny took some seconds off his day one time & moved up into 13^th place.

With the start list seeded, I was confident that I would not be faced with the misfortunes of the previous day, but realistic in that the lost time could not be re-cooped & I set out to simply enjoy my run.  My team negotiated the trail in a far better time, without any hold up, but we did no more than maintain our 5^th Nordic pure breed position. 

Tobias was desperately hoping to move up & take the gold medal, but his lead dog had come in season & was not interested in running through the wet on the second day, so, in spite of gaining a time 4 seconds faster than day 1, with such tough competition he slipped down from a podium position finishing in 4^th place just 15 seconds from the gold.

John had a change of leaders & dropped Monk back into swing & put Denzil in lead alongside Glamis for a stronger finish.  Calm, relaxed yet focussed in the start chute, their eyes fixed on the trail ahead, hardly noticing the the opportunistic hands from the crowds giving their soft fur a stroke as John’s team awaited their turn to start.

The speaker again announced John Carter and his team from Scotland as he wheeled forward into the starting position.. 5…4…3…2…1… Go, Go, Go!  And John sprints behind the rig & then jumps on to the footplates to maximise the acceleration. 

I eagerly watch the former hound teams finish with fingers crossed that the team change & John’s determined effort will produce a podium finish.  The First of the Nordics - the German team - come flying through the finish, out of control & unable to stop with a dirt brake dragging up the trail.  The lines all concertina as the lead dogs are stopped at the end of the finish chute area.  The race judge & vets run to the team & do their checks.  Bethan, Danny & I  await the next teams. Soon, Lukasz, from Poland, is back & John’s team is hot on his tracks - 24 seconds up on Lukasz into the finish chute.  John has put in an amazing time just 12 seconds behind the winning team.   Again, the team wait patiently for the obligatory checks until we are OK to return to our stake out.  The dogs get their drink, towel off & Pemmican treat.  John wipes the mud from his smiling face and catches his breath.  Danny returns with his stopwatch & announces that John has secured the podium position for 2^nd fastest Nordic Pure bred Team!

Finally, the awards presentations take place.  A slight feeling of sadness as the ESDRA president gives his speech. as this is our first, but also the very last ESDRA Dryland Championship to take place.  In future, the IFSS will oversee all former ESDRA events and continue to push the sport forward for Olympic recognition. The awards ceremony gets underway, with Gold, Silver & bronze medals donned, the top athletes grace the podium.  Flags are raised, National anthems are played, and tears of joy & pride are shed.  The Nordic teams are not separately classified at ESDRA events, but for this Championship diplomas are awarded to the best Nordic teams.  John takes his position on the podium in front of the Saltire to receive his 2^nd best Nordic team diploma.  

So very proud of our achievements, we set about the weary task of clearing up,  packing away and we set off on our long journey home.    An epic driving marathon to reach the Ferry at Calais for Monday lunchtime, then the long haul back up North to be home on Tuesday morning.   A trip away racing is hard work and fun, but the ecstatic greeting from the dogs on our return is the biggest joy.  We grab a cuppa then harness up dogs again to give them all a run & back in training for the National Championships & IFSS qualifier in 2 weeks time!

A massive thank you to our good friends, Colette & Gordon for looking after our home & dogs while we were away. Thank you to SDAS  for selecting us to represent Scotland at this event. Thank you to Charlie Brecknall for his work behind the scenes organising all of our entries.  Thank you to the SDAS Scotland team: Tobias Leask, Michael & Cheryl Gow, & Bethan & Danny Fizgerald for their help & support during our travels & at the race. And our biggest thanks to CSJ for their continued support for sled dog racing in the UK and beyond and our personal thanks to Ceri for the help, advise, belief, encouragement, & support you have given us and for providing our dogs with what has proven to be the ultimate racing fuel.

John Carter on podium at ESDRA 2012

Mary Carter competing at ESDRA 2012

(posted: Saturday, March 23, 2013)

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