Portrait of mushers, meeting at The Great Odyssey (1/2)

Who are the mushers, what is their life like, and how does one become a musher? Let's take a look at the world of mushers.

For some, this may be the first time you hear this term. For others, you might vaguely recall someone yelling > at their dogs, like one yells > at a horse ...

I asked myself the question: >? >>. And then I found: but of course, it's > to Canadians! Originally, sled drivers would shout, to motivate their team, > ... And this gradually transformed with English into >. Elementary, my dear ...!

Second little info of the day: Henry Kam, creator of The Great Odyssey, proudly shared with me that no, horses were not the first animals in the History of Humanity to transport people, but rather dogs, in the Great North! Dogs 1 - Horses 0!

For a long time, mushers had a very bad reputation: they were seen as loners, outcasts living with their dozens of dogs, rough, bearded, and noisy people. Thanks to The Great Odyssey, this unappealing portrayal has been relegated to the background in favor of a more nuanced and positive approach.

Being a musher is primarily about being passionate: passionate about dogs, snow, sport, the Great North, and Adventure ...

Being a musher also means adopting a certain philosophy: I was struck by the camaraderie and fair play exhibited by the mushers among themselves. It gave me the feeling that this race is first and foremost a story between them and their dogs: reaching the finish line, feeling the joy of the bond with their dogs ... The competition against others comes only after all of that.

Participating in this kind of race is an opportunity to meet people who share the same passions. More than just competitors, they are people with whom to exchange advice and musher anecdotes.

There is no school for this, you always start with one dog. Then you go get your brother the following week. Then since you have two dogs, you think why not four. Ultimately, four or six isn't that much more work ... And that's how you end up with 15 ... Then you say >!

This is the case for Eric Château (whom I will also feature in a musher profile in the second part of the article) who currently has 15 dogs.

Others fell into it when they were young, like Sandrine Muffat who, through her childhood friend, discovered the world of Isabelle Travadon, a great musher for whom she became a handler before flying on her own.

Mushering is physically demanding for both the dogs and the mushers, especially The Great Odyssey, which is compared to doing six times the Mont Blanc!

It takes a lot of time and training to become a musher, and before each major race, the athletes prepare specifically. For instance, Eric underwent cardio and strength training for 6 months, with a personal trainer twice a week. Sandrine, on the other hand, exercises five times a week to prepare, mainly mountain biking.

Half of the races at The Great Odyssey take place at night. Is it more difficult then? I asked the two mushers, who don't seem bothered by the darkness. The dogs have senses that are more developed than ours; they navigate better by smell. And the mushers aren't afraid, equipped with their headlamps.

Sandrine stands out in this male-dominated field, where she makes her place with her pink sled. It's hard to say why few women become mushers.

But despite the under-representation of women, Sandrine does not feel any difference in treatment towards her, and that's a good thing. This 27-year-old musher raced for the first time in 2011 and started at the age of 15. But Sandrine is not just a musher: outside of racing, she works in the restaurant industry.

What I love about this sport is sharing the effort with my dogs.

It's a true feeling of freedom to set out with my dogs and my sled.

Before the start, I am eager to discover new trails. During the race, I enjoy every moment and try to do my best. After the race, I try to reflect on whether I did well or not, and what I should have done to improve!

My relationship with my dogs is based on love and trust.

My lead dog is named Finnmark, after a region in Norway; there is a famous race that takes place there called the >, I had the opportunity to be a handler in 2010 for this race, and it's a wonderful memory. My female lead dog is named Kenya in memory of a wonderful family trip in that beautiful country.

My first dog comes from Isabelle Travadon's kennel (France) and is named Cheyenne; it's with this dog that everything began, and several of the dogs in my team are her offspring.

Les Saisies (next weekend), followed by the French Championships and the World Championship of purebred dogs.

If you enjoyed this musher profile