THE SEPPALA SIBERIAN SLEDDOG STANDARD 1995 states: "It is an exceptional general purpose arctic sleddog capable of serving a variety of purposes, such as freighting, rapid long-distance dogsled transport, sleddog racing (whether long-distance, middle distance, or short-distance), passenger touring, recreational dogsledding, skijoring and dog packing." Such is the Standard's description of the versatility that the SSSD is expected to demonstrate.
THE LAST TWENTY-FIVE YEARS of Seppala history have seen an intense concentration on middle-distance heat-style racing with Seppalas. There is no denying that Seppalas perform exceptionally well in that mode of racing. But racing modes are subject to change; dogsled racing has its fads and fashions. Before the establishment of the Iditarod Trail race in the 1970s there had been no long-distance dogsled racing at all for over half a century, since the suspension of the All-Alaska Sweepstakes in 1917. Seppala Siberians performed exceptionally well in the AAS, but when that purpose became obsolete, Seppalas nevertheless continued to be very useful for other purposes.
(SEPALLEO and ZIRCONIA OF S-A at lead)
THERE APPEARS TO BE a persistent effort to make Seppalas into one-trick ponies. The latest manifestation of that effort was the so-called "Purebred Sleddog Crown" funded by Continental Kennel Club with a US$5000 purse; it was exclusively oriented toward heat-style middle-distance racing. Current notions of "race-proving" appear to be narrowly focussed on that one specialisation.
SEPPALAS ARE CAPABLE of more than that, we think. They definitely have a far wider appeal to the general public. We believe Seppalas are ideally suited to the recreational dog driver, due to their docility, their co-operativeness, and their highly bonded, affectionate nature. To categorise these dogs narrowly as heat-style middle-distance specialists would be an unnecessary waste of their versatile capabilities. It is impossible, in any case, to create a permanent breed population upon so narrow a basis. The attitude that the only worthwhile Seppalas are middle-distance race winners is mere jock elitism, another manifestation of the "Olympics mentality."
THE DAY WILL COME when there are no more heat-style middle-distance races. Even now, the European-style "stage races" are becoming popular on the North American continent; this may be the wave of the future in dogsled racing. We have proved repeatedly to ourselves and to others that Seppalas are quite capable of handling freighting and passenger touring functions. For every serious middle-distance racer there are scores, if not hundreds, of recreational mushers. We feel these people who drive dogs for pleasure deserve something better than show-dogs, pet stock, or Alaskan Husky culls. We shall continue to take our stand on the sleddog versatility of Seppala Siberian Sleddogs!
