Sled dog races to continue as planned

Last year's event. MIKE POLKOWSKE photo

Event to honor organizer Rodeo Vincent. Memorial for Rodeo Vincent: Thursday, Dec. 10, 7:30 p. m. at Wild West Pizzeria, 14 Madison Avenue, West Yellowstone

WEST YELLOWSTONE — The West Yellowstone Classic sled dog races will take place as scheduled December 10 - 12, despite the main organizer’s sudden death this week.

Friends say the event will be run in memory of Roger “Rodeo” Vincent, who died Monday, November 30 of an apparent heart attack in the forest near his home near Targhee Pass. Vincent had gone to the woods to put down one of his beloved dogs, who was sick.

Vincent became a musher in 1996 and was a concrete contracter and owner of Klondike Dreams, a sled dog touring business. His partner, Charlotte Mooney, and other mushers and friends will pitch in to bring the December Classic to the 40 teams that have registered and to the many spectators who enjoy sled dog racing.

Teams are from throughout the Northwest and as far away as Massachusetts.

People are invited to meet the mushers before the races at the “Meet the Mushers” event during the annual West Yellowstone Christmas Stroll Thursday, December 10. Stop by Wild West Pizzeria, 14 Madison Avenue in West Yellowstone, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m after the Parade of Lights. Visit with the mushers, see the dogs, and pick out your favorite team to root for during the race events.

The staging area and starting chute for the races will be located at the old West Yellowstone airport, the large field west of Iris Street on the western edge of town. Each musher will pick a prep area for the two days of racing. Public parking will be available along Iris Street and Yellowstone Avenue.

Charlotte Mooney, event coordinator and local musher, recommends, “If you want to experience the action and thrills up close, get there early enough to stake out a spot and decide which team you most want to win. Around 8 a.m. is the best time for people to wander about freely taking photos. You can watch as mushers feed and care for their dogs, lay out the lines, and then harness them.”

Races begin at 9 a.m. with the larger 12-dog teams and continue throughout the day.

When the dogs are hooked to the gang-line, “organized chaos” begins, according to Mooney. Excitement builds among the dogs and mushers as they approach the chute. Spectators line the chute cheering for their favorites as the teams charge out onto the trails and then as they return about two hours later.

Don’t worry about keeping the kids quiet. You won’t be able to hear them. The dogs know they’re about to run and they go crazy. As onlooker Karrie Taggart can attest, “their excitement and energy is irresistible; definitely contagious because you find yourself clapping and cheering them on.” Teams leave at twominute intervals and since each team is unique, you won’t see the same musher twice.

For your experience to be a great one, hats, gloves, coats, comfortable boots and foot warmers are recommended. Please leave pets at home. Some fans even ride a snowmobile out to checkpoints along the trail to stop and watch the teams go by. There are great photo opportunities as the team’s race past. Volunteers will also be at the check points to direct the mushers and guide snowmobile traffic.

High Altitude Catering will sell warm meals and students enrolled in the International Travel Club at the West Yellowstone School will sell hot beverages and baked goods to raise funds for their trip to Germany. Plan to stay for the day — bring a folding chair and blanket.

For more info go to westyellowstonesleddograces. com or call 406.646.7701.

This is part of the December 3, 2009 online edition of The Island Park News.

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