2005 International Sled Dog Symposium
Program Schedule

Friday, October 7th

Noon – 4 pm • Main floor & mezzanine

Trade fair setup in civic center

4 – 7 pm • Lobby

Early-bird registration and advance registration check-in

Avoid the Saturday morning rush! Our staff will be standing by to check you in early. If you registered in advance, you can pick up your name tag and information packet on Friday. If you're paying at the door, beat the cashier lines Saturday morning by registering Friday night.

6:45 – 7:45 pm • Theater

Junior mushing: A free presentation

Moderator: Julie Hedgecoke. Panel: Elizabeth Jayne, Megan Hedgecoke, Ray Redington Jr., Art Stoller, and Baillee Holt

Experienced junior dog mushers (and former junior mushers) will talk about the Two Rivers Dog Mushers Association's junior races. Presenters will outline the Junior 100 race and demonstrate mandatory gear. Elizabeth won the 2005 Junior Yukon Quest, Megan won the 2005 Two Rivers Junior 100, Baillee has been a competitor in the Two Rivers Junior 100, and Ray competed in the TRDMA junior races when he was younger.

8 – 9 pm • Theater

Dog care then and now: A free Mush with PRIDE workshop

Moderator: David Monson. Panel: Joe May, Grant Beck, Bud Smyth, and Roxy Wright

A panel of long-time sprint and distance mushers will discuss the evolution of modern sled dog care, including their perspectives on the changes they have seen over the years and their predictions for the future.

4 – 9 pm • Main floor & mezzanine

Trade fair opens for weekend

The trade fair is free to the general public.

The trade fair opens at 4 pm Friday and will be open from 10 am to 5 pm on Saturday and 10 am to 4 pm on Sunday. Many vendors will be offering Friday night specials to help celebrate the Yukon Quest's birthday. Come take advantage of these early-bird deals. Your favorite mushing equipment suppliers will be there, as well as clothing specialists, sled builders, informational booths and much more. See our list of vendors, which we'll update as they confirm their participation. Please check back often to see who is coming.

5:30 – 10 pm • Main floor

Yukon Quest Birthday Party

Celebrate the Quest's 22nd birthday! Enjoy an all-you-can-eat buffet, live music, a no-host bar, and more. Food is free for 2006 Yukon Quest members and sponsors, and $5 for everyone else (memberships will be available at the door). They will also be holding the drawing for their "Get Away, Give Away" raffle. Prizes include a cruise, airplane tickets, and other Alaska and local travel and entertainment activities. Sponsored by the Yukon Quest.

Saturday, October 8th

7:45 am to 5 pm • Lobby

Onsite registration and check-in

Pay at the door if you didn't register in advance; advance registrants can pick up name tags and information packets in the express lanes. Don't forget to buy or renew your ADMA membership for a $5 club discount.

8:30 – 10 am

Mushing 102: Basic harness fitting and specialized harnesses

Moderator: Cathy Dimon. Panel: Wes Rau (basic harness-fitting),
Sara Elzey, Ivana Nolke, Mitch Seavey, Frank Sihler (specialized harnesses)

Back by popular demand. Wes will talk about how to make sure standard harnesses properly fit your dogs. Then the panel will discuss the pros and cons of newer harness designs.

10:30 – noon • Theater

Veterinary physical therapy

Wes Rau

No one ever seems to get enough of this topic—or the speaker. Wes will address foot and ankle problems in working sled dogs, including how to assess the foot, wrist, ankle and knees. He will also discuss how the extremities work in relation to the hip and back, known as the closed-chain relationship of the extremities to the body.

Noon – 1:30 pm • Pioneer Hall

Mush with PRIDE luncheon and meeting

Noon – 1:30 pm

Lunch

A variety of food is for sale on the third floor mezzanine. Take some time to visit the trade fair.

1:30 – 3 pm • Theater

Legendary dog mushers

Moderator: Karl Kassel. Panel: George Attla, Grant Beck, Lester Erhart, Joee Redington, and Roxy Wright

Personal stories from the trails (and off the trails) by well-known, long-time mushers.

3:30 – 4:30 pm • Theater

Successful racing at any distance

Moderator: Karl Kassel. Panel: Jacques Philip, Hans Gatt, Ken Anderson

Mushers who've run (and won) sprint, mid-distance, distance and stage races compare dogs, training and strategies for the different race types.

3:30 – 4:30 pm • Blue Room

Going for gold in Dawson: The 2005 skijor and pulka world championships

Jim Herriges and Kim Wells

Team USA members will describe their experiences in Dawson: the training, dog care, and race preparations; running an international mass-start race; and learning from international competitors.

7 – 11 pm • Wedgewood Resort, 212 Wedgewood Drive (off College Road)

ADMA Fundraising Auction

Is there something you need, from dog food to a good book to a truckload of wood shavings? Maybe some mushing artwork, or a gift certificate to a local restaurant? You will most likely find it at the auction. Join us Saturday eveningfor both silent and outcry auctions to help raise funds for ADMA. Auction funds are used to support the symposium and other ADMA expenses such as trail maintenance and hall repairs. A list of auction items is posted on the web, and many more items from our trade fair vendors will magically appear Saturday night.
 

Sunday, October 9th

8:15 am to 4:30 pm • Lobby

Onsite registration and check-in

Pay at the door if you didn't register in advance; advance registrants can pick up name tags and information packets in the express lanes. Don't forget to buy or renew your ADMA membership for a $5 club discount.

9 – 10:30 am • Theater

Nutritionally complete dog diets

Arleigh Reynolds

Arleigh will review nutritional considerations for different times of the year and various stages of a dog's life, including both food and supplements.

9 – 10:30 am • Blue Room

How to be a good handler

Jodi Bailey and Julie Fougeron

Tips from experienced handlers on what works—and what doesn't—along with stories from in the kennel to out along the race trail.

11 am – noon • Theater

Veterinary presentations

Eric Jayne DVM and Tamara Rose DVM

Dr. Jayne, a.k.a. the Bush Vet, will talk about clostridial disease in Alaskan sled dogs. Dr. Rose will talk about caring for geriatric dogs.

11 am – noon • Blue Room

Making a living by mushing

Grant Beck and Frank Turner

Issues and considerations in running a mushing tour business.

Noon – 1:30 pm

Lunch

A variety of food is for sale on the third floor mezzanine. Take some time to visit the trade fair.

12:45 – 1:30 pm • Outside the Civic Center

Cold Spot Cooker-off

Many mushers claim they've developed the "best" dog food cooker, so here's their chance to prove it. Bring your cooker to compete against other mushers and determine whose apparatus is fastest at bringing three gallons of plain water to a full, rolling boil. Sign up to participate in the contest at the Yukon Quest booth in the trade fair. Cold Spot Feeds will provide a case of HEET^® to the winner.

1:30 – 3 pm • Theater

Mushing as a way of life

Miki and Julie Collins

The "Trapline Twins," who also wrote Dog Driver: A Guide for the Serious Musher, talk about their unique and fascinating way of life.

1:30 – 3 pm • Blue Room

The art and science of breeding sled dogs

Moderator: Andrea Swingley. Panel: Mark May DVM, Jeff Conn PhD, Eric Lanser

Brace yourself for a frank discussion about ethical breeding practices and recent developments in sled dog genetics and breeding.