WAWOTA - Garrick Schmidt from Eagle Ridge Sled Dog Kennel works with his canine team daily.
Schmidt currently has 42 dogs, including a two-week-old litter of puppies. Typically, he runs teams with 10-14 dogs per team, depending on the race or event.
Schmidt recalls his introduction to sled dog teams. He was 10 or 12 years old when he and his mother visited Nancy Dragon of Indian Head. He was wide-eyed and ready to race his own Siberian husky when he fell in love with the whole idea of sled dogs and mushing.
Dragon inspired him in his youth. He ran his own husky year-round with a canicross, a belt with a bungee leash.
As a young educator, Schmidt joined forces with a mentor Kevin Lewis. Lewis ran a dogsled team in Saskatchewan and he met with school students to encourage the importance of getting outdoors.
The two men formed a friendship and further developed Schmidt’s love of the sport. Lewis offered Schmidt a chance to purchase dogs and sleds of his own to outfit his entry into the world of mushing.
Schmidt has been involved with mushing for the past five winters. He has run his own team for the past four years. Schmidt works for the Métis Nation Saskatchewan as a land-based educator at the White Bear Education Complex.
The two roles blend nicely together. He educates youth of both Indigenous and non-Indigenous backgrounds about the traditional use of dogs.
Schmidt is the lead of the Eagle Ridge Sled Dog Kennel. He recently moved to the Wawota area and is excited to share the joy and adventure of the sled dog experience with the area. It is a full-time commitment to care for, nurture and train the dogs to mush. He and his wife Meagan, along with their family friends, the Mondors, spend hours a day working with the entire kennel.
The Mondor family has become a huge part of the Schmidts’ lives. Dexter is the kennel handler for races and events. Their children also put in hours with the dogs. Monroe Mondor, known as Musher Moe, shares a large part of the care and training with Schmidt. Mondor races a team from the kennel in various competitions along with Schmidt.
Their next big race is the Canadian Challenge in La Ronge in February. The two mushers are training for separate events. Mondor will race a team of eight dogs on a two-day, 100-mile race, while Schmidt is set to race a 200-mile, two-day event with 10 dogs.
They are both required to stop for mandatory rests, camp the night with their respective teams and complete the run the next day. Both mushers plan to compete in the Under Dog 100 in Yellowknife in March 2024. They will run six dogs each with mandatory rests and an overnight campout.
The Schmidts and Mondors held a meet and greet in Wawota this past weekend. The event was a success with people coming and going. They are grateful for the warmth and support that the community and area have shown them. Numerous sponsors and individuals have supported their tireless efforts and passion for this sport, for which they are grateful.
Schmidt is planning to enter a number of races in order to qualify for the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race in Alaska in the next three to four years. You can follow his kennel and news on social media under Eagle Ridge Sled Dog Kennel.
Eagle Ridge Sled Dog Kennel runs the groomed ski-doo trails in Moose Mountain Provincial Park throughout the winter. Schmidt offers rides and discussions about the sport and the joy of outdoor living. He also offers full-moon Moonlit Tours across the ice on Kenosee Lake. Watch for news and posts on social media for this experience.
