GONE TO THE DOGS

Jamaica, best known as a tropical paradise and the birthplace of Bob Marley and reggae music, is now getting international publicity by boasting another title. It is home to the only dry land sled dog racing team in the Caribbean.

Don't laugh! Remember the Jamaican bobsleigh team?

Typically, dog sledding takes place in Canada, Alaska, Scotland, and England during winter on snow covered grounds. Of course, Jamaica has no winter. No snow? No problem mon!..."

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Three Bears Dog Sled Races

LAND O' LAKES - An unusual kind of racing took place over the weekend, dog sled races.

Holly Willis-Farrell, a member of the sled dog races committee, says "Hyper, hyper, hyper until they get to run. And then, that's all they're about. They're happiest when they're running."

Holly's referring to the 1,000 dogs that came to the area over the weekend for the Three Bear Sled Dog Races in Land O' Lakes.

Peter Schindelholz, the chairman of the sled dog races, says "We've had this thing going for so long that people really enjoy the trail and we really enjoy hosting it...."

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JAMAICA SLED DOG TEAM COMING

Expect to hear a few calls of “mush, mon!” at the second annual Dirty Dog Dryland Derby slated this weekend at MaKaJaWan Boy Scout Reservation in Pearson.

Damion Robb, a member of the Jamaican dogsled team, will complete in the four-dog carting class.

That’s right, Jamaican dogsled team. After all, if a bob-sled team can come from Jamaica why not a sled dog team?

“One of our goals was to make this an international event,” Beth Wagner, an organizer and musher from Pelican Lake, said. "In only our second year this will happen. We have received word from mushers in Canada and Jamaica — yes, I really mean Jamaica, saying they will be attending our race. Word traveled quickly in the sled dog community about how much fun the MaKaJaWan trails are for dryland racing...."

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Waves of activity in Jamaica

Let other Caribbean islands crow about having one special beach. Jamaica's attractions go far beyond Negril Beach's renowned stretch of sand.

If world-famous Dunns River Falls is overrun with cruise ship daytrippers (as it often is), just head further afield and join Jamaican families and tourists enjoying tubing, swimming and the world's most spectacular rope-swing at seven-tiered YS Falls, where a river tumbles 120 feet down a jungle ravine…."

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Mush ado in the tropics

It's 14 degrees below zero and the February wind is howling across a frozen lake bed in western Canada's Yukon Territory.

Through the extreme-cold mask and heavy, fur-lined parka hood pulled tight around his head, Devon Anderson is heard asking a question to no one in particular.

"It's 90 degrees in Jamaica right now, maybe warmer," he says through chattering teeth.

"Why am I here?"

The reason is as simple as it is unlikely...."

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The JSPCA holds special place for Danny Melville as the wonderful dogs that are now the Jamaica Dogsled Team and part of the Chukka Caribbean Adventures family were second chance dogs adopted from this important organization. With Muggzie looking on, Danny's birthday gifts totaling JA$270,000.00 (USD$4000.00) was donated to the JSPCA.

A cheque was presented to Dr. Paul Turner (second from left) senior veterinarian and Mrs. Pam Lawson (second from right) general manager by Marc Melville (left), co-managing director of Chukka Caribbean Adventures, and Devon Anderson (right) the lead musher for the Jamaica Dogsled Team and operations manager for Chukka Caribbean Adventures. Melville, Chukka Caribbean Adventures and the Jamaica Dogsled Team will continue to support the educational efforts of the JSPCA with donation from the proceeds from the sale of team merchandise and dogsled tours.