Streeper wins trophy in Prince Albert Winter Festival

Photo by Matt Gardner

Fort Nelson, B.C. musher Blayne Streeper holds up the trophy he won for placing first in the Prince Albert Winter Festival Annual 10-Dog Race over the weekend.
Streeper previously won the same event in 2003 and 2006.

Prince Albert Daily Herald
Matt Gardner
A prominent musher from Fort Nelson, B.C., has won the Prince Albert Winter Festival Annual 10-Dog Sled Race for the third time.
Blayne Streeper and his sled dog team came in first in the event on Sunday afternoon, beating out approximately 26 other teams. Streeper previously won the 10-dog race in 2003 and 2006.
“I knew the dogs were running real well, and if they kept up their strength and their endurance, I knew it would be a good run and I’d have a tough team to beat,” the veteran racer said.
“So they did their job and they did it really well, and we were able to come out on top.”
Streeper, 31, grew up with sled dog racing. His father was involved with the sport for four decades, and the two men are currently the owners and operators of Streeper Kennels in Fort Nelson.
The sled dog team with which Streeper won this year’s race are specifically bred for that purpose.
“They’re racing dogs,” he said. “They’re professional athletes. They are bred, raised and trained with the purpose of competing in races like the Prince Albert Winter Festival.
Blayne Streeper and his sled dog team crossed the finish line on Sunday’s 10-dog race, which marked Streeper’s third time winning the annual winter festival event. The Fort Nelson, B.C. musher previously won the 10-dog race in 2003 and 2006.
“It’s their job, they love doing it and I love working with them.”
Streeper’s first-place finish was partly the result of a decision to change strategy halfway through. During the first part of the race on Saturday, he found himself falling behind in the rankings.
Deciding a course correction was necessary, he tried a new approach on Sunday and came from far behind to clinch an impressive victory.
“Yesterday I tried a different strategy with the mass start,” Streeper said after his win. “I tried to go out real fast and get to the front.
“Well, it didn’t work. So today I went with a different strategy. I held them back, let everybody go and then I came from behind.
“I actually passed 25 teams today to get into first place, and the dogs did really well.”
Following their victory, Streeper and his canine team have no plans to let up anytime soon.
They are currently training for the Canadian Championship Dog Derby in Yellowknife, a 150-mile race over Great Slave Lake. Streeper is tied for the most career wins ever in this competition, and hopes to set a new record when he competes there in March.
Nevertheless, he is already planning his return to the Prince Albert Winter Festival.
“Next year’s the 50th anniversary, and we’re already starting to talk about it, about the excitement that’s going to be building, because they want to do something a little bit more special next year,” Streeper said. “So we’re looking forward to coming back.”