ASHTON, Idaho (KIFI) – We’re just over a week away from the American Dog Derby in Ashton, the oldest dog sled race south of the Canadian border.
Originally founded in March 1917, race directors tell us they expect 1000 people to line the track in Ashton next week.
“In the musher world when they say they raced in Ashton, because it’s such a historic race, Their status goes up a little bit,” race director John Scafe told Local News 8. “That’s what everybody’s told me.”
Although the race is a more leisurely level of competition, for the teams themselves the training regiment is steep.
“Anything Else Melts Away”
Dog mushing, as a mode of travel, dates back to at least 6,000 B.C. Modern-day dog sledding crews, like the Cook family of Shelley, Idaho, proudly continue the tradition as both a sport and for fun.
“As soon as you pop that quick release that’s holding the sled back to our truck, anything else melts away and I can just focus,” said dog musher Savannah Cook. “I’m here, I’m running. It requires my presence and focus, and that’s all it matters in that moment.”
Savannah Cook always knew she wanted a dog but only stepped into her lifelong dream as a dog musher about 8 years ago. Tired of waiting at the finish line, her husband Mike now rides alongside with his own team.
“I forced us to get the last five dogs,” Mike Cook told Local News 8. “I said, ‘I’m tired of waiting at those at the lot. I’m going to go out too. So we need more dogs so that we can both run.'”
Overall, the Cooks say the experience is addictive.
“Anytime I see those snowflakes on the forecast, I’m like, oh yeah, let’s let’s go get some snow,” said Savannah.
On your mark, Get set, Mush!
The Cooks’ one-year-old dogs, the group Mike was adamant they get, just finished their first race at Wyoming’s Lone Trail Pass. But Savannah says they’ve always known their goal was to win the American Dog Derby.
“We always knew we would race it,” said Savannah. “Whether we’re competitive or we take the Red Lantern last place, we don’t care. We’re just there for it.”
Their team is set to run alongside up to 25 other dog-sledding groups along the two-day course.
The race kicks off on February 14, In Ashton. For more information, click HERE.
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