YOLANDA's career reached its pinnacle in the 2001/02 season when she served as a very strong partner and backup to half-Alaskan HOPPY OF SEPPALA, easily keeping pace with a very eager and impulsive younger leader, serving as a calming and steadying influence on him in a demanding and difficult series of 20 and 30-mile runs through our chain of hinterland lakes and portages. In those runs with a strong young leader who didn't always have his commands down pat, YOLANDA not only had to put her thinking cap on, but also proved that she could handle sustained speed pressure.
Unfortunately it's the strong command leaders who get the lion's share of the respect and attention both from the driver and from the world outside. The truth is, though, that steady, reliable backup leaders like Landy, even if they don't know commands or have the fortitude for up-front decision making, are indispensable to a smoothly functioning training routine. Yolanda has done yeoman's service at Seppala Kennels, both at lead and as a very strong and reliable point dog. She is ten now and her career is drawing to a close except as a puppy-trainer, but we remain grateful to Yolanda for her years of uncomplaining steady work in the front ends of our teams.
