ocspirit Posted January 18, 2010 Report Share Posted January 18, 2010 So this season up until now I have been working hard on building a faster race team. I have put well over 100 miles on Ronan and Jill in training and Tundra is well on her way to being ready for her first race! I thought I had my focus set and I knew exactly how this season was going to play out. Now I have a dilemma. My buddy whom I have been training with sometimes has asked me if I would run a 4-dog team of his Alaskans for him. I don't know what to do? Do I run my Siberians and his dogs not get to race at all or do I run a team for him and pass off the Siberian team for either my dog handler to run or a friend of mine? One of them running the Alaskan team is not an option this year...Oy! I wish I could do both! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benno_bro Posted January 18, 2010 Report Share Posted January 18, 2010 Sounds harsh, but I say run your team....stick to the plan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SarahNukka&Shadow Posted January 18, 2010 Report Share Posted January 18, 2010 Could you not teach him how to run his own team and train the two teams together completing them against each other? If not I agree with Benno stick to your own team and maybe teach him to do his so he can do it next year? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lyn Posted January 18, 2010 Report Share Posted January 18, 2010 No question here, I'd run my own team, the one I put all the effort into training That said a team of 3 Siberians (if I read right and it is 3?) and a team of alaskans in the Uk would not be in the same class and you could run both. Sibes are in the purebreed class (also different classes according to team size) and alaskans would be in the open class. We don't have many Alaskans racing over here. Mainly Sibes, Mals, samoyeds and the open classes are dominated mostly by hounds/hound mixes, with the odd other dog in there (One musher over here runs a very enthusiastic springer, and seen a lab in harness ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah Posted January 18, 2010 Report Share Posted January 18, 2010 I'd run your own team. You have put in hours and hours of training with them and they will only run their best with you. As Lyn has said, we don't have many alaskan's racing in the UK - have you double checked the rules - can you not race in two classses or do they group bith the sibes and alaskan's in one group? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ocspirit Posted January 19, 2010 Author Report Share Posted January 19, 2010 Could you not teach him how to run his own team and train the two teams together completing them against each other? If not I agree with Benno stick to your own team and maybe teach him to do his so he can do it next year? Oh he knows how to run his own dogs, he just wants to enter two teams! haha His original plan was to enter the open race with a string of 14 dogs but those plans had to get bumped to next year. Here all the breeds run in the same class by number of dogs on the team. However winnings get split between purebred teams and "sport" teams which is any sort of mixture. If I can work up the nerve to put 2 more alaskans on to his team I can run both. My team in the 4-dog category and his team in the 6-dog category. But a 6-dog team of alaskan huskies is scary fast! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mazz Posted January 19, 2010 Report Share Posted January 19, 2010 This would not be a tough decision for me. I'd run my own team. It does not seem fair for him to ask you to run a team of his so he can enter two teams. Does he not know you've got a team of your own? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ocspirit Posted January 19, 2010 Author Report Share Posted January 19, 2010 This would not be a tough decision for me. I'd run my own team. It does not seem fair for him to ask you to run a team of his so he can enter two teams. Does he not know you've got a team of your own? Yes he does know because that is how he knows I'll already be at the race. Mushers around pass teams off to each other a lot. Many of them often have their entire kennel along to the race because there is no one at home to care for any dogs left behind. If the musher finds a person capable of handling a team they'll put one together for them to enter spur of the moment. My guys are very used to having various people running them because I train for it. I let friends take the team out on short runs or I'll hook them up with bigger teams with someone else's dogs. Last year 3 different people raced Ronan, although that was due to an injury I receieved early in the season. The first race I was on the sled, the second race a friend of a fellow musher put Ronan in lead on her team and the third race my friend added Ronan to her team for a more consistant lead dog (the same friend who could maybe race the Siberians if I race the Alaskans). I have a dog who is very one-person and it can be such a pain! OC flat out refuses to run in harness for anyone but me unless he is running to me like in a Kid and Mutt race. So I vowed all my dogs after him will be taught that running for others is a very fun experience and ok to do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah Posted January 19, 2010 Report Share Posted January 19, 2010 I think that's a great thing to do - currently only me and marc run my boys, but if i can find someone i trust enough i'd be willing to let them run with my boys Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raindog Posted January 20, 2010 Report Share Posted January 20, 2010 If I can work up the nerve to put 2 more alaskans on to his team I can run both. My team in the 4-dog category and his team in the 6-dog category. But a 6-dog team of alaskan huskies is scary fast! If that is an option I'd run both! If not, if it was me, I'd run my own dogs. For me nothing beats the feeling of running a team of your own dogs that you have trained from pups - doesn't matter whether they are fast or slow. It's that special bond that counts. Either way, I'm sure you'll have a great time! Mick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.