junior world championships

Another Jr. WOrlds are done. Rachel and Kat did awesome. Both had good races considering. Our kennel has not raced since the new year. In a last minute decision Rachel switched dogs from her main team from the 7 dog to the 5 dog. I was shocked when I heard this decision. I never said much (as it would not make a diff. anyway) and was more worried for Kat than anything. She had a few runs on our dogs at home before we left and now she will be racing some more dogs she doesn't know. That had me worried.
However. Rachel was absolutely right in making this decision. Rachel took out some of her main dogs. Put them in Kat's team because of over heating fears. Such a good idea Rachel!! I was worried about clean runs. I didn't want Kat to have a bad experience with her team at all. This was a confidence builder for her leading up to the games. I think that was a success.
After the first day it was very apparent that Rachel made the right decision and no one got overheated in Anchorage leaving Rachel in a great position for the Arctic winter games. I was some what shocked at her decision but look back and am amazed at how she thought it through.
Kat with little experience running our team went out and did as we asked. Clean runs and on the third day I asked her to get off the training mat and let the dogs race. She had the second fastest on the day.
Rachel on Day one ran a seven dog team that was not her usual team. She put them together on day one. had a good run on day two and had a good run on day three. Put her second by one second over all. LOL. Some awesome racing for Rachel's first eight dog race.

COngratulations to both the girls.

More grooming.

It has been absolutely crazy here trying to keep up with all the grooming for the arctic winter games trail. Very very busy. Snows snows and snows more. So we are very busy keeping up on our trail, the AWG trail and the plowing at home. The trail is coming along. We are all going out on the week-end to cut trail where it needs it. Then we are leaving next week to go see all our friends in Anchorage for a visit. Rachel will spend the week end there trying to put something together for the AWG. After that weekend she should know roughly what she will use for her team. All part of the process. So we will carry on. Some young dogs here we thought could make it but decided it was not worth pushing them for what?? They have their whole lives to race and train hard. We have some that suffer from bad heat stress since it has been so warm here. This is something that we knew about and were fine on six mile runs. Eight has been a different story. Just too hot.
We are sure going to miss the race in Ft. Nelson. Too bad we can't go but we are placing the AWG as a priority. Plus the race in FT. Nelson is a mass start and every one and their dog will be there cause of the prize money. LOL. So no hurry just keep on going forward being patient for the future and hope Rachel keeps racing. IF her decision is to race then we have a litter or two of puppies that need to be whelped here to help for the future. MORE PUPPIES. Hip hipp hurray.
Leaving next week. today and the rest of the time left before traveling to Anchorage again we will get ready, clean truck etc etc.