Historical dog sled race moves locations due to lack of snow
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ASHTON — A popular dog sled race is moving locations from downtown Ashton to Bear Gulch this year due to a lack of snow.
“It is a bummer because it is a historical thing for Ashton and it’s just something that’s been tradition. There’s (also) a lot more room downtown for visitors and spectators,” said John Scafe, chairman of the American Dog Derby.
Instead of canceling the American Dog Derby event this year, Scafe said it had to be moved for the safety of the mushers. He explained he didn’t want anybody to get hurt on the ice because of the lack of snow. The town events have been canceled too, which included the snowshoe race, the mutt race and the weight pull.
He said the American Dog Derby has been held at Bear Gulch in the past, but the problem with the location is a lack of space for spectators to get there.
“The biggest drawback is there’s no parking up there,” he said. “We will have a shuttle behind North Fremont High School in the parking lot there (so) that people can go up and see (the mushers).”
The shuttle is expected to begin going back and forth between destinations at 7:30 a.m. The American Dog Derby races start at 8:30 a.m. on Feb. 18 and Feb. 19. Bear Gulch is located near Mesa Falls and is about 11 miles away from Ashton. The event offers five different races for competitors.
The mushers that participate in the event come from all over the country.
“(They come) clear from back east, Minnesota, Wisconsin. We’ve had some from California, Oregon, Washington, Utah, Colorado. We’ve had some retired Iditarod mushers come down and race with us. We’ve had mushers who have started with our race just as training, now they are running in the Iditarod. A lot of people just like our race,” Scafe said.
He’s hoping there will be a good turnout but doesn’t know what to expect in terms of crowds coming to watch. He said the event for spectators is free of charge.
The American Dog Derby is in its 105th year. It was founded in 1917 and according to its website, it’s the oldest dog derby in North America.
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