By PHOEBE MORGAN
THE annual Dinner Plain Sled Dog Sprint is back again this August.
Held at the Dinner Plain Alpine Village on Saturday, August 10 and Sunday, August 11, the sprint is a great spectacle for the public to see sled-dogs and their owners compete for racing glory.
In previous years, competitors have arrived from all over Australia and even from New Zealand to race.
Approximately 300 people and more than a thousand dogs are expected to compete in classes across the weekend.
The majority of the dogs competing will be specific breeds traditionally used in Europe for sledding, such as Southern Siberian Huskies, Alaskan Huskies, Malamutes and more.
A mixture of sledding vehicles are used: from purpose-built sleds for up to six dogs to altered bikes and scooters for Canicross, utilising only a single dog.
"We are able to race many different classes for our competition," event organiser, Vaughan Winther said.
"Sleds with two dogs and three dogs will be run separately, with the four-dog and six-dog sleds run together.
"In the 'Mini-musher' events, children under 12 race across an 800 metre course with an accompanying adult, while children 12 years old and up participate in junior events solo with a maximum of two dogs."
Sled-dog culture in Australia and enthusiasm for the sport has been growing in recent years.
According to the Australian Sled-dog Sports Association (ASSA) it is embraced as a great outdoor family-friendly sport that you can enjoy with your beloved furry friend.
Great care is taken at events and within the sled-dog community to make sure that the dogs are enjoying themselves as much as the humans are and that no-one, either two-legged or four-legged, suffers from strain or heatstroke.
The sprint is hosted at the cross-country trails to the left of the village gates, next to the tennis club at the Alpine Village.
Proceedings start on both dates at 9am, with events concluding at approximately 1pm.
For more information about the Dinner Plain Sled Dog Sprint visit https://www.dinnerplainsleddog.com/
