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The 6 Questions

1 WHO Narragansett Bay Sled Dog Club.

2 WHAT In 1973, a local group of northern-dog lovers formed a recreational sled dog racing club, holding their first official race at West Exeter Baptist Church. Since then, the club has grown to as many as seventy at a time, with members age six to sixty-plus.

3 WHERE The club competes in state parks around the tri-state area. For meets in Rhode Island, the dogs run eight- or ten-mile loops in Arcadia Management Area in Exeter. 

4 WHEN Weather conditions permitting (cold, not too icy), monthly clinics and races are held from late November through March. January 25 marks the next race in Exeter. “We have open practices where people can come down and borrow a rig and try it,” says Nancy Kohler, who has belonged to the club for more than ten years.

5 HOW Three-wheeled carts take the place of sleds when there’s no snow. Mushers can race dogs in teams of one, two, four, six or eight, in junior or adult divisions. The dogs are mostly huskies and husky mixes with an inclination to pull and run. “You hook them up and there’s no stopping them,” says Kohler. “You can see it’s what they’re built to do and love to do.” 

6 WHY In the dreary days of winter, club members relish the chance to get outdoors with their dogs. “You’re meeting people and doing something fun out in the woods with your dog,” says Kohler. “It’s great to see all the dogs running and having a blast.”

By Nicole Maranhas
Photography by Patrick O'Connor