Jamaican dogsled team mushers Devon Anderson, Damion Robb and Newton Marshall pose with sled dogs Sky Sky and Pinky in the summer of 2007. Robb, along with trainer Ken Davis, will be travelling to Kearney this weekend to participate in their annual dogsled races.
KEARNEY — Just try and imagine a Jamaican dogsled team.
Try and keep a straight face.
That’s the beauty of the successful-but-unlikely newcomer to the northern winter sport, says coach Ken Davis. “When anyone thinks of the Jamaican dogsled team they have to laugh or smile.”
The sound of laughter was likely familiar to founder Danny Melville when he dreamt up the team, to be based in a country most Canadians visit to escape the harsh winter climes.
Melville was shopping for dunebuggies in Edmonton for his Jamaican-based adventure tour business, when he came across a mysterious metal contraption at the corner of the store.
He was told it was a dry-land dog sled, for training when there was no snow.
That’s where this Jamaican dogsled team began.
Melville recruited his first soon-to-be musher, Devon Anderson, a Jamaican man who had never seen snow, let alone a dog sled. Melville shipped him to Scotland to train under renowned coach Alan Stewart.
Soon the unlikely pair had donned their flip-flops and shorts back in Jamaica and were training on dry-land.
Albeit with no traditional sled dogs.
Instead, they used strays rescued from the Jamaican Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals; dogs of every breed and shape.
Soon the Jamaican dogsled team was making quite a name for itself, but Melville realized that to succeed, his thriving team needed more attention and financial assistance.
Then Jimmy Buffett comes into the story.
Yes, the famed tropically-inspired country singer.
As the team’s official website puts it, Melville and Buffett were “wasting away in Margaritaville” in Montego Bay, and in between gulps, Melville told the star about his plans.
Buffett apparently thought the team idea was as cool, perhaps even cooler, than the frozen drinks he famously sings about.
His Margaritaville chain became the team’s official sponsor.
After that, the Jamaican dogsled team went on to do well in several major events.
Meanwhile, in the background, a young Jamaican named Damion Robb had been working for Melville’s adventure tour business.
With his love for animals and interest in the dogsled team, Robb was included in the training program Davis provided while he was working with the team in Jamaica.
“Robb was initially a helper,” Davis said. “He was in the background and did the chores.”
But he was called up in mid-2007, flying to Davis’ home state of Minnesota from September to mid-November to begin his formal training.
After his preliminary schooling in the art of mushing, Robb was entered into three dry-land races.
If Robb had placed eighth at any of the races, Davis said he would have been “ecstatic.” If he had placed fifth, Davis said he would be “wowed.”
Robb took home a second, a third and a first place finish from the dry-land races.
Such a stellar beginning to a racing career is “very uncommon,” Davis said. “What helped him is…he had some good dogs.”
But Robb’s natural talent did come into play, he added. “Quite frankly, it’s more than just standing on the thing (sled).”
With several wins under his belt, Robb looked toward facing a new challenge — competing in snow.
After going home for Christmas, Robb return to Davis’ tutelage for “sledding 101.”
Robb already knew the basics of mushing, Davis said. “The only thing he had to get used to — he’d never seen snow or been in the cold.”
After some initial tumbles, Robb was able to keep his sled upright.
His first snow competitions were at Kinross, Michigan, Kalkaska, Michigan and Haliburton. He placed seventh, 10th and 11th, respectively.
Davis was speaking from the road, heading to the team’s fourth competition of the new year, in Land O’ Lakes, Wisconsin.
This weekend, Davis, Robb and the team will be at the Kearney Dog Sled Races, where Robb will compete.
Race organizer Lisa Houliston met up with the team during their visit to Haliburton, and reports that they are “a really great bunch of guys…you can feel the excitement coming from them.”
Kearney’s been abuzz with word that the Jamaican dogsled team will be visiting their 14th annual race — a special event due to the town’s centennial anniversary this year.
In fact, the team’s been garnering attention from many sources — from the Rick Mercer report to community newspapers.
Robb’s become a celebrity in his own right.
“We go to gas stations and people ask him to sign autographs,” Davis said.
The attention the team gets is doing great things for dogsledding, he added. “It’s fantastic for the sport…It’s been very positive for me and fellow mushers think it’s great as well.”
He added that Robb isn’t just a novelty, but has gained the respect of other mushers on the circuit.
See how Robb stacks up against competition this weekend at the Kearney Dog Sled Races. They run Feb. 8 to 10 with plenty of racing action, as well as fun community events. Check out www.kearneydogsled.com for a full schedule of events.
Keep track of the Jamaican dogsled team’s progress on their blog, www.jamaicadogsled.blogspot.com.
Editorial
