Yellowknife (Mar 31/04) - Just an hour after 14 teams of dog sledders left the lanes for the Dog Derby Championships with skinny dogs pulling sporty sleds in tandem, Everett McQueen hauled out four traditional dog harnesses.

Rachel Marin won best traditional dress for her caribou outfit in the Heritage Classic dog sled race at the Caribou Carnival on Saturday. - Lisa Scott/NNSL photo

He was using them for the fifth annual Heritage Classic Saturday to show the people visiting Caribou Carnival that dogs used to be a way for life for trappers, not just for racing.

"People don't know that it's a tradition that started for work and not for sport," he said as he prepared for the start of the race.

McQueen should know. His father was the legendary Danny McQueen, who won the Canadian Dog Sled Championships a record five years in a row in the '60s.

His father, now deceased, taught Everett the ways of the trapline as a boy growing up in Pine Point before they moved to Fort Resolution for work.

Even though he works in the justice department now, he can still light fires and cook bannock like his family used to.

"I still know most of it," he said.

The younger McQueen was happy to show people his marten furs and his father's beaded gun case from years gone by.

He also showed off his bannock-making skills to judges Gordon Van Tighem and Mike W. Bryant.

The race is a chance for the six teams signed up to just have fun with mushing, said organizer Kevin MacIntyre.

"They are here for fun. You don't have the tension of the big race," he said, referring to the three-day dog derby.

"Here you get to see the mushers and see the dogs. It's a lot of fun," he said.

The race was pretty laid back, requiring about four-miles of running for the mostly Alaskan Malamute dogs. The crowds loved the furry beasts, which resemble traditional sled dogs of the past, compared to today's lightweight sport dog.

Mushers were also judged on their tea-making skills, their traditional dress and ability to make a fire.

As all the racers put away their dogs the results were announced by MacIntyre. Barb Cameron won for best camp, while Anna Bergen won for best tea. Joanne Kelly won the traditional dog award, and McQueen won for traditional equipment. Rachel Marin won for her authentic caribou outfit. The musher most resembling a traditional trapper out on the land with his dogs was Boyd Warner.