Home from the cold Swed

foto: Wilma, after Ewok, on her way in front, passing Annmia, Mette, Daniel and Vivi.

We spend last week in Drevdagen. It was the meaning that we should have stayed 2 weeks, but I got a "cold" so I have to look after better outwear. We had also problems with the glide of the sleed, when the temperature is so low. So all in all the dogs only ran 100 km.
Drevdagen 2009

New snow

foto: together at least. In nearly 3 weeks our 5 boys have been apart from our 9 girls, who have been in heat.

Last week the dogs didn't train, because of ice on the trail. Now new snow hopefully can help on the situation.

Sled training

foto: Nørlund, the first sunday in 2010. unfurtenli the trail was not safe enough to sled (dip traks)... The dogs from behind: Vacke and Kaise (hidden), Isa - Pavlo, Juno - Shika, Vince (single), Kebne and Bree, point. Tanna and Seppe, lead. Tanks to Allan Lumholtz for this fine foto.

In last week-end we trained on sled in Gludsted with 8 dogs, Saturday we drived 19 km in 48.16 minutes on a fine trail we had to go twice, sunday we did a little shorter trip on 15 km.

Vacke, Vince and Seppe did the trail one time (9 km) with me (100 kg) at 28 minutes at Saturday and Sunday together with the others on 15 km.

HAPPY TRAILS in 2010

foto: the dogs eating meat in the snow after well done training period and "Nytårssamling" in Kompedal.

Wellcome to year 2010. It is now 100 years since the Siberian dog, later to be known as the Siberian Husky, finished first in the legendary John "Iron Man" Johnson team in the 1910 All Alaska Sweepstakes.

On the Siberian Husky Club of Amerika You can read: "On the strength of their showing of speed and, particularly, endurance under the most trying conditions, Fox Maule Ramsay, a young Scotsman then in Nome and a competitor himself in the 1909 race, went to Siberia in the summer of 1909. Travelling up the Anadyr River to the trading settlement of Markovo, Ramsay procured around 60 of the best specimens of the breed he could find. He entered three teams of Siberians in the 1910 All Alaska Sweepstakes race, one for each of his uncles and one he drove himself. The team entered in the name of Col. Charles Ramsay and driven by John "Iron Man" Johnson, a Swedish Finn, came in first with an elapsed time of 74 hours, 14 minutes, 37 seconds, the best ever time for the 408 mile race held annually through 1917."

HAPPY TRAILS in 2010...

Winther has come

foto: trianing run in Nørlund, dogs from the back; Isa - Seppe, Shika - Vacke, Kaise single, Juno - Pavlo, Tanna - Kebne and in front Bree and Vince.

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR...

GO' JUL OG RIGTIG GODT NYTÅR.......

Training and working performance

foto: winther training at Grathe Hede in the middle of Jylland. from right: Vacke, Tanna, Bree, Seppe, Juno, Pavlo, Vince (single), Shika, Isa, Kebne and Kaise.

Some importent words about training and working performance in the harness, by Karsten Grønås, kennel Vargevass, Sweden, from the English Siberian Husky book, 2002.

"Working performance in the harness, should be good, they should be very concentrated and very serious towards their work."

"Endurance and speed are elementary in a sleed dog, I fell. They have to be mentally strong so they can handle the great amount of training which is put on them. I like dogs who are calm, but yet happy to go out on whatever trip I take them. They should be able to go on even when the going gets tough."

Old Vargevass dogs

foto, fall training 2009: Pavlo, '08.

Flekken av Vargevass, born in 1997 and after Esso Extra av Vargevass, '86 and out of Finnemarka's Hippu, '89.

The breeder of Flekken, Karsten Grønås, tell in an interview by Sylvia Roppelt, in 2006, in Duitse Siberian Husky Club: "The best progeny out of Ash (Of Markovo) from my kennel was without doubt Esso Extra."

Esso was also the sire behind Shira av Vargevass, '87, an importent key dog in the '90.s on the team. Shira was the mother to Houstons sire, Lobo av Vargevass, '90 and mother to Mørkki av vargevass, '95.

