In a world dominated by participants from winter sports countries such as Austria and Norway, Stefan and Ilse Donker from Veldhoven are comfortably at the top. The people of Brabant, who have been involved with sled dogs since they were young, won an international sled dog race in Norway last weekend. Stefan became enthusiastic about sled dogs as a child through a television series. His wife was introduced to the hobby at a young age thanks to her parents.
Stefan and Ilse’s dogs run enthusiastically across a muddy field behind their house on the outskirts of Veldhoven. Snow is hard to find here and is becoming increasingly rare in the Netherlands anyway. To pursue their hobby, the couple has to drive further and further. While in the past they could practice in the snow in Winterberg, Germany, nowadays they have to go all the way to Norway. “There is less and less snow in Central Europe due to climate change,” says Stefan.
Last weekend they won first prize in a sled dog race in Norway. “The other participants from typical winter sports countries were quite surprised that the Dutch won the competition, but there is no envy in the sled dog hobby, so it was a given,” says Stefan. He and Ilse can now slow down for a while. It was the last sled dog race of this winter season.
“We’re trying to create the ultimate sporting dog.”
The couple from Veldhoven has been crazy about sled dogs from an early age. This is not about huskies as many people think, but about a mix of dog breeds. “What we are actually trying to do is to create the ultimate sporting dog. That is why we work with different breeds. We select on health, social behavior and speed and that is what this mix has resulted in.” The dogs are kept top fit through proper nutrition and training.
In the Netherlands, training takes place with a cart that is pulled through the sand, due to a lack of snow. “This makes the dogs strong, because they have a lot of resistance,” says Stefan. Social behavior of the dogs is important in dog sled racing, because together they have to walk 10 to 20 kilometers per day at an average speed of 30 kilometers per hour.
“It is important that the dogs are kind to each other.”
“My daughter can just walk in here and feed them. It is important that they are kind to each other, kind to people and certainly also kind to other dogs during competitions,” says Stefan. The love for the sled dogs shines through: “There are actually three things that are very important to us. That is working with the dogs, being in nature and thus ending up in the most beautiful places in Europe,” says Stefan.
The prize they won last weekend in Norway is modest. A traditional Norwegian chalice for serving drinks. But it’s mainly about enjoying the hobby. For the time being, the dogs no longer have to pull a sled. The next championships are scheduled for February next year, again in Norway. Until then, training will take place on sandy soils in Brabant.