The pair linked up with Chard man Jon Matherick and a social group of other enthusiasts in the area who meet up on Forestry Commission land to run their dogs in the early mornings so as not to disturb dog walkers.

Charlotte has just become a reserve champion in the junior section of the racing championships run by ABSA (Affiliated  British Sleddog Activities). She ran two of Mr Matherick’s Siberian Huskies.  Another member of the group, Matt Evans from Chard, took third in the two dog class and Jon himself a third in the three dog class for the third year running.

Mr Eardley, who recently made his own three-wheeled  sled rig said they became hooked on the activity after they got their own Alaskan Malamute, Levi, as a pet and their plumber told them about John Matherick. Very soon father and daughter were hooked.  

Charlotte, who attends Swanmead School in Ilminster, said her PE teacher was very interested in what she does. When asked how she felt about mushing she said: “It’s very exciting when we are running. When I first started with two dogs it was a bit scary because I didn’t know how to turn them.”

The family dog Levi proved that the dogs only run if they want to when he was entered with Charlotte in the single dog race and refused to start. Their other family dog Taz, a chocolate Labrador, had taken to the sled with great enthusiasm, just for fun but unfortunately suffered a torn ligament and is having to rest up.  

Builder John Matherick, has been mushing for nine years and now has a team of several dogs.He said: “I spent ages deciding what sort of dog I wanted, I thought of a long haired retriever but was worried about the hair, then I was going for a Weimaraner and my friend got one. I kept coming back to Huskies, I liked the look of them and went to see one in Nottingham. All the different breeders I went to talked about working them which I thought sounded a bit cruel until I looked in on one of the races. Now we go all over the country competing. ABSA run five championship events all over the UK.”

The racing season runs from October to March and dogs need to be 12 months old to run. The junior races get up to about 12mph and the seniors can be 15-25mph depending on the number of dogs . Mr Matherick said the dogs eat a barf diet, meaning bones and raw food, basically anything the butcher throws out but they need about 70 per cent bone and it must be raw. They also have a specialist kibble and spinach . To keep fit for racing they train about 16 miles a week, four at a time.

Newcomers to the meets were Nigel and Lindsay Baldero from Crewkerne, who brought their dogs along to meet the others and see what it was all about. Mr Baldero said he wouldn’t be able to race himself due to a bad heart but his wife was thinking about it and he enjoyed watching the others run.

Safety equipment is normally worn. Charlotte ran the dogs slowly for the photograph without her helmet. Pink paws visible on some of the dogs are a result of the soil colour, not sore feet.