By Lindy J. Gwinn, Mountain Valley News staff
The last race held at the International Sled Dog races on Grand Mesa last weekend was reserved for local dignitaries who demonstrate strong competitive spirit.
Mesa County Commissioner Steve Aquafresa, Delta County Commissioner Bruce Hovde, and Cedaredge Mayor Pat Means taunted each in jest other for several hours prior to their race, each claiming the advantage.
“I wore my lucky turtle and I think that my edge is that I am short and my center of gravity is lower to the ground,” said Means.
Aquafresa said that, since he was the biggest person in the race that he was at a disadvantage, but that he had faith in his dogs.
Hovde noted his fashionable hat as his good luck charm.
Aquafresca and Means slipped off to their perspective dog and sled owners for a quick crash course in sled dog racing. It appeared important to thoroughly inspect their sleds and talk to their dogs.
Hovde seemed to be training for his race by watching carefully each of the races that ran prior to his event.
As the time arrived for the VIP race, each boarded their sleds and was led by volunteers to the start line. It was a little hard to tell if the looks on their faces were determination to win, or flat out terror.
As onlookers and fans stood along the starting gate and started the countdown, each of the VIPs knew the only way out was to run the race. Aquafresca and his dogs were the first to leave the start gate. His dogs took off and his race was off to a good start. When he hit his first turn in the course, things continued to look good for the Mesa County Commissioner.
Means was next at the start gate. When Aquafresca hit the first corner, the crowd began the countdown for Means start. Her dogs hit the end of their leads and off she went, snow flying behind her sled. She navigated her first turn and then disappeared when her sled turned over in the next turn.
Hovde received his countdown and was on his way, rooster tails in the snow following behind.
Unfortunately, Means was injured in her mishap and volunteers were calling for an EMT to assist her. One of the participants in the races was a practicing Physicians Assistant, and Means herself is a nurse.
Taking her time getting up she told the people that came to assist her that she thought she might have injured her ribs in the fall. After a few moments in talking with the PA, she was very gently assisted onto a snow mobile and rode back to the parking lot where she was able to get into a car and be driven to the hospital for an evaluation of her injuries.
As she passed by the crowd of spectators, she waved and the people cheered her on.
“That is one tough lady,” said Nancy Hovde as Means stood by waiting for her ride to the hospital.
Because of the accident, there was no winner declared.
“I was scared that I was going to run over Pat. After my dogs got around the accident, then they decided to go through the deeps snow and not follow the trail. This was really fun,” said Hovde.
