This world-famous dogsled race called Šediváček's Long is celebrating a quarter of a century's history. The stage race called the "sleddog trace" is held every year in Deštné in Orlické Mountains. Mushers from all over the world will be competing for the 25th time on an up to 300 km long track in just a few weeks' time, traditionally during the last January weekend. The organisers are hoping that the race will be able to take place after a one-year break.
The legendary Šediváček's Long dogsled race will be taking place in just a few weeks' time. What to look forward to?
Dogsled races not only beyond the Arctic Circle
There is perhaps no musher who has never heard of the Šediváček's Long. This musher event of the year, or at least in the Czech context, will celebrate a quarter of a century of existence. The jubilee race was supposed to take place this year, but due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the organisers have postponed it to 2022. It is not only because of such significant historical milestone in the organisation of the races but also thanks to the one-year break that all the fans of this dog sport are more than excited.
Šediváček's Long attracts also amateur mushers
The extreme race is classed as long trail and although its motto is "Towards the polar worlds", it is not intended only for professional mushers. According to the organisers, any dog lover or fan of dog sledding can attend. If you are considering taking part, it is high time to start preparing. You will have to conquer over two hundred kilometres along the Orlické Mountains mountain ridge and compete with 600 furry participants of all sorts or breeds.
More than a hundred competitors have already registered. You can choose from a 200 km four-stage category or a 300 km long trail with five stages. Whether a spectator or a participant, mark the 25 - 27 January 2022 in your diary and see you at the village of Jedlová u Orlického záhoří in Orlické Mountains. The full list of conditions for the participation in the race can be found at official race website www.czechlongrail.com.
Musher vocabulary
Do you know what go, gee or haw? Musher vocabulary is very rich and if you want to understand the race a little, it is good to know at least a few basic terms. The key commands for racing dogs are go - run, gee - turn to the right and haw - turn to the left. The dogsled rider and the dog handler in one is called the musher and the sled he is riding on is called toboggan. It is the most common sled model you can come across in this sport. Musher slang has dozens of terms and it is sort of a musher Esperanto, which you can use in dogsled communities all over the world.
Mush!
If you have decided to buy a purebred cat, you still have a lot of questions ahead of you. Which breed should you choose? A female cat or a tomcat? A kitten or an adult? Only if you consider everything carefully, you'll get the right companion for...
Lots of rabbit lovers choose this breed mainly by its appearance. The cuter, the better. But maybe they don’t know that a certain kind from the order of lagomorphs lives in nature, and hardly any domestic rabbit can match it in its cuteness. The same...
If you've noticed that your fluffy friend excessively licks and nibbles at his paws, you should not leave it like that. It might have several causes. Whether it's a psychological problem, allergy, yeast or other problem, the situation must be...
Did you know that our senses include the perception of the magnetic field? While we have almost lost this ability already, dogs still have it and use it every day. Do you know for what?
The British Shorthair cat is without a doubt the most popular cat breed not only in the Czech Republic, but also in the rest of Europe. This is caused not only by its appearance of a small Teddy bear, but also a mild, trouble-free nature.
In individual rodents, we’ll find breeds that are more popular with breeders than others. One of those is the American Teddy, typical with its peculiar hair structure that gives it the appearance of a teddy bear.
There is certainly no doubt that the Labrador belongs among the best known and most popular dog breeds. The reason is his extraordinary versatility, adaptability, intelligence and loyalty. Like the British Shorthair cat, the Labrador Retriever can be...
To spend a few days outside of civilisation - in the forest, on the ridges of the mountains - away from the hustle of the cities, in the wilderness and ideally with your dog. An imaginary return back to nature is the trend that did not avoid even the...
Hunting and exercise. If the dog loves both these activities, then coursing is the perfect activity for it. This cross-country race is based exactly on the desire of the dog to catch its prey.
No matter how thorough we are with the prevention, a situation might come up when a dog or a cat will get to a poisonous thing, whether it’s by our inattention or it's somebody else’s fault. That’s why it’s not off-topic to prepare yourself for the...
Under the name of dogtrekking, imagine an orientation walk with the dog. Official rules rank it among extreme dog endurance sports.
There may be more causes of dog fear. And the first step to eliminate it is to find out its origin and cause.
