Maine Made Dog Sleds - 2005 Trade Fair

Back in 1991, thirty-six year-old Minnesota native Blake Freking’s first view behind Siberian Huskies was from a pair of skis. Seven years later he began mushing in earnest, working for Alaskans Earl and Natalie Norris. In the 2000 Iditarod, his fourth race, Blake took their Anydar Siberian Huskies to a respectable 46th place (out of 81 entries) finish! Since then Blake and his Manitou Crossing Siberian Huskies have competed successfully across the country against Alaskan Husky teams in many mid and long distance events, including winning the 2004 400-mile John Beargrease Sleddog Marathon (Minnesota) as a rookie; finishing 11th in the 2005 Yukon Quest; 2nd in the 2006 Beargrease and 5th in the Can-AM 250 in Fort Kent, Maine.

In the 2008 Iditarod Blake finished 51st out of 96 entries, setting the Siberian Husky speed record. And in 2010, he broke that record, finishing 42nd out of 71 entries with a time of 11 days, 20 hours, 39 minutes, and 11 seconds!

Blake and his wife Jennifer, also an Iditarod veteran, and about 70 dogs live on 120 remote acres near Finland, Minnesota. Together they are proving that a strong line of Siberian Huskies is very capable of competing successfully against Alaskan Huskies in mid and long distance races!

Hugh Neff, 42, left Evanston, Illinois and wandered around the lower 48 before finding his way to Alaska in 1995 where he discovered the world of mushing. He spent years apprenticing under the tutelage of sprint and distance mushers in Fairbanks, Tanana, Nenana and Manley Hot Springs including, among others,

Lester Erhart, Jerry Riley, Ramy Brooks and Gareth Wright. While working at a truck stop in Coldfoot for two years, Hugh fine-tuned his long distance skills, training his dogs in the Brooks Range.

Hugh entered his first Yukon Quest in 2000 with only ten dogs, but finished a respectable 13th and won the “Challenge of the North” award. Since 2005, Hugh and his Alaskan huskies have finished in the top ten. In 2009, he finished second, a mere four minutes behind Sebastian Schneulle. That year Neff and Schneulle broke records by over three hours for the fastest Yukon Quest finishes ever!

Hugh entered his first Iditarod in 2004, finishing 22nd and earning him “Rookie of the Year” award. His best finish, 9th place, came in 2010. Since 2005 he has been one of only a handful of mushers to compete in both the Iditarod and the Yukon Quest in the same year.

Hugh Neff and his partner Tamra Reynolds own Laughing Eyes Kennels in Tok, Alaska.

As a youngster, Johnn Molburg participated in the New England Sled Dog Club's junior races and continued to run dogs as an adult. He has won 3 ISDRA Gold Medals and a Silver World Cup. Johnn has raced in New England, New York, the mid-Atlantic States, Michigan, Minnesota, Colorado, several Canadian provinces and Germany. Johnn and his wife Nancy own and operate Arctic Star Dog Sleds.

Mitch Ingerson had a dream to build a treadmill to accomodate a large team of huskies, that dream came true with a whole lot of hard work! Come see what could be the longest treadmill in the country! Photo is by Julia Bayly, story can be found in the July/August issue of Mushing Magazine.

Saturday

9:30 Northern Breeds Presentations-What makes these breeds different and simular, learn about

the Alaskan Husky, Alaskan Malamute, Chinook, Inuit Dog, Samoyed and Siberian Husky

11:00 Johnn Molburg- How you can enjoy and exercise one dog with a scooter or bicycle! Mushing 101 from this 2nd generation New Hampshire native with over 50 years of experience.

12:00 Johnn Molburg-Bikejoring and scootering with your dog(s) (to be held in the speakers building if raining)

1-2 dog bike, 1-4 dog rig, 5-6 Dog Rig Classes-Short distance to be determined (temperature permitting)

At the Hopkinton Fairgrounds in Contoocook, N.H. Located right off I-89, 45 minutes from Manchester and just west of Concord. From the east take I-93 to I-89, then exit 7 and follow signs for the fairgrounds. From the west, take I-89 to exit 7. For best directions go to http://www.hsfair.org/generalinfo.htm

Please Note: While dogs are welcome at the fair, they MUST be leashed at all times and please come prepared to pick up after your dog

A food vendor will be on the premises Saturday & Sunday for Breakfast and Lunch(Fatboys /same as last year with NEW and delicious treats added)

Sebastian Schnuelle, 39, is the 2009 Yukon Quest Champion and record-breaker as well. (9d, 23h, 20m). He has earned his reputation as a great musher and dog man, as well as a great person. In the 2007 Quest he was awarded both the Humanitarian Award for assisting mushers on Eagle summit and the Veterinarians’ Choice award for superb dog care. When his friend William Kleedehn fractured his thigh in the 2004 Quest, Sebastian had his “signature” locks shorn and sold as individual ponytails to raise money to help pay for his friend’s expenses.

