Rain or shine, nothing was going to stop this year’s Bristol Dryland Canadian Championship Dog Race. The venue smelled of burning wood; it was cloudy and a light drizzle kept spectators all bundled up. Walking around, the crowd was greeted by the barkings of race dogs as they were being fed and prepped to compete in the day’s races. All up, there were seven different categories: bikejoring, scooters, carts and canicrossing.

This year marks the 12th Dryland race hosted at Timberland Tours by race enthusiast Denis Rozon, who has been organizing these events for decades. With over 162 teams from all over Canada and the U.S., around 200 people came to watch some of Canada’s best-known racers.

First-time volunteer Chantal Chretien was posted at the arrivals booth, cheering teams as they passed the finish line. She decided to come out and help as there were fewer volunteers due to COVID and when Rozon asked her she said “I’ll come.”

It was hard for Chretien to pick a favourite race. “They’re all special in their own category.” But one thing she noticed was the number of female racers participating. A judge told her that 30 years ago the ratio of male to female races was much higher, and “now it’s switching to the opposite. It’s more women.”

Pierre Lefebvre, a spectator, was there with his wife and said they enjoy watching the dogs and come every year. “It’s really well-organized. Mr. Rozon is a great guy and he really put a lot of effort into the event.”

The Equity spoke to Alaska’s World Champion winners in the 2013 race Kati Dagenais, who was there with husband Martin and American teammate Jocelyn Bradbury from Maine. They specialize in six and eight dog races, “we come here every year to try the yearlings to see how they react, it’s a perfect trail,” said Ms. Dagenais.

In this year’s dryland, Bradbury was racing for the team and also raises the puppies and trains them for upcoming races.

Spotted taking part in the fun was mayor of Bristol Brent Orr and MRC Pontiac Warden Jane Toller.

“I just want to really congratulate Denis Rozon because he has built all of this and it has brought so much tourism to Pontiac and to Bristol,” said Toller who loves coming out to see the canicrossing race.

After the races were done, Orr handed the gold medals out to the different teams, with excited hard to tame dogs and smiling faces they got on the stage and smiled for the sea of cameras in front of the stage.

Rozon said that he was very pleased with the turnout and the number of teams that showed up, and luckily for everyone “no accidents” happened as it can be a dangerous sport.

One of his favourite races was the eight-dog race; those dogs are fast, reaching 15 km per hour, said Rozon.

“Without the volunteers and the sponsors, we wouldn’t be here today,” said Rozon

“When you race with your dogs, you’re like part of a team with them and it’s so fun to feel all their energy and happiness. They’re made to run. These dogs just love running,” said Ms. Dagenais.

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