It was a great week here training the dogs in preparation for our next race at St. Luc.
We made a 10 mile extension to our training trail last week and this week we made a 12 mile extension. We ran the Open Team 10 miles on Monday and then a 10 mile on Wednesday. We finished this weeks training with a 12 mile run on Thursday. On Monday, Wednesday and Thursday we ran the 6 dog racing team with 6 other dogs to make a 12 dog team. These dogs ran three 4.5 mile training runs.
This week, we moved Yaluk into the Open Team and Kira back for the 6 dog team. In training this week, we gave Tepeu and Kira some time at lead. 
Yaluk did a great job running in the Open Team and will be there for the race at St. Luc. 
Cosmos and Sophie got out Skijoring with Cecile. Cosmos for 4.5 miles and Sophie for 3 miles.
On Sunday, Nicky went to his new home with my neighbor Lucy. This is a wonderful place for Nicky as he will get a lot of one on one attention.
We received some more snow at the first of the week and on Friday, we shoveled the snow off the roof of the chalet for the second time this season.
We made a decision not to go to the race at L'Epiphanie this weekend due to the fact that the race would have Head-on Passing because a lack of snow in the fields.  This is just a personal preference as I do not enjoy this type of race.
Until next week......

                                        Nicky(Lucky) & Lucy

The dogs are enjoying being back home and the quiet of the forest after a busy weekend at Valcartier. They enjoyed the freedom of running around at their houses after three days housing and travelling in the truck. They did great over the weekend as it was the first time for six of the dogs living out of the truck.
We had approximately ten inches of fresh snow here on the Monday and very high winds and drifting on Friday. 
We spent several hours on Thursday night grooming and extending the trail to make 10 miles for training.
The trails here now look great!
On Thursday, we ran two 12 dogs teams for 8 miles each. On Friday, we ran one team 4.5 miles and the Open Team 10 miles.
All the dogs that ran at Valcartier are in great shape and with no signs of fatigue.
Forgot to report that Sam Skijored at Valcartier with Cecile. They had to go out on the trail after the other skijorers as Cecile skies didn't meet regulation. Sam really enjoyed the experience and did a great job. She resumed her position in the 12 dog team this week with renewed confidence.
I would like to thank Natasha Kushner for the generous donation to the kennel to support the dogs from the Kushner Family. 
I would also like to make a special thanks the Photographers the took photos at the race. Please check out their Facebook or Websites for more exciting photos of the race.
Until next week.......

The teams from Miortuk returned late yesterday from a weekend attending the race at Valcartier, Quebec.
It was a weekend of firsts for the dogs, as this was the first race for five of them. It was also the first race for Roxy running lead for our Open team since joining our kennel last march.
This was also a break through race for Bergen running lead at a race. Last year she stopped just after starting through lack of confidence at a race in the lead position. This year running co-lead with Roxy, she was the pace setter and Roxy the motivator. The team all performed well and ran a trouble free race both days.
Cecile ran her first race in the 6 dog Class and did a great job running another trouble free race. This was Tepeu and Yakuk's first race and both performed fantastic.
In the Open Team Kira, Merry and Frodo all performed exceptionally in their first experience with racing.
Tiasa ran Cosmos in their first Skijour Race. A fantastic performance over the two days.
Thanks to all the hard work of Simon Drouin for organizing and preparing a great race with incredible trails. With a lot of hard work grooming through Friday and Saturday nights, they removed over 18 inches of fresh snow that fell over the weekend.
Now, we are back home to prepare our teams for the next race in two weeks at L'Epiphanie, Quebec.
New photos of the weekend will be posted when available.
Until next week......

Welcome to a new year here at Miortuk.
The first of the year brought with it some welcome snow and allowed us to get the dogs out trailing again. 
FINALLY!!!
As of today, we have got in three days of training to prepare for the race this coming weekend. The first days run was only 4.5 miles to get the dogs used too running after the long layoff. The next two days runs with the Open Team was 8 miles and 4.5 miles for the dogs in the 6 dog team.
We have had another snow/freezing rain/sleet/rain/snow all in that order. Also the temperatures are to plunge down tonight to the -20's Celsius.
This past week, we also had temperatures down to the -30's in the evenings.
Cecile returned from France on Saturday and Marie Duffy arrived here last Monday from Scotland. So, there has been two trips to the airport in Montreal in less than one week. 
Busy week here coming up with training and going to the race.
The Blog will be posted on Monday or Tuesday next week.
Until next week....