The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1923-03-01
THE DOG DERBY

THE DOG DERBY
Ashton's Dog Derby was a greater
success this year than last. More
people attended, more dogs. raced
and the press of the nation gave it
more notice.
Smoky CASTOR won first money,
5000; "Tud' Kent won second,
$500; Olcott Earn, third, $3.50; Will
lam Pitcher fourth, SIS; 'Lyd"
Hutchinson came in fifth, running
beside her team, and pressing her
hand on her waist line indicating
that she had pain in her side. Her
smile was gone, her parkha (mantle)
was missing and she looked very
tired.
"Lyd" was appointed to deliver
the $500 to Smoky CASTOR, after
the judges decision, and as she did
so, she kissed him. 1t is said that
Smoky" hardly noticed the $500
because of the greater prize-the
kiss. The spectators, observing this,
called to her to repeat the gift that
was so much appreciated, and she
did with emphasis and gusto.
Clara Colwell, a fifteen-year old
school girl, who made the race, came
in tired and with tired dogs, but not
! so collapsed as some others.
w. C. Trude, Of the famous Trude
ranch, pulled out of the race after
the second lap, his dogs not having
been trained long enough to finish
and he was heavy himself. Olcott
Earn, a sixteen-year old boy, slight
built and active, made fine race due
to good team and his light weight.
The winner made the run of
twenty-five miles in 2 hours, 9 min
utes, 50 seconds.
Attendance Increasing
The Oregon Short Line operated
two special trains and one regular
train from Pocatello and a special
from Victor, and landed 1862 people
into Ashton, an increase of 645 over
the 1922 excursion. There we're
three pullman sleepers loaded out of
Salt Lake and Ogden, that went thru
on the regular train. One train OF
ten coaches went up from Pocatello
and commenced loading at Idaho
Falls, and went into Ashton packed.
Another train of ten coaches started
loading at PocatellO and when they
reached Blackfoot, nearly all the
seats were taken, and people kept
getting on all the way to Ashton.
The weather was perfect, and when
the main races were over, and the
regular train of three coaches ap-
peared on its way down the road, SO
many people assembled at the depot,
the management increased the train
to eleven cars and packed them all.
Another train of thirteen cars left
at O'Clock and the other special
left at midnight.
The management and operation
was very satisfying to the visitors.
They stopped at every switch and
beet dump where anybody wanted
them to, everything was done on
schedule time and nobody was hurt.
The officials and train crews
mingled with the passengers in the
most neighborly fashion and one
would think the people owned the
road and were running it to suit
themselves
! Not very many people drove in
rom the Ashton country to see the
races, probably not more than a
thousand They had all seen dog
races in other years, and it is likely
the novelty had worn off, Some OF
the visitors had been at some of the
previous races, but comments for the
most part indicated that the visitors
enjoyed the day and were glad they
went, but once was enough to satisfy
them. Next year there will be others
who have not seen such sport and
will want to attend. Dog races are
new to most people in this country,
and altho we have published cOns1d-
cradle about them recently, few
more features can be given to correct
some things already said and to
cover some omissions.
How They Race
Dogs are harnessed In the sledges
very much like horses, in single file
or in double file with spike leader.
They wear little collars very much
like the horse collar only more
nearly round, to fit the shape OF the
neck. There are no lines, and the
driver carries whip or wand OF
some kind and controls the team
by shouting to them. One OF
the difficulties of the races is that
the dogs are trained without the
presence of the crowd and the pres
ence of thousands of people at the
derby brings ABOUT new SiIud.ion
for them at the critical time and they
are liable to bolt or turn around or
in various ways make delay. The
scrub dog is more likely to do some
thing unexpected than the well bred
one.
A dog derby is not important from
the utility side, for dogs are not the.
coming" means of transportation.
On the contrary they are passing
means, aside from the Arctic regions.
but dogs performed great service
Turing the war, and won new places
rs the comrades of men in great
struggles, and their service in the
gold rushes of the north twenty
vears ago was great stride in dog
lom that brought nothing to the
logs except toll and hardships, suf-
ering, sacrifice and death for their
masters sakes.
doo ono Of tho wonders of