By Emily Stonehouse
When you type the word “dogsled” into the Haliburton Highlands Digital Archives, a free online portal that provides access to thousands of past community newspapers, there are nearly 400 hits.
Nearly all of them include Winterdance Dogsled Tours. Run by Tanya McCready and her husband and co-owner, Hank DeBruin, the couple have put Haliburton County on the map in the world of dogsledding.
And out of those nearly 400 hits featuring dogsledding, a large portion are dedicated to the well-known Haliburton Highlands Dogsled Derby.
20 years ago, some would recall that the derby took place right through the village of Haliburton, with racers dashing across an icy Head Lake. Due to the unpredictable nature of freezing temperatures, the race was then moved to the Rail Trail, before eventually settling in at Pinestone Resort and Conference Centre.
The races drew swarms of visitors to the area, with up to 100 teams alone participating, and hundreds of others coming out to cheer on those involved. In 2008, Canadian television personality Rick Mercer visited the Pinestone to participate in the derby, showcasing the event to viewers across the country.
But the momentum quickly faded when the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020. Public safety protocols put a halt on any offerings that encouraged large gatherings, and like many organized events, the derby was put on pause. “When we cancelled the event that first year, it was never intended to be done forever,” said McCready. “The mushers have been asking for it every year.”
And this year, their wish has been granted. In partnership with Pinestone once again, Winterdance will be welcoming dogs and racers from around the world on January 24 and 25 to Haliburton County.
“We could not be happier to be working with Hank and Tanya and the whole Winterdance team for the return of the Dogsled Derby,” said Collin Burke, the creative director of Pinestone. “We look forward to welcoming the participants and spectators for what I’m sure will be a very exciting, fun filled weekend.”
McCready noted that mushers appreciate the opportunity to have a place to stay during the race weekend. “They have all loved the event since we moved it to Pinestone,” she said.
The derby has deep roots wound throughout the county as a whole. Some would recall the derby running through Minden, before the owners of Winterdance had even moved to the region. Once volunteers and opportunities became limited in Minden, the event shuffled to Haliburton, with the Winterdance team taking the lead. McCready shared that the original iterations of the event in Haliburton were supported greatly by the committee members of the Minden derby, and efforts were made to carry on the local tradition with honour and respect.
The two-day event allows for a number of races, with everything from kids sledding to multiple miles tackled by a powerful team of dogs. “The public is more than welcome to watch,” said McCready, sharing that in the past, buses of photographers and visitors have joined in on the fun. “It’s amazing how many people come from outside the county, and it’s totally free for spectators.”
With limited professional races available in the province, the Haliburton Highlands Dogsled Derby draws hundreds of teams to the site. With this in mind, for the first year ever, McCready is looking at implementing an online registration system, to ease the process for participants.
More information will be shared as the event draws closer. But for now, McCready and her team are ready to bring back the longstanding Haliburton Highlands tradition. “Here we are,” she chuckled. “We’re coming back, and we’re so excited.”
