Husky News

Sled dogs welcomed the swirling snow that arrived late Saturday morning, blanketing their fur as they tugged at harnesses, eager to go.

Mushers came from as far away as Minnesota to traverse a three-mile course laid out at Rolling Meadows Golf Course in Fond du Lac.

From all the howling and cheering, the fresh snow was the highlight of the third annual Can’t Depend on Snow Sled Dog Race.

Enthusiasts of dog sports and animal lovers braved the first substantial storm of the season to support the popular charity event, sponsored by the Tri-State Alaskan Malamute Club.

The cold-weather canine competition raised more than $2,000 for the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

Make-A-Wish Foundation

Sled dog race organizer Mike Schwandt of Fond du Lac accepted a gold star from Make-A-Wish representative Heather Lindner for raising enough money to fund the wish of a 4-year-old boy named Colby. Proceeds from the dog sled race will send the boy and his family on a Disney Cruise Line vacation.

Mike Rawaillot of Woodbridge, Ill., tends to his team of Siberian huskies on Saturday at the third annual Can’t Depend on Snow Sled Dog Race at Rolling Meadows Golf Course. The Reporter photo by Patrick Flood

“It’s a different kind of event for us, but it’s an awesome experience. Everyone seems so excited, and there are so many activities for dogs,” said Lindner, who brought along her own yellow lab Reggie, to get a picture taken with Santa.

Twenty-six dog sled teams were entered in the race, Schwandt said, but conditions were less than ideal this year, with the ground cover conducive to neither sled nor cart pulling, but rather somewhere in between.

“I expected more teams this year, but the weather scared some people away,” Schwandt said. “The trail was rough for three-wheelers because of the gravel. There was a lot more snow on the fairways.”

Karan DeBoise of Illinois finished first with a time of 11:46. Jeff Slicher of New Berlin followed with 12:10 and Jamie Sajdak from Illinois came in third with a time of 13.26. Schwandt and his own team of huskies finished in ninth place.

“Hooch, Czar, then Zeus,” Mike Swenson, of Hudson, called out as dogs lined up for the weight-pulling event. Bags of dog foods were loaded onto a cart, with more weight added as the day progressed.

It’s common for weight competitions to reach 2,000 pounds, Hudson said.

Freckles, an 8-year-old St. Bernard with soulful eyes, leaned against her owner, Kelly Pruka, of Princeton, Minn. Pruka said she hadn’t slept since Thursday night, when her travel to Fond du Lac began.

“The dogs love to do this. Most dogs want a job to do,” she said.

Celebrity challenge

A heated afternoon face-off between the City of Fond du Lac and Fond du Lac County brought teams of men out to brave the weather for a chance to win the title in a celebrity challenge people sled race.

A husky pulled by Assistant County Planner Terry Dietzel lost its ride as musher County Executive Al Buechel tumbled right before the finish line. The return ride featured Human Resources Director Mike Marx pulling and Information Systems Director Scott Schmitz as musher.

Dietzel said their team “carb-loaded” before the event. The team received a 30-second violation because the dog jumped out, despite Buechel trying to zip the dog into a canvas wrap before takeoff.

“PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) is the reason we are doing this. They said people should pull the dogs,” Buechel said.

Not to be outdone, city Community Development Director Wayne Rollins pulled a sled with musher Steve Klein from the Police Department. Other team members included City Councilman Jeremy Thiesfeldt, who pulled, and Tom Knecht from the city Fire Department, who mushed, on the return trip.

The city team was defeated when it was penalized 75 seconds for not raising as much money for the cause ($100) compared to the county’s grand total of $175.

“We were physically superior but fiscally inferior,” Rollins said after the match,

Along with photos, dogs and people enjoyed a pet trick contest, a silent auction offering several gift basket packages, sled dog rides, a Siberian Husky toss, a human freight race and a drive-a-sled opportunity. Silver snowflake ornaments were available for a $5 donation.

Anne Straus, a doggie masseuse from SnoBound Animal Massage in Sheboygan, was kept busy loosening up athletic sled dogs. She said huskies are a popular breed, but many end up in rescue because people don’t understand them.

“This is a great promotional opportunity for people to learn about the breed. They are cute puppies and beautiful animals, but they are extremely intelligent and if you don’t keep them active and find them something to do, they will come up with ideas on their own,” she said. “And there is nothing worse than a bored husky.”

Through events like Can’t Depend on Snow, the Make-A-Wish Foundation was able to grant wishes last year to 268 people in Wisconsin, including 41 from the northeastern Wisconsin region, Lindner said. Money raised in Wisconsin stays in Wisconsin, she said.

Several local businesses helped to sponsor the event.

Source: Fond du Lac Reporter