Joanne Williams
Editor

(Photo provided – The H&H Racing team celebrates its medals at the World Championships recently held in Wisconsin.)

The scent of the 2026 Olympics is in the air, but the community of Vermontville has already tasted gold.

Mother and son Samantha and Sawyer Wawiernia earned medals in the IFSS (International Federation of Sleddog Sports) World Championships and World Masters Dryland. The event was held October 21-16 in Minocqua, Wisconsin. Competitors, dogs and humans, did indeed come from all over the world, from Spain to Sweden, New Zealand to Argentina and beyond. But it is the hometown team that gets mentioned, over and over, when Samantha and Sawyer talk about their experience. 

“My parents, grandparents, and neighbors are really supportive,” Samantha said recently on her Vermontville farm, home to about 12 dogs, racing and in training. She, her son, family and friends are part of the training, which takes place on neighboring fields on early, brisk mornings. Long-time friend, neighbor, and team support Jessica Norton is usually by her side.

It was Norton who placed the two American flags and the sign reading “Congrats World Champ Sam Wawa,” at the Wawiernia home to welcome the family on their epic wins.

The Wawiernia’s operate H&H Racing. Samantha’s fulltime job is as a nurse, but she and her family make the time to live their passion – raising and training sled and hunting dogs. Husband, Trevor, is a firefighter/EMT and a videographer.

Many folks can picture mushers and their team breathing out visible breath and slushing through snow. Dryland sledding is a little less picturesque (and often muddy), and yet is “has exploded” recently, Samantha said, especially in Europe. Her dogs are Eurohounds and can reach 20 miles per hour or so. They weigh about 40-50 pounds and can pull 15-20 times their weight ,besides the 50-pound sled they are leading.

“These dogs have been bred to run,” Samantha said. Their foe is warm temperatures, which is one reason Samantha built a homemade pool to cool off her dogs when needed. 

Samantha said she has always been interested in training dogs, and when she learned about dryland racing, she was hooked and has been in the game for about six years as a competitor. Her gold medal came in the Rig 6-dog competition, beating out a long-time favorite. 

While Samantha did not visualize gold medal dreams, friend Norton did. “She has put in the time,” she said.

Sawyer, 13,  is not far behind his mom in competition. He took the silver medal in Dryland Junior. He has a special connection to sled dog Mo, in a life that not many of his classmates know about nor understand.

It is a family affair when it comes to the dogs and the racing. Samantha’s parents Ken and Sue Cowell are part of the fans and supporters. “I don’t think my mom has missed a race,” Samantha said, as she proudly shows her mother’s handiwork which garnishes her sled reins. Sue cooks for most of the crew and race crowds too. 

“There is so much support,” Samantha and Jessic said. Their community has its own dryland race in the spring, “The Farmer’s Loop,’ and nearby Charlton Park  in Hastings is hosting a dryland race December 6 with Samantha’s help. States such as Ohio, Pennsylvania, Alabama and Georgia are also on the dryland circuit for dogsledding. You will surely find the Wawiernia family there, promoting the sport and loving on their six old medal canines – Speed, Mo, Bougie, Ghost, Quincy and Tequila.