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For the eighteenth year, the Kearney Dog Sled Races will take place in the beautiful Ontario Near-North tourist region of the Almaguin Highlands, just north of Muskoka, Ontario. This very popular annual winter event draws spectators and participants from right across Canada and the United States and is important to the area’s tourist-based economy. The Kearney races are the only ones in Ontario that feature sprints, ski-joring, mid- distance and a long distance race. Michael Piraino, co-owner of Northridge Inn & Resort (http://www.northridgeinn.com), a full service four-season North Muskoka resort on Lake Bernard, looks forward to the annual dog sledding event each year. “Major winter events like the Kearney Dog Sled Races benefit the community a great deal because they draw a significant number of visitors to the area and the publicity that surrounds these events boosts public awareness about North Muskoka and all that the area has to offer visitors,” states Piraino.
This year, a record number of dog sled teams will be competing for a combined total of $18,000, the largest prize purse in Kearney Dog Sled Race history. On Friday, February 10th, race weekend starts off with a family-friendly evening skate, bonfire with free hot dogs and hot chocolate. The dog sled races are scheduled for Saturday, February 11th and Sunday, February 12th and include a variety of races for every skill level, such as a 40 mile race, a 6 mile race, a 4 mile race, ski joring and, the always popular, kids and their mutts race. The highlight of the Kearney Races is the gruelling 120 mile unassisted overnight dog sled race, where teams have only a four hour break to rest and feed their dogs. The weekend wraps up on Sunday night with prize presentations and a spaghetti supper.
The Kearney Race weekend is considered to be one of the highlight of the Almaguin Highland’s winter season, because of the wide variety of activities available for visitors and race participants to enjoy, including several special dinners, silent auctions, kid’s activities, volunteer fire department ice rescue demonstrations, giant snow sculptures, and live entertainment. Area businesses, including restaurants, shops, and accommodation providers have come to rely on the increased number of visitors that the race brings to the area.
“Almaguin Highlands has experienced an increase in winter tourism over the past few years due to consistently reliable great snow conditions and popular winter events like the Kearney Dog Sled Races. Our winter resort business has increased substantially as well, as more and more people discover what a great place Muskoka north is for an Ontario winter getaway. Ontario’s Near North tourism area offers visitors some of the best snowmobile trails in the province, as well as remarkable ice-fishing, Nordic ski trails and dog sledding excursions. The beauty of our winter landscape is second to none. Once again, Mother Nature is on our side. We already have a good two foot base of snow on the trails making ideal snow conditions for dog sledding and snowmobiling. We encourage everyone to visit the Almaguin Highlands for the Kearney Dog sled races. It’s a terrific event for the entire family,” says Piraino.
About Northridge Inn & Resort: Located in the Almaguin Highlands, just north of Muskoka, Northridge Inn & Resort is a full service, four-season resort with luxurious accommodations in a private setting. With direct access to miles of groomed snowmobile trails, stunning lake views, gourmet dining, and a wide range of recreational amenities, Northridge Inn has everything to make your Ontario winter resort vacation or romantic couple’s getaway very special, including many exciting value-added accommodation packages. For more information and to book your Muskoka winter getaway at Northridge, please call 705-384-2252 or visit http://www.northridgeinn.com