Derek Konga, left, and Ragnar Robinson, have been training together since September 2024. (Derek Cornet/larongeNOW Staff)

By Derek Cornet

dog sleds

Konga enters Canadian Challenge as new musher

Feb 3, 2025 | 1:42 PM

With the assistance of fellow mushers, La Ronge’s Derek Konga will be entering the Canadian Challenge Dog Sled Race for the first time.

Konga will be competing in the six-dog, 96-kilometer (60 miles) race mostly on Lac La Ronge, which will take place over the span of two days. It is the easiest race out of the four being offered, which also includes the six-dog, 160-km (100 miles), eight-dog, 160-km (100 miles), and 10-dog, 322-km (200 miles).

Konga will be competing as part of Eagle Ridge Sled Dog Kennels based in southeast Saskatchewan. That group also includes musher Garrick Schmidt, whom Konga has been mentoring under.

“They are Garrick’s dogs,” Konga explained.

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“He has been mentoring me, and he has 40 dogs, so he just said, ‘these dogs need to run and just pick it up from there and just put your time in and help out wherever you can.’”

Konga has also been mentoring under La Ronge’s Sid and Ragnar Robinson. Sid has retired from racing, but Ragnar has competed since 2022. In 2024, Ragnar came in second in the eight-dog, 164-kilometre event, only one minute behind the winner.

Derek Konga also credits Charlie Connor, Kevin Lewis, Joe Moberly and his wife Kylie Konga as mentors or inspirations for joining dog sledding. (Derek Cornet/larongeNOW Staff)

Derek Konga, right, is seen here with fellow musher Garrick Schmidt. (Submitted photo/Derek Konga)

With Ragnar’s career taking him out of town for two weeks out of the month, Konga has been able to step in to assist in getting Ragnar’s dogs race ready. The two mushers have been training together since September 2024.

“When he is away at work, I just kind of take the load off him any way I can because Sid’s been doing it a long time, and just having some new energy and new blood, I’m sure it is nice to kind of nice to get you going on the cold days, so just helping out wherever I can,” Konga said.

Konga described there being a significant learning curb to dog racing as a rookie, noting there are many tricks of the trade and mistakes to be learned from. With his first race coming up in about two weeks, he added he’s most concerned about the weather and making sure the dogs stay healthy while on the trail.

Ragnar explained Konga has brought him a new found sense of excitement about dog sled racing. He’s hoping the extra training his dogs have been able to get with the assistance of Konga could give him the winning edge when it comes to this month’s race.

“We’ve just been able to get more miles this year and, with Derek helping out while I’m at work, it’s just been more consistent, so we’ll see if it pays off,” Ragnar remarked.

The Canadian Challenge, which has 21 teams registered, begins Feb. 18. The races have a total purse of $15,000 with $3,179 begin the top prize in the main 10-dog, 322-km (200 miles) race.

That race is a qualified for the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race and Yukon Quest.

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derek.cornet@pattisonmedia.com