It was a great turnout for Boundary Dog Sled Association’s (BDCA) fourth annual Fowl Supper fundraiser.
More than 200 people jammed into the Senior’s Centre in City Park on Oct. 5 to have all-you-can-eat turkey with all the trimmings.
“It was great,” said Dr. Ruth Sims, BDSA organizer. “We were able to feed everyone with not much left over. So it went pretty well. People were very generous with their donations and showing up to support us.”
This year, the BDCA is putting on the Boundary Dog Sled Classics, which goes Jan. 25 and 26 at Jewel Lake.
The race features several different sprints and features a total purse of approximately $10,000 split between all classes.
“We’re probably going to have four or five different classes, depending upon how many dogs,” said Sims. “Each different class will have a different number of dogs. We’ve also got a ski-join class where you hook yourself up to a team of dogs with a bungee cord on your cross country skis.”
The classes are: three dogs (three miles); four dogs (four miles); and six dogs (six miles); purebred four dogs (four miles); kids race (two miles); and ski-join.
The BDCA is putting on sprints for the first time. In the past, the races have all been long distance.
“The reason we’ve changed the format is strictly for logistics,” said Sims. “We used to do a 200-mile-mid-distance race that was a qualifier for the marathon races. The most well known is the Iditarod race in Alaska.
“We were actually a qualifier for that,” he added. “But logistically it’s very difficult to cover 200 miles of trail with checkpoints out in the bush and getting everyone at the right place at the right time.”
Sims said the new format is much more concentrated in one area and will be much more spectator friendly.
“Everything will be happening in one spot,” she said. “There will be lots of excitement, lots of dogs. The races will be starting and finishing right on top of each other. There will be plenty to do and see for the spectators.”