Finnemarka's Hippu was mother to another outstanding female on the kennel, Tellervo av Vargevass, '92, "Telle" was mother to Ukko av Vargevass, '98 and Grubian, Sujozov and Putin, '02. Hippu is also grand mother to Ewok.

New season

foto: Grynna and her two puppys (Dolly and Wilma), '09, after Ewok.

Training has started and we are hoping for a new good season. All femals has been in heat now. We train 11 dogs, Vacke will from january, take care of the puppie-training together with Grynna. Then the four "Vindsnabber" is the oldest on the team and the four yearlings from last year (after Ukko av Vargevass) is now rookies.

Ukko av Vargevass

foto: Kebne, after Ukko av Vargevass.

All the males used as sire in our kennel are based on 3 Vargevass dogs. Ukko av Vargevass,was born 31.maj 1998 and is after Spassky (Vargevass) and out off Tellervo av Vargevass, which is the first off our base-dogs. "Telle" which was her pet-name, is after Kermit av Vargevass and out off Finnemarka's Hippu. We are sure that the most importent breeding bitch at kennel Vargevass is Telle, if yuo have to name one. We used Ukko in 2007.

The litter, out of Grynna, gave 1 male and 3 females. All 4 dogs are concentrated and doing quite well in harnes and the smalest female is also tryed as leaddog. The male is a well built, glad and obedient dog and very focused and go ahead lead dog. He is bi-eyed and 58 cm high and waight around 23 kg.

Ukko was described by his owner Karsten Grønås as: "He was a exeptional good dog in harness, he also made a great leader. He was fast, serious, focused and had a total lack of hunting instinct. He was calm and patient and made a good teacher for the young ones. In the yard, he was allowed to run loose. He was very much on himself and didn't bother much with the others. He was not the leader of the flock, but he was an authority among them."

General breeding experience.

foto: Polar Distans 300, 2005. Karsten and his dogs after 14 km. Lead: Nathan av Vargevass, after Ukko. Eddie, after Houston av Vargevass. Point: Ewok, after Mørkki av Vargevass. Putin av Vargevass, after Alaskan's Ping Ping of Anadyr.

We try to select our breeding dogs by the words of Karsten Grønås, kennel Vargevass.

"I have learnt through the years that patience is very important. And, a good team is made by 3 factors; genes, feeding and training.

I would say in regard to breeding that the best sled dogs usually throw the best offspring, ... In general, I think the dogs one uses in breeding should be of good heritage, thinking of sled dog capacity, type, temperament an health (se Websiberian).

I have also experienced that it is important to have patience with young dogs. They are all developing differently and some are not really mature before they have reached the age of 3 years." (from a interveiw by, Sylvia Roppelt)

In a more elaborating way Karsten describe: "breed on the absolute best dogs - from litters with high quality average - were 2. and 3. generation existing of top meritated and well proved dogs."

Vox Celesta's Fox-X

foto: Grynna with her new puppies after Ewok, '09.

Ki-Ti-Wan-Ga Kennel:

The sire to Team Vacha Star, "Grynna" was Vox Celesta's Fox-X, his back ground came from kennel Ki-Ti-Wan-Ga, from 1979, by Mats Lundin and Carina Alkvist, Sweden.

In 1981 Bella av Vargevass (after Muk-Tuk of Kolyma) gave birth to (Frosty Trail's) Wittra, she was after Zero's Sparkey (brother to Dargo) bred by Kerstin Larsson , Jokkmokk. Wittra became an importent breeding bitc on kennel Ki-Ti Wan-Ga.

Wittra were mated in 1984 with Happy, after Igloo Pac's Beaver o Igloo Pac's Chena, and gave birth to Ki-Ti-Wan-Ga's Spice also called "Kryddan". A few years later kennel Ki-Ti-Wan-Ga was closed down and Spice came to kennel Kanalaska, by Fam. Ellis, who among other things won Oppna SM 1987, 6-dog-class, with "Kryddan" in lead.

