The Great Odyssey: portrait of mushers (2/2)

The Great Odyssey, do you remember? This unique dog sled race in Europe ... After the first portrait focusing on mushers with an interview of Sandrine Muffat, it's time for the second part. On the agenda: the team alongside the mushers with veterinarians and handlers, musher Eric Château, and above all, to learn everything (or almost) about sled dogs!

Ready to become a musher?

On the first day, I stroll among the dog caravans just before the start, near the town center of Les Gets. The atmosphere is electric, the dogs jump on the spot and howl like wolves. But one pack particularly attracts me: the one made up of beautiful Siberian huskies. I know, it's not entirely objective, but I have a soft spot for these beautiful dogs with Northern looks. They belong to Eric Château.

You shouldn't think they are the majority, quite the opposite: these dogs, rather suited for hiking, are not the fastest or most efficient for this type of competition. They are often replaced by Alaskan Huskies, a mixed breed created for high-level competition.

You have to imagine that this kind of race is a bit like the Ironman for dogs: they are true athletes! And like any athlete, the dog must receive proper training and guidance. The training for these four-legged athletes is the opposite of ours: dogs start by working on weight (strength) before speed. But how do they train when there's no snow? It's very simple, just have them pull an ATV!

Training isn't everything: properly placing your sled dogs is also crucial! It's advisable to position the leaner and faster dogs (often females) at the front to set the pace, and the stronger ones at the back to pull the sled's weight. But these aren't the only criteria: the temperament of each dog and their place in the pack also come into play.

I observed this before the race; each dog has its own distinct personality, which stands out even more in the feverish atmosphere of the wait for departure: one is overexcited and jumps in place, another howls like a wolf, some tuck their tails between their legs or tremble, ears down ...

In terms of budget, each dog costs between €500 and €2,500, but most of the time, the musher assembles their team with dogs from their family breeding. The largest expense is food: expect about €6,000/year. And from what I understood from the handlers, the budget for boots (socks) is also significant given how many are lost during races!

A few gestures are repeated before each race to ensure the comfort and well-being of the dogs by the handlers and veterinarians. Ideally, each dog is massaged and stretched for about ten minutes to prepare them and avoid strains. Their paws are also greased with a protective balm on the pads. Sometimes, the dog gets fitted with boots, making it look like a child trying to walk for the first time in shoes, clumsy and awkward!

Before the start, they also receive a bowl of pâté mixed with water to encourage them to drink and ensure they do not suffer from dehydration.

During the race, the musher has the option to stop at veterinary checkpoints (losing 10 minutes of racing time) to check that the dogs are still in good shape. They can also stop to give them strength and encouragement (in local jargon), motivation that can be necessary before a significant incline. If a dog feels too tired or gets injured, the musher can place it on the sled.

After the race, the musher first thinks of their dogs: rewarding and thanking them for this great moment, feeding them, and providing necessary care ...

Because a musher alone wouldn't get far, there is a > to assist. This helping hand looks after practical matters, cares for the animals, ...

And to complete this team, veterinarians also join in. The Great Odyssey is supervised by no fewer than 11 veterinarians, including the head, Dominique Grandjean, who knows all the dogs in the race (about 400 dogs) by name!

Milagros, a Spanish veterinarian, confirms that all the dogs here are healthy and show no signs of distress or doping. This is unique to The Great Odyssey and the philosophy of respect it promotes.

The veterinarians will pay special attention to signs related to heart rate, altitude sickness, temperature, diarrhea, and dehydration. They also check that the musher has all the necessary equipment (like dog supplies) on their sled.

For about twenty years, Siberian huskies have entered Eric's life, and it has become a true family passion.

He knows that his dogs are not the most competitive, and he races > for pleasure.

Eric, a Frenchman living in Switzerland, participates in various races across Europe (Norway, Czech Republic), and this year, it's his first participation in LGO.

But Eric is not just a musher: alongside his passion for dogs, he is a night nurse.

