Meeting Kurt

I can’t remember exactly how I heard about him, but I found out that Rune and May-Conny Johanssen were selling a dog named Kurt. This wasn’t just any dog – Kurt had led teams to victory in the Femundløpet, Finnmarksløpet, and Pasvik Trail all in the same year, running with Rune Johanssen.

That level of experience, in a lead dog no less, is rare. And while Kurt was getting older, I saw the opportunity to bring in a dog who could not only strengthen my bloodlines but also teach me something in the process.

So, I drove up to Alta, Norway, to meet Rune and May-Conny and see Kurt in action.

The Ride That Changed Everything

They graciously offered to take me out for a test drive. They hooked up a 12-dog team that had just come off a successful race season, and we hit the trail – Rune driving, me riding in the sled.

And from the moment we took off, I knew I was seeing something I hadn’t experienced before.

We were on a hilly, twisting trail – up and down, left and right – and these dogs were flying. The power was incredible. It wasn’t just fast, it was effortless. When Rune handed the sled over to me, she said, “Just stay on the brake.” And I did – full pressure on the drag mat, trying to slow the team down.

Even with my full weight on the brake, they didn’t slow much. And on the uphills? No hesitation. No lag. Just momentum – relentless and smooth. It felt like being strapped to a living machine. The only comparison I can make is this:

If you’ve spent your life driving a tiny economy car, and then one day you sit behind the wheel of a roaring V8 muscle car … that’s what this felt like.

Every time I eased off the brake, I could feel the team surge forward, building speed and power like a wave. Not wild or chaotic, just strong. Controlled. Determined.

A New Understanding of Potential

That run opened my eyes.

Until that point, I thought I had a sense of what dogs could do. But watching that team – and Kurt at the front of it – I realized something humbling: My dogs could probably do more. It was me who didn’t know how to bring it out of them.

That ride changed my goals, my standards, and how I looked at team development. And for that, I have Rune and May-Conny – and Kurt – to thank.

Kurt Comes Home

Of course, I bought him. Kurt came home with me.

Now, let’s be clear, he was a strange dog. Not friendly. He didn’t like people. He wasn’t keen on other dogs either. He wasn’t the kind of dog to come looking for affection, and he certainly wasn’t going to be your best friend.

But he was all business. He liked to work, and that was enough.

He stayed distant, even when he warmed up to you. He never really let his guard down. But on the trail, he was sharp, focused, and absolutely reliable. And he had a few good litters with us too. Some of his offspring, and even his grand-offspring, have been incredibly influential in our kennel. I’ll tell some of their stories in future posts.