In 1991 Spice came to kennel Fun Run, by Britt Marie Lindkvist, and were mated by Bullit, after Snowtrail's Zero o Tassa av Veo (Sparkey-Laika of Taimyr)(Spice were mated by Snowtrail's Zero on kennel Kanalaska).

Out of this litter came among others Fun Run Jane. She breeded in 1995, Fun Run Marve, after Kermit av Vargevass o Snowtrail's Cheyenne and gave birth to Fun Run Felix.

Fun Run Felix were an offen yoused sire wich among others mated Ørnies Funny, after Finnemarka's Guy o Fun Run Louis (Happy-Snowtrail's Misty '84(Dargo-S.Betsie), and gave birth to Vox Celesta's Fox-X in 1997.

Cody

foto: Vindsnabbe's Coyote, 1997, with one of his sleddog frends on kennel Vento Articos.

Cody, which was his pet name, came to our home in the summer off 2005. I had been in contakt with kennel Vindsnabbe, Høgland, Sweden, which had reduced there kennel on that time, but they told us about a kennel in South Sweden, which also used Vindsnabbe dogs. Luckily they had a few dogs left so we could have Cody on our place.

He were kennel (Vento Articos) main leader in middle distance races and were yoused 6 times in bred on the kennel and one bred on kennel Starax, by Irene Ax. The owners tell about him: "Kommandoledare, snabb och stark hund i en liten kropp, Jag har aldrig sett honom trött, vägrar att stanna. En charming, glad, öppen och tilgiven hanne. Har även godkänt karaktärsprov".

On a later trip in Sweden I came around some kennels and saw severel off his fine offspring. A female after Cody, near Stockholm, were mated with another zero-free dog. It was Robin, he was imported from Finland by Eva and Peter Mårtensson, kennel Vindsnabbe. After a short visit by Robin, this female gave among others, Lindane's Aragorn "Argo", owner Andreas Nymark, Denmark.

One litter with Densetsu Noomi and Vindsnabbe's Evita, 2 with Vindsnabbe's Kathy and 3 with Vento Articos Selén.

We yoused Cody as this good leaddog he were. It was great to see how soon the others learned from him. We will never forget you for that, Cody!...

Leonhard Seppala

foto: Juno and Bree in there first summer in 2006 - maybe they can see "The Little Man with His Little Dogs" looking down from heaven, with Togo beside him, enjoying his leon heart?

Leonhard Seppala

The musher legend from Norway, born 1877!

In the year 2009 it is exactly 100 years since the team of Siberians was to be entered in the 1909 All Alaska Sweepstakes race of 656 km. The Siberian dog, later to be known as the Siberian Husky, importet to Nome, Alaska, the year befor, by the Russian fur trader William Goosak. No one was impressed with Goosak's little dogs, waighing only 20 to 26 kg. http://www.nomekennelclub.com/

Goosak persuaded Louis Thustrup, a Danish sailor, to drive his team. This team, even though the odds were 100 to 1 against it in the betting, made a tremendous showing and nearly won the race, placing third.

The year after, the legendary John "Iron Man" Johnson team of Siberians finished first in the 1910 All Alaska Sweepstakes, the team completed the race in 74 hours, 14 minutes, 37 seconds. This time was never equaled. Hes Siberians were importet by Fox Ramsay, who also partisipated and placing third. In 1914 the "Iron man" won again.

In 1913, Jafet Lindeberg, Leonhard Seppalas employer, acquired what was left of the first Siberian imports and there offspring, around 15 animals in all. They were to be a gift to the explorer Captain Roald Amundsen, who was planning a expedition to the North Pole. Seppala was given the job of the care and training of the dogs in Alaska, and he loved it.

Short after, Amundsen gave up his North Pole trek due the start of World War 1. Seppala continued to train the Siberians and entered the 1915 All Alaska Sweepstakes, which he finished first. He repeted this victory in 1916 and 1917, at which time the United States entery in World War 1 ended the great race series.