Sebastian was born in Wuppertal, Germany. Until 1995 he was an industrial mechanic with Mercedes-Benz and also studied environmental engineering. That year he took a leave of absence from work “to seek adventure”, traveling to Ontario, Canada. At one point, he had a ride on a dogsled and was “hooked”. Subsequently, he moved to the Yukon Territory, Canada, met a stray Alaskan Husky named Blue, and started a dogsled tour company (www.bluekennels.de) which he has expanded into a successful business. Although he failed to finish the 1999 Yukon Quest in his rookie attempt, from 2005 he continued to improve his finishing position. In 2005 he placed 9th, 2006 6th, 2007 7th, and 2009 1st. (In 2008 he guided a film crew for the Quest and didn’t race). Since 2005 he has also run the Iditarod “back to back” with the Quest and has continued to improve his standings here as well. In 2005 38th, 2006 35th, 200722nd, 2008 10th, and 2009 2nd!!

Dr. Jerry Vanek has served as a Chief or Trail Veterinarian on 70 races since 1992 including the Iditarod, Yukon Quest, John Beargrease, CanAm Crown, Race to the Sky, UP 200, Eagle Cap, Grand Portage Passage, Great Trail, Empire, Apostle Islands, IFSS World and Junior World Championships, and many sprint and dryland races. He also has been a race marshal and trail boss. A former sprint musher, he still drives dogs whenever he can. In 1993, Dr. Vanek served as veterinarian on the Mount Vaughn Antarctic Expedition and in 2007and 2009 he was a veterinarian on the diphtheria Serum Run ’25 from Nenana to Nome. He is an honorary life member of the North Star Sled Dog Club, a recipient of the Maeb Bayers’ Lifetime Achievement in Mushing award, past president and charter board member of the International Sled Dog Veterinary Medical Association, and an EMT certified in advanced wilderness life support. He speaks widely on sled dog medicine and he is a regular contributor to ISDRA’s Dog and Driver magazine. He is trained in canine physiotherapy and rehabilitation though both the University of Tennessee (CCRP) and the Canine Rehabilitation Institute at Colorado State University (CCRT). His veterinary practice is now limited exclusively to sled dogs and he divides his time among the trails of Alaska, his home in Bemidji, Minnesota, where he is an adjunct professor of cell biology and parasitology at BSU, and his grandfather’s 1881 homestead in the northern Red River Valley. In his “spare” time he can be found training firefighters and EMTs to rescue animals in emergencies as an instructor for BART—Basic Animal Rescue Training—a FEMA-approved disaster-preparedness program headquartered in Minnesota.

MATT CARSTENS

Growing up in North Carolina, Matt Carstens never saw a dog sled or a dog team and rarely ever saw snow. Then in 1994 Matt read James Michener’s novel “Alaska”. He was living in Daytona Beach, Florida at the time and the novel so inspired him that he hopped in his pick-up truck and drove almost 6,000 miles to the Last Frontier where dog mushing is the state sport. In 1996, back in the lower 48, Matt bought a husky, then another….until he had a whole yard full. In 2001, Mitch Ingerson offered Matt a job dog handling, a “dream job”. Dog mushing has now become Matt’s lifestyle and he enjoys it that way! Winning has also become a way of life: Matt won the CanAm 250 in 2006 and 2009. Since 2006 he has placed in the top 5. He has won the Eagle Lake 100 in 2006 and 2007 and the 100 Mile Wilderness in 2007. In 2008 he placed 3rd in the John Beargrease Marathon and also won the most coveted “Best Kept Team Award”.

Photo courtesy of Nevahome Kennels

Will be our featured speakers

JOHNN MOLBURG

will speak on scootering and bikejoring

Photo by Nancy Molburg

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

Saturday

9:00 Fair/Vendor building opens

9:30 Jerry Vanek, DVM

“Common sled dog parasites—why you’re at risk and why you’re

not winning”

10:30 Matt Carstens

“Observations & analysis of sled dog behavior”

Noon Break (food, shop, schmooze)

1:00 Sebastian Schnuelle

"Training slow, to run fast" a talk about training for long distance racing

2:30 Jerry Vanek, DVM

“Serum Run ’25—the biennial reenactment of the 1925 diphtheria serum

relay race to Nome”

5:00 Vendor building closes

Sunday

8:00 Fair opens/rig race registration

8:00 Vendor building opens

8:30 Rig race

10:30 Sebastian Schnuelle (approx. to follow race)

"2000 miles in a month ", a talk about running the Quest and the

Iditarod back to back”

12:00 Johnn Molburg**

' “Bikejoring and scootering with your dog(s)

Following Johnn's presentation, others will be available to show more options fo"small teams."

1-3:00 Jerry Vanek, DVM

"An introduction to rehabilitating sled dogs" (presentation to be followed by

hands- on laboratory with willing canine volunteers)

3:00 Fair closes

Campers must be ready to leave fairgrounds

* Temperature permitting; if it’s too hot, the race will not take place.

