Dogs, sleds, mushers and fans - that was the scene on Sunday at Appleton Farms in Ipswich and Hamilton during day two of the sled dog racing action.

Day two of the second annual Myopia Sled Dog Races at Appleton Farms on Sunday was near-perfect for spectators, who turned out in the thousands to watch and marvel at the dogs in action. More than 70 race teams from across the region entered the competition, which was boosted by more than a foot of snow dumped by the blizzard last Wednesday. Some of the seasoned but youthful drivers included teens Lis Bailey, her younger sister Grace Bailey, and their friend Lily Stewart. All three girls race for the K-Teris Kennel in Strafford, N.H. Both Bailey sisters were in first place in their respective…

Visitors and racers from across New England gathered at Appleton Farms for the first day of competition in the Second Annual Myopia Sled Dog Races on Saturday. Spectators gathered at the starting line to watch racers as they headed out onto courses that ranged in length from four to 11 miles. The track wound through snowy woods and fields in Ipswich and Hamilton. Katherine Marcoux, 16, and her mother Maureen traveled from Bow, N.H. for the festivities. The Marcoux family, which owns Kryska Siberians, has been breeding huskies for 30 years. Katherine, who has been racing since she was four, …

Thousands of spectators came out on Saturday to watch the Myopia Sled Dog races at Appleton Farms in Ipswich and Hamilton, where 70 teams competed in races ranging from a few hundred yards to 11 miles.

It was a dog-lover's paradise Saturday at the second annual Myopia Sled Dogs Races taking place this weekend at Appleton Farms in Ipswich and Hamilton. A cold but sunny afternoon at the races brought out local families to watch mushers from across the region race their sled dogs.  Hamilton resident Jennifer Tsappis said she and her husband Mike Tsappis and their two girls, Eliza and Julia, love dogs and wanted to get out of the house. "That's one of the great things about living out here, is having all theses special events," Mike Tsappis said. Race organizers said about 70 teams are …

Day one of the Myopia Sled Dog races are in the books, with a full day of races coming up on Sunday. For spectators that were there on Saturday, what tips do you have for those headed out for the first time on Sunday? Where did you watch? Would you recommend it? What are some dress tips to keep warm? Where are some good places to get some pictures of the action? What’s one thing you wished you had brought that you didn’t have with you?

2: The number of towns that the courses pass through – Hamilton and Ipswich. 2: The number of years that the Myopia Sled Dog races have been held in Hamilton in recent years. 2: The number of times the two longest courses cross a road – Cutler Road in Hamilton. 3: The interval, in minutes, between each racer crossing the start line in each race. 6: The number of designated spectator areas where parking and watching the race are free. 11: The length, in miles, of the longest race. 12: Total miles of trails that will be used for all the races. 20: The number of dollars per car being charged to …

Organizers are encouraging spectators headed to this weekend’s Myopia Sled Dog Races to get creative when thinking about how they are going to get there. While many spectators are headed to the races in a car, truck or SUV, event promoter and co-organizer Denny Ryus said Friday he is also encouraging spectators to consider using a pair of cross-country skis or snowshoes instead. Or, if spectators have a friend or relative who lives near the course, ask them if you can park in their driveway and then walk from there. While Ryus said they have enough parking available for all the spectators …

Topic by topic, here are some things sled dog spectators may want to know before heading out to watch the Myopia Sled Dog races on Saturday and Sunday. Traffic: If you are not headed to the race, avoid Waldingfield Road and Cutler Road. Cutler Road will be closed to through traffic. Backups are expected on Waldingfield Road where spectators will be trying to get in and out of the parking lot at the staging area. Use lower Asbury Street to get from Bay Road to the west side of Hamilton. Police don’t expect backups to affect main roads such as Bay Road (Route 1A) or Highland Street. Course: All…

We’ve created “Sled Dog Central” – a one stop spot online to get everything you need about the Myopia Sled Dog Races in Ipswich and Hamilton this weekend. Are you going to the Myopia Sled Dog Races? If so, what day are you going? Why? Where do you plan to watch? How did you pick out your viewing spot? What are you looking forward to the most at the races? Talk to us and other readers in the comments section below.

Residents hoping to avoid the onslaught of as many as 10,000 spectators expected to converge in Hamilton for this weekend’s Myopia Sled Dog Races should avoid Cutler Road and Waldingfield Road. Other than that, police and organizers said Friday they anticipate traffic will flow freely on all the other roads in towns, including main roads such as Bay Road (Route 1A) and Highland Street. Hamilton Police Chief Russell Stevens said that Cutler Road will be closed to through traffic during the races on both days. A police officer will be stationed at both ends – at the intersection with Highland …

Hamilton-Wenham Patch is your online home for ongoing coverage of the Myopia Sled Dog races. Attached here you will find a map of the courses that shows the staging area and other spectator areas along the courses. The races are being held at Appleton Farms off Waldingfield Road in Ipswich on both Saturday and Sunday, Jan. 15 and 16.  Check back to Hamilton-Wenham Patch for more information about the races as the weekend progresses, including videos, image galleries and stories. Past Coverage Jan. 14: Non-Spectators Should Avoid Cutler and Waldingfield Roads Jan. 14: Sled Dog Organizers …

Volunteers helped clear away storm debris including downed tree limbs on Thursday to prepare the roughly 12 miles of trails that make up the courses for this weekend's much-anticipated Myopia Sled Dog Races. Hamiltonian, event promoter and co-organizer Denny Ryus said he expects as many as 10,000 people will come out for the races between Saturday and Sunday. Last year, the event was shortened to one day due to a lack of sufficient snow. About 3,000 people attended. Wednesday's blizzard left a good coating of snow on the course, which should only help the races to be a success. "We're very …

This weekend's sled dog racing in Hamilton will include an 11-mile race named for a local legend - polar explorer Norman Vaughan - and former Myopia Hunt Club member. Vaughan was among the first Americans to reach the South Pole in 1928, when at age 23 he joined an expedition to Antarctica led by Richard Byrd.  Vaughan spent much of his later life in Alaska, where he regularly competed in the 1,100-mile Iditarod, even into his 80s. Vaughan died three days after his 100th birthday in 2005. But Vaughan grew up in Hamilton, where his parents had a home named "Vonmere," said his son, Gerry …

Sled dogs are scheduled to race back into Hamilton this weekend for the second straight year. The two days worth of races are expected to be the largest sled dog competition on the east coast this winter and attract at least 3,000 spectators. Races will run from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. both days - Jan. 15 and 16. Race organizer said last week that the prize purse for this year’s race has been doubled and with it organizers are hoping to double the participating teams. It is the only sled dog race  - which is sanctioned by the International Sled Dog Racing Association - hosted by the New England Sled…

If you put on an outdoor sporting event in the winter and the only problem you have is good weather, than it has to be considered a successful event. Such was the case last January with the Myopia Sled Dog races, which returned to the area for the first time since 1963. Fifty mushing teams from as far away as Maryland - with more than 3,000 spectators watching - took to courses that wound through Ipswich and Hamilton. "That was the only problem we had, it was 50 degrees and sunny," said Denny Ryus, who co-chairs the races with Dan Sears. "We had a great day of racing on Saturday, but …