New Brunswick

Saint John hairstylist tackles remote 400km sled dog race

A hairstylist who grew up in Saint John will race his team of 10 sled dogs through some of Canada's toughest terrain in the Hudson Bay Quest on Friday.

Justin Allen will take part in his second Hudson Bay Quest, from Gillam to Churchill, MB on Friday

Justin Allen, of Saint John, will compete in his second Hudson Bay Quest this weekend, from Gillam to Churchill, Manitoba.

A hairstylist who grew up in Saint John will race his team of 10 sled dogs through some of Canada's toughest terrain, in his second Hudson Bay Quest.

Justin Allen used to spend his winters cutting hair in his father's Saint John beauty salon, but on Friday, Allen will settle behind his sled dog team, as one of 13 mushers making the 400-kilometre trek from Gillam to Churchill, Manitoba.

Allen admits his journey from Saint John hairstylist to Manitoba musher is an odd one.

If you had told me three years ago that I'd be living up north in minus 40 below, running dogs, I would have laughed at you.- Justin Allen, Hudson Bay Quest musher

"If you had told me three years ago that I'd be living up north in minus 40 below, running dogs, I would have laughed at you," he said.

Allen says it all started with a trip to Churchill because he wanted to see the northern lights and the polar bears.  He wasn't expecting to fall in love with the remote community of 800 people … but that is what happened.

Soon, he had opened his own hair salon and was calling Churchill home.  His decision to race sled dogs was a surprise, too.

Justin Allen travelled to Churchill, Manitoba three years ago to see the northern lights and polar bears.
"Up until two-and-a-half years ago, I didn't even like dogs", Allen said, but he ended up spending some time with a local musher.  He says he was impressed by the bond the musher had with his dogs.

"Once I experienced that it was over for me. I just fell in love and there was no going back."

Soon, he was volunteering at the kennel, learning the trade, and taking tourists on dog sled rides.  Allen said taking part in the Hudson Bay Quest is another step in his evolution as a musher.  There are no communities along the 400-km course, which makes it very challenging. 

"You don't get resupplied along the way, said Allen. "You don't get any help along the way. It's just you and your team.".

"You have to be a survivalist out there because you are on your own," he said.  "You need to be comfortable out in the cold.  You need to be comfortable on the land and you need to have a really good bond with your dogs.  They need to respect you and trust you."

The terrain is also tough for musher and dogs.

"We're covering some really intense ground.  You've got some river work and you've got some barren land work. You go through the boreal forest and up along the edge of Hudson Bay."

But, Allen said, the challenges are part of the draw. "It's rugged — it really is, but at the same time it's really beautiful." 

The Hudson Bay Quest takes the best mushers 35 to 40 hours to complete.  Allen said his goal is just to finish the race with a team of happy and healthy dogs, and learn more about the sport he loves.

Most importantly, he wants to enjoy the race.

"I mean I just feel at home out there. I love it, " Allen said,  "I feel like this is what I've been meant to do."

You can follow Justin Allen's progress online at the website www.hbqrace.com