OCHO RIOS, Jamaica (March 8, 2006) – Danny Melville, founder and chairman of Chukka Caribbean Adventures announced today that Palm Pictures had acquired the worldwide rights to “Sun Dogs,” a documentary feature chronicling the struggle and adventure of the founding of the Jamaica Dogsled Team. The deal was negotiated by Chris Blackwell, CEO of Palm Pictures, and David Koh, head of acquisitions and production for Palm Pictures, with Andrea Stewart the film’s director and producer, and Melville who is executive producer. Palm Pictures will finance the project currently in production in Jamaica.
In Jamaica spring 2005, a lack of snow and Huskies, coupled with an abundance of sun and sand and whispers of “crazy mon,” didn’t stop Melville from following through on an epiphany. “I had been in Edmonton, Canada taking a look at custom-made dune buggies for a new Chukka Caribbean Adventures’ tour and spotted an odd-looking dog sled; it turns out the sled was designed for dry-land racing, and I thought what a great idea for Jamaica,” says Melville. “I ended up in Loch Ness country where I met the sled’s owner, champion Scottish dog-sledder Alan Stewart, and watched him give sled dog rides to tourists. I knew right then and there that a dogsled team wouldn’t just be a great soft adventure attraction but would be a wonderful catalyst for ‘Brand Jamaica’ in the manner of the Bobsled Team.” The Jamaica Dogsled Team was born.
Director Andrea Stewart follows the progress of the Team as Melville, Stewart, and Chukka Caribbean Adventures’ director of operations and novice “musher” Devon Anderson compete in the 2006 UK Sled Dog Championships in Aviemore, Scotland. The film also follows the progress of Devon's assistant musher, Oswald Marshall, as he travels to Minnesota to experience dog sledding in its natural form - on snow. Jamaica plays a starring role, of course, and its people’s indomitable spirit, great heart and can-do attitude show the world a side that is often overlooked in the headlines. Andrea Stewart stated, “Jamaica's natural beauty and multi-layered cultural texture is a feast for a filmmaker. The story of the Jamaica Dogsled Team provides a window into its soul. The Team has given the world another reason to rekindle its ongoing love affair with this unique island.”
The twelve “Sun Dogs” on the team, many of them strays from the Jamaica Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (JSPCA) were given a new lease on life – now very well cared for and up to the challenge of pulling a sled at twenty miles per hour. The JSPCA works closely with Chukka and the team to monitor the dogs and its shelters are expected to provide the additional eight dogs necessary to round out the team in the coming weeks. An early fan of the Jamaican Dogsled Team is singer/songwriter Jimmy Buffett. When he first saw the mismatched rag-tag team run he said, “They look exactly like a Jamaican Dogsled Team should look.” Buffet is now the team’s “godfather” and he and his famous Margaritaville chain are official sponsors.
Dogsled training is currently under way at the Chukka Cove Farm in Ocho Rios in preparation for the unique tour experience to be offered by Chukka Caribbean Adventures later this summer. A limited number of tours will be available for visitors and will showcase the team’s abilities and the beautiful Jamaican countryside.
