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!
Cats are no longer the outside countryside homeless animals that come closer to a house just for a while when they are in the mood for it. Rather the opposite, they have started living in city flats and have adjusted to our lifestyle. However, it’s...
Rabbits are popular pets especially for city flats. It’s because they don’t require a lot of space and don’t need to go outside very often (no garden needed). However, it doesn’t mean taking care of them is easy and no time or efforts are needed. We...
It sounds lovely: a dog gets a command, it does it and gets a treat or a reward for that. It won’t end with one moment in the perfect case and it will become the basic idea of a whole training for a dog that will become an obedient pet using positive...
Every dog owner knows that feeling when (s)he has to leave house to work or (s)he can’t take his/her pet with him/her for any reason and (s)he doesn’t know what’s going to happen. Can a dog handle the situation or will it bark and go on the rampage?...
Fear is natural for people and everyone has their own fears. While someone is scared of spiders, heights or confined spaces, others are scared of dogs. This fear is common in children who haven’t explored the world so well yet and who don’t know the...
Guinea pigs are popular pets especially in families with kids. They are small animals that can bring a lot of joy. If you consider buying a guinea pig, there are some aspects you shouldn’t neglect before making the decision. We talked about what to...
Have you heard about sport called Disc Dog? It basically consists of throwing a disc to your dog that fetches it. Disc Dog can be done as a recreational or a professional sport. For professional competitors, there are several disciplines for which...
Siberian Cat is quite a new breed that was only recognized by the Fédération Internationale Féline (FIFe) in 1992. It emerged from crossbreeding domestic cats and breeds brought from the Near East and it found its home in Russia and Ukraine where it...
Most of us have this long thought-to-be-true idea that one dog year equals to seven human years. So, if you have a two-year-old puppy at home, it is already 14 years old when compared to humans. Therefore, if you have a ten-year-old dog at home, it is...
Breast milk is, in the beginning of life, the best thing a pup can get from its mother. It is full of the nutrients it needs to grow and develop properly. However, as the offsprings grow, milk needs to be supplemented with other food, so they are...
Cat lovers and breeders know very well that one cat is often not enough, and that there is sometimes a need to get another cat companion. However, this decision will affect the whole household and, above all, it is necessary to prepare the cat you...
Many of us are under the influence of the need to fulfill a dream of getting an unconventional pet, which the minipig certainly is. This trend has been present in the Czech Republic for about ten years. But don’t be fooled by those cute snouts, taking...
