Dog days and the need for speed

“So, you’ve got two back brakes on either side of the handlebars, a front brake if you need it, and yell “yee!” to turn right. You got it?”

Stephen Potter runs me through the controls of the dry land dogsled – a standing tricycle, with a bike tire on the front – as four excited Siberian Husky’s buck on the harnesses, eager to run the short circuit around the Forrest Wines vineyard.

“It’s an easy track – you’re just going three rights and leading them back here, so it’s three “yee's” at the corners.”

Alright, I can follow those instructions.

“You’re the first one up, so you’ll be setting where the dogs will go for the rest of the runs this morning - but no pressure.”

Ok, a little more nervous now.

Seconds later, as Stephen pulls the release rope, all his instructions vanish as the four-dog rig is detached from the rope holding it to the front of the campervan.

Their eagerness to run proves true as the team of huskies take off and sprint through the fresh clear morning air. Stephen’s directions come back to me as the first right hand turn approaches, faster than expected.

“Yee”, I say. It’s not as loud as I thought, and nothing happens. “YEE!” I yell again, excessively loud.

The team of huskies swing to the right, I whip around the corner, and relax as the team accelerates down the open grassy boulevard.

I’m the first of many mushers behind eager running packs, as Marlborough hosts the 2024 New Zealand Federation of Sled Dog Sports Dry Land Championships from the 30 August to 1 September.

And while space is limited to watch the races, all are invited along at midday Saturday 31 August to the musher and dog meet and greet at Forrest Wines’ Cellar Door.

Stephen, the NZFSS executive sanctioning officer and national championships organiser, says approximately 50 fellow mushers and more than 150 dogs are eagerly awaiting to run - with 2024 being the first truly national championship since 2017.

“We rally-style race six-dog rigs down to three dog rigs pulling a three- or four-wheel trolley around six or seven kilometers, the scooter sprint classes with one or two dogs over three kilometers, and the single dog bike and cani-cross runners connected to dogs at the belt,” Stephen explains.

“Different dog breeds are better for different races, like these huskies are more endurance runners for larger pack races instead of like the pointers you see absolutely take off from the start line – but they’re all also lovely pets off the race.”

All competitors are connected by harnesses, to prevent choking, and races are only for points in agreed dog-friendly conditions, including temperatures under 13 degrees.

It’s why I, then Beth and Reid Forrest, start our day on the trolleys - as competitive racing is planned for 7am until mid-morning before resuming into the evening.

“Marlborough’s vineyards make a great venue for sled dogs and dry land racing,” Stephen says.

“Wide open avenues, good low temperatures, and central to everywhere for the 50ish kennels entering from about equal kennel numbers from North and South Islands.”

The public will be able to see some racing from Forrest Wines and down the Fox Island Road bike track, but Stephen is especially keen for the Saturday lunchtime meet and greet.

“Many sled dog events are held in forests, so having Forrest Wines, Wairau River and Peter Jackson Wines keen to host tracks, the meet and greet will really be fun for us and the dogs during racing downtime.

“Having a day out with the cellar door, food carts and coffee is just a little way to give back to our Marlborough hosts.

“People need to stay out of vineyards during racing, because they’re still working vineyards, and if you have dogs watching these dogs either during running or at the meet & greet, that they’re restrained just for all the pup’s safety”.

“Hopefully with our meet and greet, we’ll pull a crowd to come to meet us mushers and dogs, see both the dry land trolleys and snow sleds, and have a great afternoon”

After a turn on the cart and the adrenaline rush after, I can see just why my mushers are eager for the chance to find whose kennel are top dogs.