Old Mushers
(or it is more fun to train together)
A meeting of Old Mushers Club was hold in a surrounding forest of Räyskälä airfield in Kalles "laavu" (that he always like to be called teepee, although all Finno-Ugric know, that the name for such a accommodation is "laavu" in Finnish and "lavvu" in Lappish) during the night of Sunday and Monday 26.-27.2.1995.
The meeting was an official foundation meeting of the club, although we found that the birth of the club was presided already at the Summer Event of the Finnish Siberian Club in Rieska-lodgings of Lammi Evo in July 1994. Some naughty tongues tried already then meanly wring the beautiful name of our club to "Olut Mushers" (olut = beer in English), but over a year’s purgatory and practical trainings have crystallized our ideal and cleared our name.
We noticed by common consent the following things to be
the principles of our club:
Old Mushers Club is clearly and confessionally a racist geezer club.
Racist therefore, that every real member must own at least one Siberian Husky
and a geezer club therefore, that a real member should be also a grand father
– some exceptions because of certain heavy reasons can be accepted (e.g. Eila
Kuusinen).
There can be four different kinds of members in Old Mushers Club:
1. Real Members
At least 50-year-old mushers capable for hiking mushing (???).
2. Fan Members
Under 35-year-old female fans of Real
Members.
3. Support Members
Under 50-year-old younglings taking care of the beer service of Real Members
and other unfit for Fan Members
4. Honorary Members
Like Real Members especially distinguished mushers all over the world
The principle of the club is to train sled dogs and hike with them together and in addition to this enjoy being together with like-minded sled dog people without being afraid of primitive conditions and critics from non-humorous people.
The main principle of the club is to form an "inner circle" disapproved by many, where anybody willing can belong.
The first Real Members:
Kurt Wallentowitz (president)
Kalle Pohjola (executive vice president)
Heikki Kuivamäki (real)
Hannu Rauhamaa (secretary)
So it
started!
Maybe a little with play mind but not
totally.
It has happened a lot of things after that.
Old Mushers Club have been quite active in several fronts and a training together, which was more on in the beginning, has been less important. The new emphases of activity have become arranging sled dog races, supporting young mushers and prizing the best Siberian Husky teams.
Membership has grown and become broader from Finland also to Germany, Austria, France, Holland, Denmark, Sweden, Norway and USA.
The wives of old male Old Mushers, who have so praiseworthily supported their husbands, have got their own membership class and badge, namely:
LaDy Mushers
OM-president Kurt (right) and OM-secretary Hannu (left)
Photo Eeva Kupila