DOVER-FOXCROFT – The howls from the participants in the Maine Highlands Sled Dog Challenge later this month will be heard from afar as mushers and their teams from throughout New England and Atlantic Canada compete in the Maine State Sled Dog Championship.

The Down East Sled Dog Club announced that the state championship has been relocated from Bridgton to the Piscataquis Valley Snowmobile Club in Dover-Foxcroft. Club members said the reason for the change in location was because of the terrific trails and the enthusiastic sponsorships available in the region.

The two-day event will be held Feb. 15 and 16 at the clubhouse on the Sebec Lake Road, and is hosted by the Southern Piscataquis County Chamber of Commerce. More than 150 teams are expected to participate and more than 50 local businesses are helping sponsor the event. The races will begin and end at the clubhouse and spectators are encouraged to attend.

This year the Triple Crown Race is sponsored by A.E. Robinson Oil Company. The Triple Crown rewards the top teams in the Newport, Corinth and Dover-Foxcroft races.

A prize of $1,000 will go to racers in the categories of unlimited, six-dog pro, four-dog pro and two-dog skijor classes. In addition, the Maine Highlands Challenge awards an additional $2,000 in prize money for the winners of the Maine State Championship.

The races are sanctioned by the International Federation of Sleddog Sports and the International Sled Dog Racing Association. Given the international sanctions, the Highland Challenge is a popular race with many nationally-ranked mushers competing.

Three members of the Down East Sled Dog Club recently competed in the Dry Land World Championship in Ravenna, Italy. Several top-ranked regulars at the Highland Challenge will compete at the World Championships in Bernau, Germany, instead of the Dover-Foxcroft races.

The local snowmobile club will serve breakfast and lunch both Saturday and Sunday, as well as host an awards dinner on Sunday afternoon, after the races. The chamber will sell embroidered wool baseball caps with a race logo, as well as the 2003 long-sleeve sponsor shirts.

Ed Mathieu of Moose Country Safaris and Dog Sledding will provide sled dog rides behind the clubhouse, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. both days.

More race information is available on the Web at www.mainedogsledraces.com.