In 1925, Seppala and his Siberians came to national prominence, with the famous "Serum Run" that saved the city of Nome from a diphtheria epidemic. Seppala and his Seberians, with his famous lead dog Togo, covered 261 miles in that race against death, with no other team traveling more than 53 miles, with the serum. http://www.shca.org/

In 1930 Seppala handed over his dogs to Harry Wheeler, kennel Seppala.

A'Tebs Isabella

foto: 2004, from left, A'Tebs Kozak of Togo (in front), Bosse (behind), A'Tebs Ilona of Togo, Vacke, A'Tebs X-ray of Bojar and the leader in front, A'Tebs Lingo of Vincent, dob 25 may '98.

Kennel A'Teb, by Birthe and Gert Kronholm, Denmark, started 1982.

Their first Siberian Husky was Ringo, after Green Beret's Snowy Arctic o Pavla (Alaskan Kaltag of Anadyr - Anli)(Kazan - Chukchi Pika: both after GBS Arctic).

The foundation bitch to the kennel was Kigus Akki (line bred on Allerellie's Candy, '67, imp. from Canada, by Grethe Vestring, Denmark), after Chukchi Kien (after GBS Arctic) o Chukchi Kari (a Al. Kaltag o Icebell, Candy daugther).

They faund Akki by an coincidence and describe her so: "She is the foundation bitch to all our bred. It is with pride, that we to day can sai, that we own Kigus Akki all our success in the sport, because she gave so much importent in her breed. Among other things, she gave a great leader capacity to a lot of her offspring."

Kigus Akki had, among others, litters with Klondike's M'U-Kaltag (Anadyr), in 1980. There she gave birth to another breeding bitch, Alaya. Her sister Allajcha were selected as best dog, by Natalie Norris, Alaska, in 1984. At the same day Alaya got her award as this years best show Husky.

The B-litter was after Zero's Montgomery and gave 2 males, A'Tebs Bojar and Bye-Bye, in 1982.
The C-litter were with Akki's daugther, Alaya, she gave birth to A'Tebs Chu-Chu-Ann, after Ringo, in 1984.

The D-litter gave, among others, A'Tebs Duke, after Donjek Ozelot (Anadyr) o Kigus Akki, in 1984. Duke mated Chu-Chu-Ann and gave the K-litter, in 1988, were from Kira later gave birth to Uniqa of Atim(mother to Lingo of Vincent), after Atim's Lucky Swede (Natomah)

Earlier, Chu-Chu-Ann had given birth to A'Tebs Isabella, after Yokon Khiva (Anadyr), it was in 1987.

Once again there were born a new importent breed-bitch on the kennel. Isabella gave birth to two great dogs, Vincent of Bay-Bay, '92 and Emily, in 1995, after Micky av Vargevass (Scotty av Vargevass - Samba av Vargevass), Samba is from the popular combination between Peik (av Vargevass) and Talitta of Kolyma.

In 1993, Anne Lise Braun and Manfred Witzel, kennel Alka-Shan, Germany, visit Denmark, because testing dogs in Tisvilde. On this day Togo of Bojar was the onliest who was selected as Superdog. At the same day Isabella was spoken, as the best dog in harness.

2 of Isabella's most importent offspring was: Vincent of Bye-Bye, a steady and hardworking wheel-dog and father to our Lingo. Emily, who was the mother to the P-litter, after Togo of Bojar and the W-litter (after Nay-La-Chee's Cool'n Rude Wolf) owned and drived by Jørgen Lauersen and Andreas Nymark.

A'tebs Lingo showed the way

Jetson

foto: Nordic Open 2002, from left, Kozak, Vacke, Bosse and Lingo.

Her on Lingos birth day it could be a good thing to tell about hes best frends. Our two first dogs from Sweden, Vargfot's Bosse Bandit and Vargfot's Kvicke Bandit "Vacke", after Unisak's Jet Bandit. They were born 7. 5. 2000 and breed by Bert Karlsson.

