Sleddog Legacy Online

The passing of Charlie Belford leaves me stricken nearly speechless. This man was the last survivor among the early titans of Seppala strain. Leonhard Seppala and Elizabeth Ricker are gone, as are Julien Hurley, Oliver Shattuck, and Charles' father Alex Belford. Harry R. Wheeler, William L. Shearer III, and J. D. "Donnie" McFaul are no longer with us. Dr. Charles H. Belford was the last survivor among the key players of that crucial era, the 1930s and 1940s. He first started his dog driving career in 1929; that career lasted for well over forty years. In those same years he went to veterinary school at Middlesex University (now Brandeis), acquired his DVM degree in 1943, and practised veterinary medicine most of his life.

He and his father Alex Belford operated one of the key racing kennels in the earliest years of the Siberian Husky breed. Charlie (in those days called "Sonny") was so deeply involved in his father's kennel that at this remove in time it is scarcely possible to distinguish their respective contributions. Together they deeply influenced the entire breed. Through the Belford Kennels passed an incredible succession of dogs whose contributions were vital to the development both of the Siberian Husky as a whole, and more specifically to Seppala Strain.

A short-list of historic Siberian sleddogs associated with the Belford kennel and its racing teams follows:

Kree Vanka (Ricker Siberia import)
Tserko (Ricker Siberia import)
Nutok
Mona (Belford brood bitch)
Belford's Wolf (Belford bred)
Belford's Smoky (Belford bred)
Nanna (Belford bred, sold to Wheeler)
Nanki (early Belford leader)
Nansen (early Belford leader)
Matte (Leonhard Seppala serum-run)
Bijou (Leonhard Seppala serum-run)
Kegstedt
Tony [of Foxstand]
Don
Fritz
Sapsuk of Seppala
Vanka of Seppala 2nd
Sigrid III of Foxstand (perhaps Belford bred)
Timmie of Gatineau (Charles Belford leader)
Otto of Gatineau (Charles Belford team dog)
Bruno of Gatineau (Charles Belford team dog)
Belford's Jalaper (Charles Belford bred)
Foxstand's Georgia
Buz of Seppala
Niki of Seppala
Ian of Seppala
Don of Seppala
Foxstand's King
Belford's Newt (Charles Belford leader)

The above list is far from exhaustive! Many more fine Siberian sleddogs, some registered, others not, ran on teams driven by Charlie Belford over the years. The above names are only those most recognisable today. They should serve to show how deeply involved Dr. Belford was in the history of Siberian Sleddogs and of Seppala strain.

Today almost no Siberian Husky people realise how important this man was to the development and history of their favourite breed. That only highlights the depth of ignorance now prevalent. That such a man's accomplishments can now be so little known says much about the way in which the AKC Siberian Husky breed has degenerated into a fluffy plaything.

Today several key bloodlines influenced by many of the dogs listed above still survive in the genome of today's Seppala Siberian Sleddog. The core Seppala bloodlines that came down through the Wheeler/Belford/Shearer/McFaul mainstream, the ones whose survival was perpetuated in the critical years of the Markovo rescue effort, could not have existed without such Belford dogs as Nanna, Kegstedt, Sigrid III of Foxstand, Foxstand's Georgia, Belford's Jalaper, and Timmie of Gatineau. Dr. Belford's leader Timmie was the grandsire of Lyl and Moka of Sepsequel, two of the Second Foundation dogs of the Markovo era. Belford's Jalaper, bred by Charlie, was the great-grandsire of Malamak's Okleasik and the double great-grandsire of Frostfire Anisette, two more Second Foundation dogs. Foxstand's Georgia, bred by Shearer, owned by Belford and resold to McFaul, was the grandam of Ditko of Seppala, Duska of Seppala, Vanka of Seppala (3rd), and the double great-grandam of Shango of Seppala -- four more Second Foundation animals -- as well as being present in the pedigrees of the other six! We owe Dr. Belford a permanent debt of gratitude for the dogs he bred, tested, and passed along to where they would do the most good.

The Seppala Siberian Sleddog of today, then, could hardly have existed without the fine sleddog stock that passed through the stewardship of Dr. Charles H. Belford, D.V.M. His passing definitively marks the end of an era. His enthusiasm for sleddogs and for dogsled racing, his deep knowledge of and commitment to Siberian sleddogs, his great ability as a dog driver, his friendly personality and his information-filled conversation were the hallmarks of a person unique in the history of our breed. There is no one left on the scene like Charlie, and I don't suppose there ever shall be again. He will be missed by many and I, for one, resolve to do what I can to ensure that he shall not readily be forgotten.

Charlie Belford's team racing at Lake Placid, NY, in 1952. Timmie of Gatineau at lead,Zoar/Majic point, Otto of Gatineau/Minka, Patty(?)/Nanna II, Bruno of Gatineau/Teddy of Gatineau wheel

Photos from the Belford Collection, courtesy Elsie Chadwick, Siberian Husky Archives, Etobicoke, ON, Canada.

For more information about the Belford kennel and its breeding, see:
SSSD Project Website - History - Alex and Charles Belford
Learning More About Siberian Husky Bloodlines - Belford