A couple of years ago we posted a Discovery Channel video under the title 'The Iditarod Race', but as a matter of fact the video can only be found under the title Siberian Husky Classics (2'57") in the section the Discovery Channel devotes to the race on its site.
In the video, we can get an insight into the Siberian Huskies, which are compared to the Alaskan Huskies.
Self-study activity:
Watch the clip and complete the gaps in the sentences with the missing information. You can check the answers by reading the transcript below.
The activity is suitable for intermediate students.
1 Alaskan huskies weigh about ...
2 Alaskan huskies are known for ...
3 Siberians need ... food than Alaskans.
4 Siberians have better ... than Alaskans, so they have less injuries.
5 For Carol Preble, the advantage of a team of Syberian huskies is that they ... safe.
6 Eskimos believe that blue-eyed dogs can see ...
Most of today’s slimmer racing dogs are called Alaskan huskies, a mix of many breeds including the Malamude Siberian and wolf. They weigh about 50 pounds and are bred for speed, temperament and endurance. But they aren’t the only breed on the trail. Karen Ramstead mushes a team of pure bred Siberian huskies.
This breed is my passion. I came to dog sled racing because of the dogs, the race is just a product of that rather than the dogs being a product of my desire to race.
These dogs are tanks, known for their tough bodies and strong force. The Siberian husky is the traditional sled dog.
Most of my mushers in the race are here to win and you know you can’t do it with a team of Siberian huskies.
Siberians were bred as hunting companions. They have the advantage of needing 25% less food that the Alaskans. The Siberian husky and the Alaskan husky each have their own unique skills.
My dog team is all pure bred Siberian huskies as opposed to the Alaskan huskies that most of the drivers use but in reality these have been proven to be slower than the modern racing dog, the Alaskan husky. And there’s not a lot of us that still get them out on the thread, on the racing trails, although there’s a lot of people that love them and use them recreationally.
One of the advantages of a pure race Alaskan husky is that they tend to be better feet that the Alaskan huskies.
Feet are the foundation to any good sledge dog. The compact foot of the Siberian makes them less prone to injury, but booties and oilment are still valuable tools.
We’re starting to get to the point of the race where, you know, their feet have had enough dings and veins that I’m booting most of them, I think I came in with six or seven bootied but certainly not in higher teams like you see in the last contested drivers.
Karen’s special team draws fans from around the world.
I’m Carol Preble, I’m from Rango Illinois. I’m right here watching the forest Syberian husky teams, one of the being Karen Ramstead. I’m a traditionalist. It’s kind of like a classic car. You just, you’ve got to have the classics. And they’re not as fast as the Alaskans but they’re gonna get you there and you gonna get home safe.
I don’t know, I think you can get the most of your team and the dogs you have, have a great adventure and… That’s a successful race. As Eskimos used to believe, blue-eyed dogs can see the wind, and they are more valuable sledge dogs.
And it’s this ancient mystique that makes the pure Syberian a sacred part of the Iditarod trail.
You can read some more details about this year's race in this Gadling article, and this is the race's official website.