JUST WHAT IS AN IKIDAROD?

By Cheryl Loper, Silver Hollow Samoyeds, Yelm, WA

.....In 1996, the Samoyed Club of Washington State hosted the SCA National. Our Trophy Chairman was Cheri Hollenback. Cheri lived with her three Sammies in Olympia, WA. and worked at St. Peters Hospital as a Director of Nursing. Cheri participated as much as she could in the different working venues with her Sammies.

.....As many hospitals do, St. Peters Hospital had a lot of cutbacks in 1995/96; Cheri’s job was one of them. In trying to find another job, Cheri’s search took her back to her hometown of Spokane, WA and the Children’s Shriners Hospital. Cheri is now the Director of Patient Care Services at Shriners and one of the activities they do with the outpatients is riding in bass boats in the summer. Many of the children have limited mobility, and riding in these boats are one of the first experiences these kids have with “speed.” Such an understanding hospital,Cheri‘s new employers were kind enough to allow her to start work in August and then return to us here in Puyallup in October for a week to host the National.

.....Cheri’s wheels are always turning in her head, and in 1997 Steve Madsen (Ski Dreamin’ Samoyeds), and Cheri were discussing the “kids” at one of our Sammy club snow outings. Cheri said she needed a winter activity for the outpatients and suggested the whole bunch of us take our teams and give sled rides. Get a bunch of mushers together, load up the kids and bring them to the snow and dogs! What better breed to introduce the kids to— Sammies! The “Ikidarod” became a reality in the winter of 1997.

.....The Chief of Staff at Shriners owned a 600–acre tree farm about an hour North of Spokane in the higher elevation. Most winters had snow for at least 2 months. Cheri put out the word to the mushing community and that first year 3 teams of Sammies and 3 Malamute and 2 Siberian teams made a lot of special needs kids very happy.

.....In l998 the Ikidarod had to be canceled because of lack of snow. However, in l999 the teams had increased along with the riders. This year, 2000, found 14 teams of Sams, Siberians, and Malamutes giving over 175 rides on a course a mile long to a bunch of happy kids.

.....If you have never experienced the Shriners, you have not experienced some of the most unselfish folks in the world. The Shriners come out to the site, clear a parking area and staging area for the event. They become pyromaniacs and haul in tons of wood and build a huge bonfire. Hotdogs, chili, chips and hot cocoa are served. The kids and volunteers are given shirts designed for each Ikidarod. This year, the theme was “Miracles on Four Feet”. They have a warming tent set up, and bus the kids’ to the site in their colorful Shriners Bus. The bus accommodates wheel chairs, crutches and special needs.

.....The site becomes something akin to the real Iditarod, with the mushers staging their rigs and staking out the dogs. The din is deafening. Somehow the dogs just know it is not an ordinary race. Kids are given bicycle helmets and a number. The mushers line up the teams and take on their rider.

.....My husband, Steve Loper, of Silver Hollow Samoyeds, took his team of six Sammies this year. This was Steve’s second Ikidarod, being a veteran of the first one. Steve got down on one knee to talk to his first rider, a young boy, who had the look of fear on his face. He told his rider that the dogs were excited and that everything would be okay! Steve told the skeptical rider the names of the dogs and that they would take care of him. He said if they hit a bump and turned over that it was just snow and it wouldn’t hurt.

.....The first part of the trail was straight up through the small trees. The little boy was holding on for dear life! They reached the top where at the same time the trail banked and they passed a small pump house. The dogs cut it close and caused the sled to rise up on one runner and go airborne for 5 seconds. Steve controlled the sled so they wouldn’t dump or hit the pump house! The look of fear on the boy’s face became a huge smile as he shouted, “Aww right!!!” In fact, all of the riders came back across the finish line with grins ear to ear. Some of the kids, who were to get only one ride per kid, snuck back in line and went out again! Who were we to tell them no!

.....One family had two boys signed up. One held the other and the brothers got the ride of their life! Upon their return, we noticed one of the wheel dogs trying to lick the littlest ones foot as his snowboot had fallen off. When I went to replace the boot on the now giggling little boy, I had to turn the boot almost upside-down to make it fit the crooked little foot. With tears in my eyes I patted the Sammy that knew the little boy was special.

.....Veteran Ikidarod mushers who had several Ikidarods’ under their belts, had special cushions in their baskets and blankets for the kids. Some had sleeping bags.

.....One little girl, who must spend her life tied to a backboard, was able to be put in a toboggan sled, have her backboard tied to the stantions and “hiked” into the wilderness! When she returned it was a bit of work to “tie” her to another sled, but “tie” we did, and away she went!

.....Somehow, with all the gorgeous sled dogs there, the Sammies were a hit (do you doubt it?). Several assistants of the Shriners came around to the staging areas and gave all the dogs biscuits. All the kids went home with a Polaroid of themselves and the team they rode with. Cheri had her guys harnessed up for individual photo opportunities and the Shriners Photo Club took some wonderful shots of the event.

.....You can put working titles on your dogs, show them in conformation, let them sleep in your beds, and lie on your couches, but to see them light up the face of a child who has limited physical abilities is the best gift that these dogs can give and the best work that they do!

This article originally appeared in HEARTBeats, the newsletter of the Heart of America Samoyed Club.  Our thanks to them for permission to reprint here, and to Cheryl for all her work writing it!