Club History—1932 Olympics

Elimination for Olympics at Wonalancet

(This article was published 1974 in the 50th Anniversary club booklet)

20 New England Teams to Race for Chance in Olympics at Lake Placid—PLANS LAID TO MAKE RACE BEST EVENT OF SEASON

If present plans mature, Sunday, January 31, will be a big day at Wonalancet. On that day the Olympic sled dog elimination races will be held and about twenty teams will compete. The winning teams will represent New England at Lake Placid on Feb. 6-7 when they will meet teams from Canada and the north west states. The elimination races will attract many people to Wonalancet on that day. The state Highway Department will make a special effort to see that the road is well plowed ant the Motor Vehicle Department will send officers to handle the traffic. The Boston and Maine Railroad has extended a special round trip rate from Boston to Mount Whittier of $2.75 on that day and it is planned to have a fleet of trucks transport the people from the train to Wonalancet and then back to the train again. A real cold fashioned barbecue will be served to feed the crowd. Many notables will be present, including Governor Winant, several of Admiral Byrd’s sled dog drivers and ski experts. If the weather man is kind and furnishes suitable snow, the elimination races should prove to be one of the high points of the winter season in the north country. Next week a full and detailed account of the program will be published.

(Source: The Carroll County Independent, January 22, 1932)

Emile St. Goddard, winner of the Lake Placid Olympics Demonstration race.

The New England Sled Dog Club had 20 entries for the Olympic Tryouts. All members of the New England Sled Dog Club were allowed to enter, but the rules stated that they must hold a record of a minimum elapsed time of two years standing in a three day championship race; together with a 60% racing record annually. Three judges with split second watches were appointed. The race of three days started from Wonalancet Farm over Lower Mountain Pass to McCrilles Trail to Whiteface Intervale, through Sandwich Covered Bridge onto Brown Circuit Road and return—a total of twenty-five miles.

The first two places were to enter the Olympics at Lake Placid in February, 1932. The Chinook Kennel Team #1 placed first in the tryouts, and the Mosely Taylor #1 team placed second. Through the Olympic Committee, Mrs. Milton Seeley, paying her own expenses raced her Alaskan Malamute team in the Lake Placid Olympic Demonstration.

THE 1932 OLYMPICS DEMONSTRATION RACE RESULTS

(courtesy of Bob L.)

The race took place February 6 and 7. Contestants started at three minute intervals. The trail was 25.1 miles long. The governing bodies were the New England Sled Dog Club, Inc (President – Moseley Taylor, Boston) and the Demonstration Dog Derby Committee.

Video of the 1932 Winter Olympics Sled Dog Competition, courtesy of John Shields, Saranac Lake, NY (6.7MB, MPG4 format)

Results