Meet
Frida Oderstål
17 year old Swedish 4 Dog Sprint Racer
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Frida Oderstål
Frida's Racing Sleddog Team
Gafsele, Sweden, 1987
Gafsele, Sweden
Student |
[click on any photo on
this page to see a larger version]
 |
My team this year. Tina (lead),
Moow (lead),
RiKi's Zeus (wheel)
Funrun's Torben (wheel) |
I'm born in Gafsele the first January 1987. I still live in Gafsele and
love it! I have 4 brothers and one sister. It's only me in my family who have sleddogs. I
work and race for Gafsele SHK, who every year have a big race like Europe Cup race or
something.
In 1998 I start visit Egil & Helen who lived here in Gafsele then. I
really liked it. In the end of the winter I got two dogs (Siberian Husky/Alaskan Husky
crosses) that I trained and just had for fun. The dogs were very old so I got a Hound
(Tina) from Petter Karlsson who now a days is running on my team as leader.
What size kennel do you operate?
I have a kennel made for 15 dogs, but now I have 12 dogs (1 puppy and 1 yearling).
My goal is to have 10 race dogs so I can train one 4-dog team and one 6-dog team.
What are the most important considerations in housing sled dogs?
For me it is important to have insulated doghouses so the shorthaired dogs keep
warm. When it's real cold I have a building with inside doghouse.
Give us an overview of your feeding program.
I feed my dogs with 30% Sportsman's Pride (30/20) and 70% Meat.
What breed(s) do you work with?
I work with crossbreed between German shorthaired pointer, English pointer and
Alaskan/Siberian Husky. I have also a  purebred German shorthaired pointer.
What mental or emotional attributes do you require in your dogs?
I want that my dogs are calm in the kennel.
Tell us about an all time favorite dog or two.
My favorite dog is Tina (50% German shorthaired pointer/ 50% Alaskan
Husky). Tina came to me as a yearling and she was a bit scared and didn't eat. Now days
she is always living inside and hates to be outside. She is one of my best dogs and always
running in lead. Tina is now starting to get older but you can't see that on her. She
loves to play with all dogs.
 What criteria do you use for selecting breeding stock?
When I'm going to breed a dog I look first how they are with other dogs
and things like that.
What method do you use for starting pups?
I always train the puppies to be loose and listen to me when I talk with them. When
I start to train the puppies I always go with a 6-dog team like two old leaders and then
one old dog and one pup, so the puppies are not allowed to run beside each other.
What is the most important thing you look for in a young dog?
When I'm going to choose a youngster, I look how big the youngster is and
if it is my "type" of dog.
Emil sleeping with puppies.
What is the training/racing philosophy of your kennel?
I always train so it is easier (distance) in a race then in training.
Do you have specific training goals for your team(s)?
I don't put any goals when I'm training because it's living things we work
with and the dogs have their good days and their bad days like we do. So every time I'm
out for a training I just hope that the dogs are well and doing their best.
How do you choose which races to enter?
I go to both small and big races. Europe cup races I go to both at home,
Hamar (Norway) and Kiruna. I go to a lot of "time training" and "local
races" and I think that is good for the dogs.
What are your strengths as a racer?
My strengths as a racer are that I look long time if I had a bad time on a
race. It's ok- it is just to look to the next race. DON'T GIVE UP!
What do you consider your weaknesses, if any?
I don't have any weaknesses. Maybe I'm too nice! 
Do you have a mushing career goal?
I want to be best in 4-dog class sprint, but I don't know when.
What does it take to win?
If you want to win you can't give up the first 10-20 years. It take time
to win!
What is your vision of the future of sled dog sports?
I hope there will be more races here in Sweden and I hope that more
mushers talk with their home club and try to do something for the sport, no body else can
do it.
What part do clubs and organizations play in sport development?
I think more clubs who organize races have to work more on getting
spectators and talk a lot with the media.
What advice would you give a beginning musher?
If I meet a beginning musher I just want to say, take it easy, don't go so
fast with buying a lot of dogs, start to visit a musher and help them.
Tell us about one or two of your most memorable
sled dog experiences.
I don't have any special sled dog experience--every time I'm out is like
one!!
Best Regards, Frida
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