American Dog Derby facts for kids
The American Dog Derby is a famous dogsled race that takes place in Ashton, Idaho. It is known as the oldest dogsled race in North America. The first race happened in 1917. It ran until 1961 and then started up again in 1993.
History of the Race
The very first American Dog Derby was held in March 1917. It was created to honor the mail delivery service that used dogsleds between West Yellowstone and Ashton. It also added some excitement to the winter season.
The race took a break during World War II. It started again in 1948. However, people became less interested, and new machines called snowmobiles became popular. Because of this, the race stopped after 1961. Luckily, it was brought back to life in 1993.
In 2021 and 2022, the race had to move temporarily to Bear Gulch, Idaho. This area is part of the Caribou-Targhee National Forest. The first move was due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The second move was because there wasn't enough snow in Ashton.
Race Events and Categories
The American Dog Derby offers several exciting races for different skill levels.
- The longest race is 56 miles.
- There is also a 22-mile race.
- A 4-mile skijor race involves a person on skis being pulled by a dog.
- A 4-mile junior race is open to young mushers aged 16 years or younger.
The event also includes fun activities like the "mutt race." This is a short 100-yard dash with one person and one dog. Other events include a weight pull competition and a snowshoe race.
Famous Mushers
A musher is a person who drives a dogsled team. Tud Kent was a very successful musher. He won the first race in 1917. He went on to win five more times between 1917 and 1926. This set a record that lasted for 87 years!
In 2017, another musher named Jerry Bath made history. He won the American Dog Derby seven times. This meant he broke Tud Kent's long-standing record of six wins.
Lydia "Whistlin' Lyd" Hutchinson was a trailblazer in the sport. She was the first woman to compete in the American Dog Derby. She raced in 1922, 1923, and 1924. Lydia earned her nickname because she used whistles to guide her dogs. Most mushers use verbal commands, but Lydia preferred whistles.
See also
In Spanish: American Dog Derby para niños
