"I've been involved in dog sports for 21 years, starting when I was just ten years old. It's safe to say that having dogs is in my blood. Over the last six and a half years, I've bred three litters. My current team is composed of dogs I've imported, rescued, purchased, or bred myself. Many New Zealand Mushers (someone who rides in a sled behind a team of sled dogs) operate with Pure Bred Siberian Husky Teams or a mix of rehomed or rescued dogs such as Alaskan Huskies and pointer/hound type dogs, sometimes with a touch of Siberian Husky. However, nearly any dog can be trained if they have the desire to run, the ability to keep warm, and, most importantly, the trainability to work as a team and follow commands, such as stopping when required, taking turns, or adjusting their speed.

My sixteen dogs are a mix of New Zealand Heading dogs (bred for herding tasks), border collies, mixed breeds, and most recently, an Alaskan husky. These lighter-framed, single-coat dogs, mostly weighing between 18 kg and 25 kg, perform better in New Zealand conditions. But it's essential to train and run them according to the conditions to avoid overheating them. Historically, Arctic dogs were bred to run and pull over long distances.

My dogs are athletes, capable of running at speeds of 23–25 km per hour for distances ranging between 6 and 8 km, so their nutrition needs to support this performance.

Diet is, and I can't emphasise this enough, vital for sled dogs. In the lead-up to a race, they need substantial nourishment. However, I cut back slightly just before the race to prevent them from having too much in their stomachs. My dogs are fed a mixed diet, primarily premium New Zealand-grown grass-fed beef with some mutton, complemented by a performance kibble.

I’m a dairy farmer, and I take immense pride in our premium exported products, including our animals designated for beef production. The rewards of a champion team reflect the care and effort we invest in our animals."