Unisak's Jet Bandit "Jetson", after Igloo Pak's Snow Bandit o Snowtrail's Linda, bred by Nils and Sickan Hjelm, Sweden, Kennel Unisak. Owned and raced by Per and Ingrid Agerfeldt, kennel Axias, Sweden.

Jetson was their main-leader for many years of sprint-racing. He has also 2 Cert. Jetson and other off-spring of the imported sperma of Igloo Pak's Snow Bandit, has been quite influental in Swedish racing-Siberian Husky breeding. He has a number of litters in Sweden and 2 litters in Norway.

Snowtrail's Linda was after Snowtrail's Frosty (Dargo - Amber) o Snowtrail's Annie (Dargo - Al. Mona Anadyr). Snowtrail's Annie has been the most important dog on kennel Unisak. Annie was born in June '81, bred by Ingvar de Forest, he sold Annie after her first litter in 1983 to kennel Unisak, who got her daugther, S. Linda earlier.

In 1985 Annie started on kennel Unisak's main-team, were Linda was leader. From that time their allways were off-spring from Annie in lead on the team.

Bosse and Vacke has been leaders on my team from 2002-08, unfortunately Bosse got furunklurose and past away last spring. It was Lingo they looked up to as their leader and offered their friendship.

Kennel Arktisk Storm

foto: Isslottet's Zeb, født 31.8.'99, efter Isslottet's Biggen ud af Isslottet's Beauty II. Breeder, Frode Bakke, Norge.

foto: Isslottet's Biggen, født 3.12.1993, efter Isslottet's Caro ud af Isslottet's Ninni. Breeder, Frode Bakke, Norge.

foto: Vindsnabbe's Dacke, a brother to Dixie

foto: Vindsnabbe's Dixie, født 15.juni 1997, after Vindsnabbe's Patriot out of Vindsnabbe's Frigga. Dixie became foundation bitch on kennel Arktisk Storm

foto: Kinoo, 14.10.'02, efter Vindsnabbe's Blizzard ud af Frosty. Frosty er efter Vindsnabbe's Dimbar, som er bror til Vindsnabbes Dixie.

foto: Arktisk Storm Hannibal, 17.juni. 2006, efter Isslottet's Biggen ud af Vindsnabbes Dixie

foto: Arktisk Storm Diva, søster til Hannibal

foto: Arktisk Storm Fjune, søster til Hannibal og Diva.

Trip to the Northsea

foto: Shika and Pavlo, after Flekken av Vargevass, Kebne, Tanna and at the end there sister Kaisa, after Ukko av Vargevass, Seppe, after Barney av Vargevass, Vince, after Vindsnabbes Bebop, Bree after Vindsnabbes Blizzard, Juno (on the back), Vacke, after Jetson.

April and May did not permit a lot of training in harness, by reason of the warm weather, but we had a nice trip to the westcoast of Jylland last weekend a'mong other things. In the meantime Grynna gave birth to a dark and a light female after Ewok, from kennel Vargevass.

Kennel Vindsnabbe

foto: Grynna' dam, Vindsnabbe's Mistral, foto by Caroline Hoffman, Sweden.

Kennel Vindsnabbe (V.) Sweden, by Eva and Peter Mårtensson, started 1986. Skyfri av Seppalaska, '87, breeder Øyvind Nord, Norway.

4 litters maked the foundation on kennel Vindsnabbe. All three was out of Skyfri av Seppalaska.

Skyfri av Seppalaska, was mated by a Peik son, Baugi, in 1990. She gave birth to Vindsnabbe's Mirage (28.10.1990) and she became an importen foun'dation bitch on the kennel. incl. Patriot (Vindsnabbe's D-litter, kennel Biekes) and Scad (Vindsnabbe's Pippi). 

Next year Skyfri was mated again, this time with Mimer. Mimer, '84, after Mindsten av Vargevass out of Frigga av Vargevass-A. Skyfri gave this time birth to Vindsnabbe's Tosca, '91, dam to Vindsnabbe's G-litter. 