As part of The Great Odyssey, each musher shared one of their most beautiful stories; here's Eric's, like a scene straight out of a movie...

Eric Château: >

During the stage from Valmenier to Valfréjus in Maurienne, we had to cross the Thabor Pass, which peaks at about 3000m altitude. At the time, I had 4 dogs. The climb was long and difficult for my dogs and me, not to mention that the sled was fully loaded. In the last meters, the hardest as fatigue started to set in, I was out of strength, both physically and mentally. I was in front of the dogs to help pull the sled, encouraging them to go all the way. But it didn't help, they didn't want to go any further.

Just as I said to my lead dog: >, he began to bark at the dog next to him, and all the dogs got back in the harness and pulled like crazy! We managed to cross Mont Thabor Pass and then descend into the valley to finish the stage!<<

Before finishing these musher profiles, I invite you to discover the story that was elected > in Megève: that of Rémy Coste, who finished second at The Great Odyssey 2014.

Written by the mother of little Matis, a disabled child, it tells us about the encounter between her son and Rémy's dogs.

A beautiful story and a shining proof of the generosity of mushers, Rémy even went so far as to give one of his dogs to little Matis. You can find the entire story below.

Musher story of Rémy Coste:

I am Matis's mom, 14 years old and affected by Alternating Hemiplegia, he moves in a wheelchair. He has recently learned to respond with yes and no using pictograms. His progress in communication is considerable; it's amazing because he is becoming more and more present. We left in February to the Alps; we always go to the Alps, it's our favorite destination in winter and summer! I was super tired, Matis was having too many crises, and we didn't feel like doing anything ... just fed up, depressed, nerves! I met Rémy and his sled dogs during a walk with the dogs that I had organized for Matis. A new activity, away from the noise of the ski resort in nature; handiski was no longer suitable for his abilities, too much stress, especially on the chairlift ... So I opted for dogs! What a wonderful surprise when I saw Matis applauding the dogs and standing up on the sled! The ride was delightful, an hour of moving through the pines, gliding on the snow, some turns, with a gentle yet sporty descent. Matis enjoyed this adventure, so we did it again and the happiness for Matis was there. Then we spent our days visiting the dogs; we became friends with Rémy and Sandrine Coste, who run the RÊVES ET PASSION association in Saint-Nicolas-la-Chapelle. Matis was very happy to meet the dogs again; I made him a sled with an old Davos sled (the longest) and a shell recovered at the IEM, so I could take him on the snow to meet the dogs, because it's more complicated in a wheelchair ... So with Matis, we started talking dogs, dreaming of dogs ... and Rémy told Matis he would surprise him the following Monday. When we returned to see him that day, Rémy gave Matis an Alaskan Malamute >, the cream of the dogs... And off we went with Bobo, the bowl, the leash, the harness, and even the kibble!!! We ended up staying longer than planned on vacation, in an adaptation stage with Boréale, and we discovered that our life could be tender and sweet, fun, and surprising! Illness brings so many constraints ... we were relearning to live thanks to Boréale! We stayed in touch with Rémy and Sandrine for a long time, at first often, just to talk; they became our friends, and Boréale our faithful companion! Since then, she has learned to pull Matis on hikes; she never leaves him, wakes him in the morning with howls like Arctic dogs, worries about his condition when he is in crisis and lies by his side, Matis has learned to pet her, to observe her. I even asked for animal-assisted help from PCH, I went to discuss this activity in commission at MDPH; they understood that Boréale was very useful to Matis, and they granted us exceptional assistance because Boréale is not certified, but she has had sled dog training... It wasn't a dream, but just like in a dream, the story continues with BOBO! (Sophie, Matis's mom, winter 2011)

The sled ride ends here! For those feeling frustrated, curious, or passionate, I still have a great address for you to quench your thirst for snow and dogs: Musher Experience.

I recently discovered Bastien's blog: you will learn a lot about this universe. Attention aspiring mushers: he offers a free ebook with lots of great tips to become a musher!

With that, no more excuses; we'll all meet at The Great Odyssey next year