SEPPALA KENNELS is proud to announce the importation of two fine stud dogs from Europe. Both are the fruit of the sleddog breeding programme of SEPP-SEGU KENNELS in the Pyrenees mountains (home of the prestigious "Pirena" stage race that has been held in the Pyrenees for the past fifteen years). The Ramón Rojas team has participated in six runnings of the Pirena race, always with essentially the same team of dogs led by Ramón's Russian import male Shapochka iz Solovyev.
at Seppala Kennels in Yukon Territory
Mr. Rojas has owned, bred and driven Seppala Siberian Sleddogs since 1992 when he acquired the dog that would be his super-leader, "Shapka" (Shapochka iz Solovyev), imported from the Ural Mountains kennels of Sergei Alexandrovitch Solovyev via Czech musher Ivan Síbrt who acted as Solovyev's agent for canine exports. As Director of the Nordic ski centre of Sant Joan de l'Erm in the Spanish Pyrenees, Ramón has always had an intimate appreciation of mountain winter trails. His discovery of the sport of dogsled racing led to his acquisition of Solovyev import stock and of Seppalas from the sleddog breeding programmes of Carolyn Ritter, Doug Willett, and J. Jeffrey Bragg, and directly from there to his long-term involvement with the Pirena race (both as a competitor and as Trail Director) as well as extensive mountain dogsled excursion work, particularly in the Plateau de Beille in the French Pyrenees. Ramón's dogs are thoroughly proven in a variety of demanding working situations. We consider ourselves lucky to be able to acquire stock of this high quality.
SEPP-SEGU has been the only Seppala Siberian Sleddog kennel in continental Europe for many years. Ramón acquired several Siberian import dogs through Ivan Síbrt and has always bred and run a mixed team of Markovo-Seppalas and Siberian imports. Personal circumstances have finally led Ramón to bring his kennel operation to a close. We were terribly saddened to hear of his decision, but it was a consolation to discover that we would be the recipients of two of his best younger males. They could hardly have arrived at a better time -- "The Nine" are suitably impressed by these handsome new-comers, and the Seppala Kennels breeding programme will soon have renewed impetus.
F2 SSSD 50% Solovyev 50% Markovo lineage
born 23 September 2002
DITKO is a bright, positive, happy-go-lucky boy with a charming personality, convinced that the whole world just has to love him. He is young, tall and strong -- we haven't weighed or measured him yet! This guy has a lot of power and drive; he will be a real asset in any team. He was sired by Aladin de Cal Segú (by Shapochka iz Solovyev ex Sepalloba) out of Bufie de Cal Segú (by Seppalejo ex Zholtaja iz Sibrt). Both of his parents were F1 Russian/Seppala strain crosses. Ditko himself is half Solovyev and half Markovo lineage, but not a first-generation strain cross.
F1 SSSD 75% Solovyev 25% Markovo lineage
born 7 July 1998
COCU is an active, driving dog with a quiet cooperative personality. For the past three years he has been the Rojas main leader, replacing his father Shapka. He has a smaller, more compact physique than Ditko. He is the son of two fine leaders, both with a great deal of Pirena racing experience. Cocú was sired by Shapochka iz Solovyev (by Suchay iz Yarangi ex Adycha iz Yarangi); his dam was Bufie de Cal Segú (by Seppalejo ex Zholtaja iz Sibrt). We expect Cocú to be a great deal of help in training our younger leaders; it's nice to have a somewhat younger experienced leader to take some of the load off our old command leader Tonya of Seppala, who will be ten years old in November.
SEPPALA KENNELS breeders J. Jeffrey Bragg and Isa Boucher are looking forward to making good use of the final fruit of our good friend Ramón's careful breeding and training programme to advance the future of the Seppala Siberian Sleddog breed in its home country here in Canada's Yukon Territory.
Ramón Rojas undertook a long and taxing transatlantic flight from Barcelona to Whitehorse via Frankfurt, Calgary and Edmonton personally to deliver Ditko and Cocú safely to Seppala Kennels. We regret our friend's passage from the Seppala scene and we wish him and his lovely family the very best of good fortune in their plans for the future. We understand that a remove to Argentina may be in the offing. We don't really believe that, after living a life totally dedicated to sleddogs for the past fifteen years, Ramón will be able to "kick the sleddog habit" totally. I understand some dogs are "cached" in the Val d'Aran and that Ramón is still active in Pirena and ESDRA circles. I hope we'll continue to hear from him for many years. Dondequiera que te vayas, que te vaya bien, buen amigo mío.
