dog staged (50 km / day / 2 day) race. Held annually on the second weekend in February each year with a 20+ year history. Laconia World Championship Sled Dog Derby — Annual event of the Lakes Region Sled Dog Club in Laconia, New Hampshire that includes several classes of sprint races. The event has been hosted for more than 80 years. Wanaka Sled Dog Festival — Multiple-race event hosted in Cardrona, New Zealand. Held in conjunction with the Kirsty Burn Classic and the Kirsty Burn. Club seasons Organized sprint mushing clubs typically host a series of small races as part of a season of competition. These races often change from one season to another, and are not notable enough on an individual level to warrant separate articles. Affiliated British Sleddog Activities hosts several events annually. The Alaska Dog Mushers Association is the largest sprint sled dog racing club in the world. It operates several races annually, and its season culminates in the Open North American Championship. The British Siberian Husky Racing Association hosts a series of two-day heats each year. Chugiak Dog Mushers host a series of races in and near Chugiak, Alaska annually. The Siberian Husky Club of NSW Inc holds races at several locations in the state of New South Wales, Australia between May and September each year. Sled Dog Racing Breeds The Alaskan Husky is said to be the most popular dog sledding breed. National Geographic says that when looking for qualities in a sled dog, you should look first at their feet. Since the races usually last for a long time, especially in the hard weather conditions, the feet of the dog tend to bear most of the work. Since softer feet don't usually do that well in those conditions and putting booties on dogs slow them down, that is what makes the Alaskan Husky so great at these races. In addition, Alaskan Huskies are mixed-breed, which has been happening for many generations. The breeding focuses on the parts of the huskies that do well for racing: endurance, strength, speed, tough feet, and appetites. Arguably, next to having good feet, the ability to be harnessed and race with a team is the next most important trait for making the Alaska Husky the most popular and best dog sledding breed. References External links European Sled Dog Racing Association International Sled Dog Racing Association International Federation of