Walkers on Salisbury Plain were greeted with manoeuvres of a very different kind over the bank holiday weekend.

Instead of the rumbling of armoured vehicles, the air was filled with the sounds of howling and shouts of “Mush, Mush!” as the annual Alaskan Malamute Working Association training/fun day took place near Bulford.

Around 245 people and more than 300 Alaskan Malamute and Siberian Husky dogs took part in the ninth event held at Carter Barracks.

Organiser Steve Whitfield, from Durrington, said: “It provides training for new owners or those with young dogs, and a fun weekend for more seasoned ‘mushers’ (drivers). The attendance just gets bigger every year.

“Everyone mucks in to offer advice to those new to the sport and is just a big melting pot of ideas."

100 miles a day

Teams of six to 12 Siberian Huskies, which are a lighter-boned endurance breed, each pull a three-wheeled rig driven by the musher. The more heavyweight Alaskan Malamutes only require a team of two to six dogs.

These teams can cover astounding distances - up to 100 miles in a day in the right conditions - with Huskies averaging speeds of up to 14 miles per hour and Malamutes up to 12 miles per hour.

Over the Bank Holiday weekend owners were able to take their dog teams around a two-mile course, which was open between 5am and 7am daily.

The mushers ranged in age from eight to 72 years old, although there is no upper age limit.

Steve said: “We start so early because members of the public like to exercise their dogs over the training area later in the day and we didn’t want to get in the way of that.”

He added: “The course is usually between one and a half and two miles long at the start of the season because of the heat and humidity. As the weather gets colder the distances increase."

'We were hooked'

Former soldier Steve first got into owning Malamutes 10 years ago and has since gone from one dog to a team of four.

He explained: “When I was in the Army we always had dogs. After our last one died the house felt really empty.

“I was a MoD civil servant at that time and working in Lincolnshire. My wife saw an advert for Malamutes in nearby Skegness, so we went across to see the breeder. After that we were hooked.”

Steve added: “The dogs are lovely and have a great temperament, but they are a working breed so events like this are important. They work in teams and need to run.

“The racing side doesn’t really appeal to me. I prefer taking part in longer treks. Last December, I took part in a 20-mile trek at Larkhill, and I’m hoping to make the course even longer next time.”

Fantastic being out in the countryside

The Alaskan Malamute Working Association (AMWA) is only one branch of this growing sport, and the Affiliated British Sleddog Activities (ABSA) runs events throughout the south of England nearly every weekend.

The highlight on the competition calendar is the national event held every year in Aviemore, Scotland.

Steve said: “Most of the time we use the wheeled rigs, but if we get snow and it is deep enough we use sledges. I was able to use mine last winter and it was fantastic being out in the countryside with the dogs.”

For more information about AMWA visit the website at www.amwa.co.uk.