The Fan Hitch Volume 2, Number 2  February 2000

Newsletter of the Inuit Sled Dog

Table of Contents

Editorial: 
The Bigger Picture
*
Featured Inuit Dog Owner: 
Paul Landry
*
Book Reviews:
On Thin Ice
Of Dogs and Men
*
Poem: Brave Little Heart
*
Janice Howls: 
Hypothyroid Disease
*
Fan Hitch Contributor Receives Writing Award
*
Expedition News: 
The Thule 2000
*
In My Humble Opinion: 
Traditional Advice
*
Updates:
The Nunavut Quest 2000
Ihe ISDVMA Meeting


Navigating This Site

Index of articles by subject

Index of back issues by volume number

Search The Fan Hitch


Articles to download and print

Ordering Ken MacRury's Thesis

Our comprehensive list of resources

Talk to The Fan Hitch

The Fan Hitch home page

ISDI home page



Editor's/Publisher's Statement
              Editor: Sue Hamilton
              Webmaster: Mark Hamilton
The Fan Hitch Website and Publications of the Inuit Sled Dog– the quarterly Journal (retired in 2018) and PostScript – are dedicated to the aboriginal landrace traditional Inuit Sled Dog as well as related Inuit culture and traditions. 

PostScript is published intermittently as material becomes available. Online access is free at: https://thefanhitch.org  PostScript welcomes your letters, stories, comments and The editorial staff reserves the right to edit submissions used for publication.

Contents of The Fan Hitch Website and its publications  are protected by international copyright laws. No photo, drawing or text may be reproduced in any form without written consent. Webmasters please note: written consent is necessary before linking this site to yours! Please forward requests to Sue Hamilton, 55 Town Line Rd., Harwinton, Connecticut  06791, USA or mail@thefanhitch.org

Fan Hitch Contributor Recognized 
at National Writing Competition!

Thanks to the talents of Janice Dougherty, the Inuit Sled Dog International’s newsletter, the Fan Hitch, is now “running with the big dawgs” in the world of canine literature.  The Dog Writers’ Association of America (DWAA) held its 1999 Awards dinner in New York City on Sunday February 13, 2000.  On hand for the occasion, Janice, one of only three finalists, accepted a Certificate of Nomination for her poem, “Standing Invitation”, which appeared in the Volume 1, Number 4, July 1999 issue of our publication.  Congratulations, Janice, for having your literary talents recognized by this prestigious organization and thanks for bravely representing the interests of the Inuit Sled Dog amongst the pet/show/”cookie-clicker” training attendees! 


UPDATES ON UPCOMING EVENTS

The Nunavut Quest 2000

This is how the magazine Above & Beyond characterized the second running of the race. As of mid January when I spoke to Joeli Qamanirq one of the organizers in Arctic Bay, the event was still a go.  The race will start on March 27th from Pond Inlet.  Each team must have at least 12 dogs pulling a kamotiq in the traditional fan hitch. The teams will not actually go into Iglulik before turning north to end in Arctic Bay.  They will head south, traveling mostly overland, intersecting with the trail that runs between Iglulik and Arctic Bay at which point they will then turn north.  So the approximately 400 mile trail is basically “U” shaped, with the bottom of the “U” still on Baffin Island. The teams are expected to finish the race between April 2nd and 4th at which time there will be a Music Festival in the community with musicians invited from all over Nunavut and Nunavik.  It is not known at this time what events Pond Inlet may be planning for the beginning of the race.  For more information about this event, contact Joeli Qamanirq or Niore Iqalukjuak in Arctic Bay at 867-439-9919. 

The ISDVMA Annual Meeting

It is still too early for details of the International Sled Dog Veterinary Medical Association’s Green Bay meeting in October 19-22, 2000. Many of the organizers are literally out on the trail providing veterinary oversight at races. The (ISD personality) banquet speaker  suggestions  have recently been submitted for consideration to the ISDVMA Board. It will be another month before that is decided.  The meeting is to be held in the Regency Hotel. Expect more details in the next issue of the Fan Hitch.  In the mean time as information becomes available, it will be mounted at the ISDI web site.  You may also visit the ISDVMA web site at <http://www.isdvma.org/> 

The veterinarians involved in the local planning stated, “it would be great to get this working breed group [the ISDI] involved.”  This is a significant opportunity to 1) introduce the ISDVMA to the world of the freighting dog in general and ISD in particular,  2) acquaint ISD enthusiast with the ISDVMA and their talents and, most importantly 3) discuss issues critical to the present and future of the Inuit Sled Dog. 

I am already maintaining a list of those of you who have expressed an interest in going to Green Bay. For those of you who have not already done so, please feel free to contact me, Sue Hamilton, by phone: 860-485-9088, fax 860-404-0418 or e-mail <qimmiq@snet.net>.

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