They'll be letting the dogs out on the upcoming Family Day Weekend for the inaugural Georgian Bay Skijor and Dogsled Dash.
The two days of dogsled races on Feb. 19 and 20 coincide with activities at the picturesque Inn at Cobble Beach in Kemble, north of Owen Sound.
"If you've never been to an event like this, it's a sight to see," said organizer Sasha Fernando, noting this will be Canada's first combined dogsledding and Nordic skiing event.
On you huskies...
In Norwegian, skijoring means "ski driving" -- someone pulled on skis by dogs.
Nordic combined racing is a variation called the "pulka" involving one dog in harness pulling a pulk (small toboggan) and a skijorer on skis at the back controlling the animal and pulk with a tug line.
It's a sight to see as the event has a mass start with the teams leaving at the same time.
They complete one lap, enter a staging area and drop off the pulk. The skier and dog then complete a second and final lap and race to the finish line.
The Canadian Skijor Team will be competing and then head to Hamar, Norway for next month's World Championship.
Among the notables taking part will be Canadian national team member Dave Meisenheimer and Damion Robb of the Jamaican Dogsled Team.
Kickin' up the snow
Visitors will quickly notice the bond and trust between mushers and their dogs, with not just the animals doing all the work.
There is a "definite partnership" in dogsled sports as these animals are "like family members to the mushers/owners," Fernando said.
"On race day, competitors, spectators, friends and family get the chance to enjoy the company of dogs in an exhilarating and fast-paced atmosphere."
In what he hopes will be an annual event, it is open to all skill levels, "with races from Kid n' Mutt sprints up to elite six mile (10 km) competitions" on the groomed trails.
There will be about 35 teams from across North America competing with single, two, four and six-dog combinations while kid sprints on the Sunday will help to introduce youngsters to skijoring.
Having a blast
"These races are a total blast to watch let alone compete in," Fernando said.
Visitors will hear the dogs howling with excitement as they watch at the start and finish lines and several points along the trails, and cheer the teams on to victory.
Fernando usually runs a two-dog team but an injury has sidelined his German shorthair pointer, Sargent McLovin' (Sarge).
So, that means he will race with Arrow, his Pudelpointer, while Sarge, "a very lovable character will be race mascot and that will suit him fine."
Having grown up in Owen Sound and living now in Lakefield, Fernando said this is an ideal location typically with "mass amounts of snow" and hopes it will develop and strengthen the skijor and dogsled community.
Cobble Beach events
Weekend activities around the Inn at Cobble Beach will include cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and skating, said spokesman Geoffrey McLeese.
There will be fire pits for making S'mores, a campfire treat of Graham crackers with melted marshmallows and chocolate, hot chocolate and a beer tent.
The Georgian Bay resort's facilities with its award-winning golf course will be available including the spa -- sorry, no golfing yet.
There's a Nantucket-style clubhouse with the Sweetwater restaurant offering a prix fixe three-course meal and holiday Monday brunch, and a 10-room boutique-style inn.
If you go:
All the weekend events at Cobble Beach are free to attend with the races starting at 9 a.m. on Feb. 19 with the last race at 3:30 p.m.; and at 8:30 a.m. on Feb. 20 until the last race at 3 p.m.
The resort is in Kemble, 7.5 kilometres north of the Owen Sound Golf and Country Club, on Grey County Road 1 (follow the signs), 10 minutes north of Owen Sound.
For dogsled race details, directions and places to stay: www.gbsdd.com; www.cobblebeach.com; 1-888-278-8112.
Jim Fox can be reached at onetanktrips@hotmail.com
