ASHTON — Thanks to lots of snow lately, the annual American Dog Derby should go on as scheduled next month.
It will be dedicated to the late U.S. Ambassador and Ashton farm boy Keith Foote Nyborg, who died last September.
“We’ll do a little tribute to him,” said American Dog Derby Chairman John Scafe. “We want to let people know who he was. Hopefully, we’ll have some of his family there. We’ll present a tribute about everything he did to get (the races) started here in Ashton.”
After serving as an ambassador to Finland in the 1980s, Nyborg returned to Ashton and in 1988 started a cross-country skiing race called the Ambassador’s Cup. The dog sled races started up in 1993 after a 30-year hiatus and at one time coincided with the Ambassador’s Cup. The dog sled races were started in 1917 and since 1993 have continued ever since.
The 103 annual American Dog Derby is scheduled for Feb. 14 and 15. Scafe plans to hold the race down Ashton’s Main Street just as it has been held traditionally.
“I’m feeling pretty good about it,” he said.
Plans call for the race’s traditional events such as the Celebrity Race in which local dignitaries will race. The Weight Pull will also be held where dogs attempt to pull a heavy sled down Main Street. The Mutt Races will be featured with man’s best friend being hooked to a sled and driven down Main Street by the dog’s owner.
North Fremont High School students plan to hold their second annual Arctic Miniature Golf Course at Pocket Park. Organizer and South Fremont Teacher Richard Law came up with the idea last year and jokes that his snow golf course is part of the “Arctic Golf Association.”
“It will be the same festive celebration as last year,” he said. “Arctic Golf is a momentary distraction for people who don’t want to get frostbite. This is just a little sideline to give people something additional to do. It’s just one way to celebrate the dog derby and the wonderful town of Ashton.”
In addition to the return of the Arctic Miniature Golf Course, the annual Soup Competition will be held on Valentine’s Day in the Ashton Community Center’s Gym. There, visitors will vote on their three favorite soups.
Those cooks interested in entering their soup may do so for a $5 registration fee that will be accepted at Stronks & Sons. They are also asked to get an Ashton business owner to sponsor their soup.
“The person entering the challenge makes a poster to advertise for the business sponsor,” said Soup Challenge organizer Rachel Hatton. “They’ll put the business name, the kind of soup and their name on the poster. It gets the business names out there.”
Those entering soup need to bring two large slow cookers of soup to the community center, she said.
“(It’s) because we usually run out,” she said.
Sara Bowersox is also helping with the Soup Challenge and says that the challenge receives about 10 different soups every year. The contest features chili, chicken noodle, cheddar broccoli and Mexican flavored soups.
For a small fee, visitors may taste the various soups and come away feeling like they had a full meal. Funds raised via the Soup Challenge go toward dog derby costs. Usually, around $500 is raised at the event, Bowersox said.
Bowersox said there are lots of delicious soups, and it’s always good.
“There are so many soups to try, that by the time you’re done, you’re full,” Hatton said.
Also during the Soup Challenge, the Ashton Lutheran Church will sell desserts to raise funds for their various projects.
“We usually have a range of cookies, brownies, cupcakes, pies and tarts,” Bowersox said.
Scafe said the event wouldn’t have been possible without Nyborg’s influence. The former ambassador helped put Ashton on the map and every February his influence boosts its economy.
“Between the hotels, meals and people, I’d have to say there’s an increase of anywhere from $1,000 to 5,000 if not more,” Scafe said. “There’s an economic bump — I feel that there is.”
Scafe said he couldn’t thank Nyborg enough for all the help he provided to Ashton.
“He was just a really great guy,” he said.
For more information on the upcoming dog derby, call 208-360-0988, and for more information on the Soup Challenge, call 208-652-0144.
