LARGE crowds watched Siberian huskies haring through Dalby Forest last weekend.

The two-day rally, organised by the Siberian Husky Club of Great Britain, featured 66 teams drawn from across the country, racing in seven different classes.

Organiser Alastair Spowart said: "It was a resounding success. Competitor numbers were slightly down on last year as there were other husky races taking place in the Borders and in Nottingham. But hoards of people came to watch, conditions were nice and dry and we were really pleased with how it went. We hope to be back again next year."

Huskies competed in two time trials over distances of up to four-and-a-half miles in what was the only round of the national championship to be held in Yorkshire.

The winners of each class were: Six-dog - Pete Jones (Lincolnshire); four-dog - Debbie Scott (Lincolnshire); three-dog - Rob Cooke (Peterborough); two-dog - Jason Hambleton (Doncaster); D2 Alaskan Malamutes - Paddy Page; junior two-dog - Dean Tudor (Birmingham); junior one-dog - Scott Archibald (Co Durham).

Updated: 12:07 Wednesday, December 10, 2003