Spencerport native Kei Riley fell in love with dog sled racing in 1999 when she attended the Alaskan Iditarod with her father. For five days, they traveled together, touring Alaska with the race. “I was pretty much hooked after experiencing that,” she said. As a child growing up in Spencerport, Kei could not have a dog as a pet and companion. “Both my brother and I were allergic to dogs, but as soon as we moved out and had our own places, we both got dogs. I took allergy medicine for a while; after some time, I no longer needed it,” she said. Currently, Kei lives with a racing dog and a retired 14-year-old Siberian Husky in her home.
During her college years, Kei studied in Japan on a Rotary Scholarship. She studied, lived, and worked in Japan from 1993 to 1999. “I very much enjoyed my time in Japan. I studied in Japanese colleges; learning the Japanese language was part of my classes. My first two years, I attended classes that were taught in Japanese using English language textbooks, the second two years, I studied using only the Japanese language. I also worked in Japan and played semi-pro soccer while I lived there,” she said.
Upon returning to the United States, Kei began her dog racing career. She started with skijoring, which is racing with the musher (human) on cross country skis attached with a harness to the dogs. Kei moved to dog sled racing and since then has participated in local, regional, national, and international races. Her sled dog racing career has been very successful. She has participated in the World Cup Dog Sled Racing, where she won a Silver Medal and a Gold Medal in the 2016-2017 season. She has also participated in the World Championships for the North American team in the eight dog classification. She was the fastest team from the United States and the only woman to finish the race in her class. Due to COVID, recent dog sled races have been canceled.
Currently, Kei’s dog team consists of two racing dogs that she owns with the balance of her eight dog team consisting of dogs from an area kennel. “The medals and the recognition that goes with the competition is fine, and I do like the challenge of racing, but to me, it is all about the dogs, being out in nature with eight of my best buddies. There is nothing else like it. It is truly a quiet sport; all you hear is the patter of the dogs’ feet on the snow. The scenery is beautiful; we are all working together, getting exercise, and having fun. When I’m out running with my dogs, I can’t help thinking that my life can’t get any better,” Kei said.
The dogs that Kei races are a mix of breeds, including Siberian Husky, German Shorthaired Pointer, Rhodesian Ridgeback, and Hound. They are a mix of working dogs, bred for endurance. The American Kennel Club says that working sled dog breeds “are intelligent, strong, watchful and alert. They are bred to assist humans and are happiest when doing a job they love. They are fast runners, true pack animals, calm and mellow, very sociable and trainable with a preference for cool climates, a healthy breed with a love of exercise.”
Within the sled dog racing world, the protection of the dogs is the top priority. Before dogs can race, they are vet checked and tested to make sure that they are fit for the race. Kei said the dog owners also have a huge responsibility in ensuring that their dogs are healthy and happy and that their needs are being met. She said, “Each dog has their own personality. It is like a puzzle figuring out dog placement in the team. So and so likes to run next to so and so. I make sure to put them next to their buddy. You can’t run two young dogs next to each other; they just want to play. The best combination is an experienced dog next to a young dog starting out in the racing world. The older dog teaches the young dog what to do and to take care of the business at hand. The key to success is in finding out what, and who, each dog prefers and matching them up, so they are happy in their job, and then they are a faster team.”
Another key to successful dog sled racing is making sure the dog wants to and loves to race. “The dogs are only going to go as far and as fast as they want to go. You can’t make a dog run when they aren’t interested in it. You get the most out of your dogs when they are happy,” Kei said.
Kei also loves the travel aspect of the dog sled racing sport. “You get to see the world and to meet people from all over our country and from all over the world. I have found that the people in the dog sled racing community are always willing, and wanting, to help each other out.”
Since COVID has canceled the races for the past two seasons, there has been no competition. The dogs still want to do what they love to do and must regularly go for runs to keep them fit and happy. “When I get to the kennel, the dogs are so happy to see me and can’t wait to get out and run. It is a very bonding experience. The dogs are barking and jumping and ready to go, and I feel the same. Every run is very exciting for us all,” she said.
Kei Riley’s full-time job is as an English as a second language teacher in the Rochester School District.
For more information on sled dog sport, visit sleddogsport.net or isdra.net.