One of Tosca' littermate did also a good litter, it was Frigga, she mated Patriot and gave the kennel severel good dogs, f.ex. Vindsnabbe's Dixie, kennel Arktic Storm.

Another littermate did also a good breed, it was Molinka, she mated Vindsnabbe's Karsten and gave Vindsnabbe's Steele, who is sire to Vindsnabbe's F-litter.

The third litter out of Skyfri, 1993, was after her own son, Vindsnabbe's Scad. This litter gave Vindsnabbe's Pippi, who was dam to another importent Vindsnabbe dog, Vindsnabbe's Coyote, 1997.

the fourth foundation litter gave among others Vindsnabbe's Bebop and Bianca who is after Vindsnabbe's Zingo, '92. Zingo, was from the third Vindsnabbe litter (9.8.1992) Eva and Peter choiced to build on. Zingo is after Champ and out of Stekenjokks Sol. Champ is after Storm av Seppalaska and out of Sputnik av Vargevass.

Sputnik av Vargevass is also the dam to Houston av Vargevass' mother, Sahti av Vargevass.

Also Zingo' littermate, Pepper, did a litter, it was on kennel Vento Articos.

In 1997, Skyfri did her last litter and gave kennel Vindsnabbe the E-litter, were Vindsnabbe's Eagel are used four times on kennel Trädgårdsvargen, Sweden.

Spring training

foto: Vince and Vacke in front, yongones diging in the back...

Springtime is a lot of fun in the play yard, trips to the town, good bones and of course training on the track and a good rest.

Our yongones are doing fine progress in front of the "Dyck". They still learning importent stuff like how to behave in the harness. Also springtraining for the adults is importent to keep them in good shape and learn the yearlings how to lead a team.

Still Going Strong...

foto: Karsten Grønås og Peik i 1973 som Nordisk Mester.

I Dag er det 40 år siden den legendariske Peik blev født hos Karsten Grønås, hvis kennel dengang lå i Norge...

Peik var uforlignlig, Karsten beskriver ham som en der var glad for alle. Foran slæden var den en langsom starter, men udholdende og god afslutter. Peik var også en fantastisk "open field" leder.

I 1969 fødes Peik i Karstens første kuld, han var efter Alaskan's Tannik of Anadyr ud af Laika.

Peiks vigtigste afkom må være Ylva av Vargevass, ud af Talitte of Kolyma. Ylva fødte den første store stjerne til kennelen - Kermit av Vargevass, efter Yeso Pack's el Diablo.

Men det der er med til at gøre denne historie til et eventyr er, at Karsten Grønås stadig er "Still Going Strong": for 2 uger siden afsluttede han Amundsen race (fra Østersund, Sverige til Rørås, Norge - 420 km) og alle 12 hunde i spandet har Peik i deres stamtavle.

Det har forøvrigt alle 32 hunde i kennelen i dag...

Peik 2010

Springtime

foto: the older ones, Kozak and Cody enjoying the sun.

In the summer 2005 we bought Vindsnabbe's Coyote "Cody" to our kennel. We needed a good leaddog to show the others how to pass strange teams.

One of the best way for a dog to learn is when the younger can see how the older dogs do. Just the same as in the wolff pack.

Fäboddraget

foto: view out over Siljan from Fäboddraget 30 km on saturday. Dogs: Seppe and Bree in lead, Tanna, point, Isa and Juno, Team and Kaise and Kebne, Wheele.

Fäboddraget is an open race in the area near Koppången, arranged by Svensk Polarhund Klub.

The race is on 15 and 30 km and have pulka and slede classes. The compatitions start all together at same time in each class.

Unfortunately most of the trail was too soft, so specely Seppe sank too much down in the snow and was of course sore in his legs, therefor I scratch. Even we had a good experience and were only 25 sec. after the farstets alaskan huskie team (2.13.47).

Training

foto: The dogs on a training trip in Gludsted Plantage.

Trying to keep the dogs fit before we are going to Sweden again. The 4 yearlings from 2007, after Ukko av Vargevass are learning very fast. I ges the first training periode is very importent for the puppies.