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Golden Horn gets hounded

Ian Stewart Staff A small but enthusiastic crew of athletic dogs and owners descended on an overgrown airstrip at Hans Gatt's kennels in Golden Horn on Sunday for the Dog Powered Sports Association of Yukon's September race.
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A small but enthusiastic crew of athletic dogs and owners descended on an overgrown airstrip at Hans Gatt’s kennels in Golden Horn on Sunday for the Dog Powered Sports Association of Yukon’s September race. The conditions were perfect and the background of autumn colours was beautiful.

The event started with a weight-pull contest, where Jonathan Lucas’ rottweilers Asha and Puck pulled to a draw in the middleweight division and Adam Davidson’s husky Toad was undisputed in the lightweight division, successfully hauling 180 kilograms of dogfood in a wheeled cart.

Dogs and humans alike were most exited for the one-mile bike-joring race. Nine rider-and-dog teams lined up for a mass start on the old airstrip, with Stefan Wackerhagen getting out to a quick lead on the pack. Unfortunately for Wackerhagen, his newly acquired Gatt dog, Rio, got a little confused on his former stomping grounds, and lost some time getting back on the course for a fifth-place finish. Cynthia Corriveau finished first.

Corriveau also took the top spot in the two-mile, two-dog race, which took the racers off the airstrip and into the woods towards Gatt’s dogyard. The cacophony of Gatt’s dogs was a good indicator of where racers were on the trail. As they passed, his cooped up team got riled up and noisy.

Stefan Wackerhagen finished second, and Darryl Sheepway took third. Conditions were fast and several crossings on the trail gave the dogs a mental challenge.

“I had to stop to direct my dogs at every turn,” said Sheepway. “I’m glad I wasn’t running four dogs, or six.”

The final race of the dryland season is scheduled for October 13 at the Chadburn Lake ski trails. Wackerhagen is planning a longer course, six or seven kilometres, due to cooler temperatures.

After that, the association’s monthly winter Twister races will begin in November.

Wackerhagen added that non-mushers, or anyone who likes to ski with their dog, regardless of breed, are welcome to join the association and participate in the Twister races.

Check out dpsay.wordpress.com for more information.

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RESULTS

First Mate Freight Pull

Lightweight -Adam Robinson with Toad

Middleweight - Jonathan Lucas with Asha and Puck


One-mile, one-dog mass start

Cynthia Corriveau - 3:37

Fabian Schmitz - 3:41

Valerie Bussieres - 3:54

Sophie Firmenich - 3:55

Stefan Wackerhagen - 3:58

Virginia Sarrazin - 4:02

Adam Robinson - 4:32

Janet Keller - 5:49

Alex Rochat - 6:50

One-mile canicross

Adam Robinson - 6:35

Katherine Scheck - 6:40

Virginia Sarrazin - 7:21

Cynthia Corriveau - 8:26

Sophie Firmenich - 9:44

Two-mile, two-dog race

Cynthia Corriveau - 8:06

Stefan Wackerhagen - 8:15

Darryl Sheepway - 9:13

Adam Robinson - 9:15

Claudia Wickert - 9:22

Alexandra Rochat - 9:32

Janet Keller - 11:22

Sophie Firmenich - 11:25

Ronda Kotelko - 13:48

Annette Elke - 15:55

Contact Ian Stewart at

istewart@yukon-news.com