Husky News

LAST weekend saw a Borders woman mush to victory after five years of aiming for top honours.
Jay Whiteley of Lethem Cottage, Lethem, and her team of six dogs took the A Class shield at the Aviemore Sled Dog Rally last Sunday.

More than 1,500 dogs in 250 teams took part in the event, which Jay’s husband and back-up, Bernard, describes as “the Wembley of the husky world”.

“I’m absolutely delighted,” Jay told us: “It’s a big achievement. It’s the biggest rally in the country. I’ve had a second and a third, but this is the first time I’ve won it.”

She came second last year in the seven-and-a-half-mile race, which is open to teams of six to eight dogs.

She’s run eight times previously, but this year chose to leave out her youngest and oldest dogs.

“It’s obviously a difficult class. It’s never a big class, but at the same time organising and running teams of eight can be quite demanding.

“But I like running a big team, I always have. It’s more difficult because it’s a longer distance, so the dogs have to be trained to run that length. With eight dogs, the potential for getting tangles or having a problem is that much greater.”

Last Sunday’s course – shortened after ice made a section of it dangerous – involves a narrow twisting section near the start.

Jay said: “It’s quite exciting, especially at Aviemore because there are lots of spectators.”

There are also a couple of steep hills, turns and a long gradual descent where unwary teams can come unstuck.

“You need to keep the dogs steady. The rig can go faster than the dogs and the potential for tangles and even injuries is quite great on that stretch,” said Jay.

The course took her and her team 17-and-a-half minutes to complete, meaning she maintained an average speed of 16mph.

There are two elements to Jay’s love of mushing, she says.

“There’s the sheer speed and adrenalin rush of tearing round – and the speed seems much greater because you are quite low down.

“And then there’s the pleasure of seeing the dogs working together. It’s not just a case of hitching up eight dogs and letting them run. They have to be trained to work together – it’s like working horses in harness, they have got to work together.”

Jay, who is a former GB-representative cyclist, took up the sport 20 years ago and competes in the longer races throughout the country with her prize-winning Siberian Huskies.

That’s prize-winning in the showring as well as in front of a sled.

In fact, four of last Sunday’s triumphant team will be competing at Crufts in just a few short weeks.Her pack numbers 19 just now, including her retired dogs, and they share the three acres at Lethem Cottage with boarders at Jay and Bernard’s Fellside Kennels for pets.

And Jay exercises her dogs in nearby Kielder Forest.

She says teamwork is vital in mushing success.

“It is teamwork, though the two dogs I rely on most are the lead dogs, McKinley and Aoifa.”

And the traits needed in a good lead dog?

“Keeness, speed and the ability to take the turns on command, which is very important because if the lead dog doesn’t do that, you’re not going anywhere!”

And the attributes of a good musher?”Sensitivity to your dogs and a reasonable amount of athleticism – you don’t just stand there, you are on the move the whole time balancing – and on uphill sections you have to help.”

It goes without saying that you have to be the pack leader too, of course.Four of that pack head to the world’s most prestigious dog show, Crufts, at the beginning of March. Slioch already has two challenge certificates (CC) and two reserve tickets. Lead dog Aoifa has a reserve CC and Taoik won his class last year and only needs to win another CC to become a show champion.

Jay enjoys her successes in the showring.

“There’s a sense of achievement, particularly with the dogs I’ve bred myself, knowing I’m producing dogs which are standard-fitting and, when you work them, can do the job as well.”

She and Bernard returned from Aviemore on Thursday, but have yet to come back down to earth.

Jay will continue competing after winning the top award in her section of the sport, but had no immediate plans.

She said: “We haven’t really decided what comes next – there are more events this season we’ll be going to – but at the moment we are still floating on cloud nine!”

As well she might.

Source: Southern Reporter