** If raining, Johnn Molburg’s presentation will be held in the Speakers' Building

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE 2009 TRADE FAIR

Well, despite very poor weather Saturday many intrepid mushers and mushing hopefuls braved the rain and enjoyed fantastic talks by all of our speakers. Matt Carstens gave a very insightful talk on his own observations of his kennel and racing dogs. Sebastian spoke on particulars of training techniques as well as his experiences on both the Quest and the Iditarod. On Saturday, Jerry Vanek, DVM spoke on both the Serum Run re-enactment as well as a comprehensive talk on canine parasites. Makes you think twice about letting the dog "kiss" you and makes you want to reach for the handwipes. Sunday afternoon he did a hands-on clinic and detailed discussion with videos on gait and gait abnormalities and diagnosing orthopedic injuries and how to treat them. For those of you who have never been blessed to hear Dr. Vanek speak, you have missed a unique treat. He combines an encyclopedic mind with stand-up comic wit which holds your attention and enhances learning. On Sunday, Johnn Molburg wow'd the newcomer crowd with techniques for biking and scootering with 1-2 dogs .ALL of our speakers went out of their way to meet 'n greet everybody and to make it a very festive event.

There is a place in heaven for volunteers and we know that Loranne Carey-Block and Rich Block, Christine Richardson, Joan Chapman, and Nancy Molburg will have openings if they choose to go there! Loranne and Rich did a fabulous job of getting the word out to New Hampshire at large and we can credit our excellent attendance to their diligence. Christine , our Rig Race Marshall, always

does a fantasic job. John Kenney and a surprising substitute on Sunday, Erik Dodge, did great jobs as announcers.

In a class of their own are Betty and Jim Lalla who, every year, have provided a home for our speakers, providing food, laughter and chauffering. Thank you, once again!

I must also comment on the delicious food provided by Steve Holtby of "Fatboys" concession.

Everyone is on our "shortlist" to invite again! Thank you all for coming and participating.

Pictures and sponsors are below Rig Race results.

RIG RACE RESULTS

		1 DOG BIKE
Place	Time	Name
1	1:41	Ed Clifford
2	2:03	Peter Franke
3	2:16	Nate
4	2:30	Kelly McGrath
5	2:41	Baily Vitello
6	2:47	Mark
7	2:53	Peter Smart
8	3:15	Megan
9	3:23	Nova Clifford
10	3:25	Bonnie Tanguay
11	3:36	Ken Haggett
12	4:04	Nesto
13	6:31	Judith Reardon
		2 DOG BIKE
1	2:05	Krister Raasoch
2	2:09	Peter Franke
3	2:33	Kelly McGrath
4	2:40	Fran Plaisted
5	2:44	Allan Tschorn
6	3:27	Bonnie Tanguay
7	4:13	Tania
		3-4 DOG RIG
1	1:48	Ed Clifford
2	2:01	Jim Blair
3	2:12	Peter Franke
4	2:14	Marla BB
5	2:31	Justin Eddy
6	2:40	Bailey Vitello
7	2:59	Noah Pereira
8	3:00	Steven Davis
		5-6 DOG RIG
1	1:43	Ed Clifford
2	2:36	Marla BB
3	2:40	Allan Tschorn
4	3:08	Jim Blair
5	3:31	Justin Eddy
		Canicross
1		Ed Clifford
2		Bailey Vitello
3		Krister Raasoch
4		Sawyer Smith
5		Peter Franke
6	tie	John Gallant
6	tie	Danae Bryar

We woud like to thank the following companies for advertising with us and making the Trade Fair possible:

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE 2007 TRADE FAIR

The 2007 Northern New England Sled Dog Trade Fair and Seminars was a resounding success!

Perfect weather, Perfect speakers

Thanks to great advertising by Rank Amateur Productions (Sue & Mark Hamilton),we had a record breaking crowd of over 300 people attend the fair this year. Folks came from as far away as Pennsylvania, Ontario,and the midwest to listen to great speakers like E.Turner Lewis,DVM who covered a variety of timely topics and questions pertinent to racing sled dogs, Johnn Molburg and his Mushing 101 (which this year covered the racing and historical aspects of New England mushing) and Rob Downey who spoke on the physiological complexities of training and overheating your dog

The new Women's Forum was a smashing success and moderator Wendy deCroteau brought out the best in her 3 panelists Joan Chapman, Jaye Foucher and Sue Ellis. Attendees report leaving the forum inspired and with an "I can do it too" attitude.

The biggest draw, however, was Lance Mackey, 3 time winner of the Yukon Quest and the 2007 winner of both the Yukon quest AND Iditarod. Lance was our houseguest prior to the Trade Fair. Despite jet lag and fatigue he was unfailingly polite and could energize any room he entered-a superb raconteur at dinner as well-and never told the same story twice. BUT as the Trade Fair keynote speaker he was A DREAM!!! The crowd was way more than we expected with over 200 people on Saturday alone-SRO in a huge barn-he received many standing ovations-It was the best ever. Most of all, ALL DAY he made himself available to all and shook hands, signed hundreds of programs and was willing and eager to have his picture taken with everyone.(the same on Sunday) What a guy! We are fans now, not just of Lance the musher, but Lance the man.

Lance, Pam, her son Jacy and "Beth", Jacy's leader. Rig Race-coming down the final stretch