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SLED DOG RACING

The First Dog Derby

Late in 1915, The Pas was astir with excitement as news of a forthcoming sled dog race through the wilds north of town spread through the community. Grant Rice, editor of The Pas Herald, was instrumental in organizing this first race. In announcing it for March 17, 1916, the promoters placed emphasis on two major objectives. First, that a long-distance race would provide the kind of competition that would encourage local mushers to raise superior sled dogs. Second, that a well-organized race, run over the longest course in the world (150 miles return), would bring publicity to The Pas and Northern Manitoba. Apart from the intrinsic merit of the race, the organizers also sought to let the outside world know about the industrial potential of the north. They were sure that the publicity surrounding the race would lead to further development of the latent resources of minerals, lumber, and fish.

The first dog derby was scheduled to occur when many trappers typically came to town during the winter lull. As the trappers enjoyed the company of their peers and the townsfolk, and perhaps shared a few drinks and a game of cards, debate often arose as to who had the fastest dog team. The 1916 race was planned to formalize what had occurred as, up until then, impromptu races. A winning prize was set at $1000. The race became known as The World Championship Sled Dog Derby although its official name was the Hudson Bay Dog Derby. With great fanfare and public excitement, this first race got underway with nine entries.

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Dog Sled Race
Circa 1976
The Pas, Manitoba, Canada

Credits:
Sam Waller Museum Collection
The Pas Historical Society

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The race route took the mushers from The Pas to Sturgeon Landing and back. The winner was Albert Campbell, with a time of 24 hours and 47 minutes. Upon winning the race, Campbell became a local celebrity. His notoriety even attracted the attention of a Hollywood actress. (They married and lived at Big Eddy for a few years until she left to resume work in the theatre.)

Although conceived as an annual event, the race was suspended in 1917 and 1918 due to the First World War. As did men from across the nation, many of the local mushers enlisted to serve. In 1919, with the end of the war, the race was renewed over a 100-mile course. Baptiste Campbell, brother of Albert, won this non-stop event in 15 hours and 30 minutes. Once again, nine teams competed.

The popularity of these first two events encouraged local residents to organize a winter celebration around the annual sled dog race. Many trappers, prospectors and fur traders already utilized dog teams as their means of transportation, and they generally gathered in The Pas during the winter for their provisions, supplies and trade.

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Dog Derby Race
Circa 1916
The Pas, Manitoba, Canada

Credits:
Sam Waller Museum Collection
The Pas History and Heritage Society

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Dog Derby Race
Circa 1916
The Pas, Manitoba, Canada

Credits:
Sam Waller Museum Collection
The Pas History and Heritage Society

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Dog Derby Race
Circa 1916
The Pas, Manitoba, Canada

Credits:
Sam Waller Museum Collection
The Pas History and Heritage Society

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Alaska Hitch

Among the competitors registered for the 1920 race was Walter Goyne from Ruby, Alaska. He prepared to enter the race using a set-up that was unfamiliar in these parts - the Alaska Hitch and Sled. The initial skepticism of the other racers and the spectators vanished when Goyne completed the 100-mile non-stop event in 13 hours and 14 minutes - well ahead of his closest rival. Goyne announced his arrival in the wee hours of the morning by ringing the local fire bell to wake the town. No one had expected a racer to finish the course before morning. Although he had a crippled foot that forced him to ride his sleigh more than his rivals, Goyne easily won this grueling race. The Alaska Hitch and Sled has become the equipment of choice for mushers competing in many of the major races today.

Both terms - The Alaska Hitch and the Alaska Sled - are misnomers that have persisted. The Alaska Hitch was a modification of the ancient Eskimo Fan Hitch that was used in the far north on glare and drift ice, where maximum freedom of movement for each individual dog was a necessity. It ensured that if one dog fell into a snow-covered fissure, the others would not follow. The Alaska Sled was also an adaptation of the Eskimo Sled. On Goyne's model the runners were lengthened front and rear to provide a longer axial base for supporting heavier loads of freight. The longer runners, by virtue of the wider sweeps, which the musher could make across their transverse arcs, gave him greater control in steering the vehicle. Above all, the long narrow runners imposed minimum resistance against the snow, and were thus ideal for racing.

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Dog Derby Race
17 March 1916
The Pas, Manitoba, Canada

Credits:
Sam Waller Museum Collection
The Pas History and Heritage Society

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While Goyne was in The Pas, Mrs. E.W. Brydges noted the unique Alaska parka that he wore. Goyne claimed the parka was the only piece of winter clothing to properly protect the upper part of the body from the freezing northern winds on the trail. Mrs. Brydges used his parka as a model for similar garments she made for her family. Her son Earl later made a name for himself winning The Pas Dog Derby in 1930 and 1931.

Walter Goyne's career came to a tragic end in 1922 when, while training on Moose Lake, he and his team fell through the ice and drowned.

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Dog Derby Race
Circa 1916
The Pas, Manitoba, Canada

Credits:
Sam Waller Museum Collection
The Pas History and Heritage Society

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Dog Derby Race
Circa 1916
The Pas, Manitoba, Canada

Credits:
Sam Waller Museum Collection
The Pas History and Heritage Society

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Early Dog Derby Winners

In early competitions, the mushers raced between The Pas and various towns such as Carrot River, Cranberry Portage, Flin Flon and Cumberland House. The mushers determined when they would take breaks to rest and to feed the dogs and themselves.

The 1921 Dog Derby Race was increased to 200 miles and, at the time, was the longest non-stop sled dog race in the world. The route from The Pas to Flin Flon, return, was generally considered the world's greatest sled dog race. The winner of the race was W. Winterton with a time of 32 hours and 50 minutes. He claimed $1200 in prize money [a little more than the annual salary of a school teacher at the time], with second place receiving $700, third place $400, fourth place $200 and fifth place receiving a Northland Pre-War Jumbo Sweater.

Many of the early racers did not own the dog teams they mushed. Team owners often sponsored mushers to drive their teams in the race. Owner C.B. Morgan had two early winners with William Winterton (1921) and William Grayson (1922 and 1923). Other early winners were Shorty Russick (1924) and Emile St. Goddard who established a dynasty by winning every race from 1925 to 1929.

Shorty Russick's 1924 winning time of 23 hours and 42 minutes was the fastest on record. Russick Lake in Northern Manitoba is named in Shorty's honour near his original trapping grounds.

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Earl Brydges and Dog Team
Circa 1930
The Pas, Manitoba, Canada

Credits:
Sam Waller Museum Collection
Stewart McLean

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Differences between the Early and Later Sled Dog Races

Early Sled Dog Races

-Used old fashion toboggan until 1920
-Non-stop race from The Pas to Flin Flon and return
-Mushers broke their own trails from The Pas to Flin Flon and back and needed to carry all their own food
-Winner had to announce his arrival - due to the length of the course over difficult terrain, the winner could finish the race at any time of the day or night
-Dogs were kept outdoors in the bush, usually at Grace Lake, east of The Pas

Later Sled Dog Races

-Alaska Hitch introduced by Walter Goyne in 1920 used exclusively ever since
-150 mile race completed over 3 days (50 miles each day) - today 35 miles each day [2007]
-Local Kinsmen club breaks trails and mushers stay in local motels and are not required to carry their own food
-Spectators are present during the finish of the race which occurrs during the daytime
-dogs kept in individual compartments of trucks away from the elements