Our Road to Sweden!

From North Wales to the European Championships

In October 2026, four young athletes from the Wales Sleddog Sports Junior Academy will travel to Sweden to represent Great Britain at the IFSS European Championships.

Imy, Megan, John and Xavier have spent years developing their skills, caring for their dogs and progressing through national competition. Now, alongside their sleddog teammates, they are preparing to take their place on an international start line.

This is the biggest journey the Junior Academy has undertaken, but it is about far more than one competition. It represents years of training, perseverance and teamwork, supported by families, volunteers, sponsors and an incredible wider community.

We’ve been on on BBC Breakfast!

Meet Our Team GB Athletes

Imy

Imy will represent Great Britain in the four dog rig class. A dedicated young musher and valued member of the Junior Academy, she has worked hard to develop the confidence, practical skills and race experience needed to compete internationally.

Sweden will give Imy the opportunity to test everything she has learnt alongside young athletes from across Europe.

Megan

Megan’s journey demonstrates just how much can be achieved through determination and the right support. Since joining the Junior Academy, she has continued to grow in confidence and ability, earning a silver medal at the British National Championships.

She will now represent Great Britain in Sweden, working alongside her sleddog team on one of the most important trails of her young sporting career.

John

John has developed into a focused and capable young athlete, with the ability to work calmly alongside his dogs and take responsibility both on and away from the trail.

After progressing through British competition, he will now have the honour of representing Great Britain in the four dog rig class at the European Championships.

Xavier

Xavier joined the Junior Academy as a young athlete and has progressed to become an experienced junior musher, a British National Championship medallist and an apprentice with Mynydd Sleddog Adventures.

His journey reflects years of dedication to sleddog sports and dog welfare. Sweden is the next major step in his development, giving him the opportunity to represent Great Britain alongside the teammates with whom he has trained for many years.

Getting the Team to Sweden

Travelling internationally with young athletes, specialist equipment and sleddogs is a major undertaking.

The team’s journey involves vehicle and ferry costs, fuel, European road tolls, accommodation, insurance and competition fees. Every dog must also meet the relevant European travel and championship health requirements, including documentation, vaccinations and veterinary checks.

It takes a huge amount of planning, fundraising and practical support to move an entire team safely from North Wales to Sweden.

We could not do it alone.

Our Official Sweden Sponsors

The support of our sponsors is helping turn an ambitious goal into a genuine opportunity for four remarkable young people.

Every contribution, whether financial, practical or in kind, helps us meet the significant cost of taking the young athletes, their dogs and their equipment to Sweden. Our sponsors are not simply placing their names beside the team; they are investing in youth sport, outdoor learning, responsible dog welfare and the future of sleddog sports.

We are enormously grateful to every business and organisation standing behind our Road to Sweden.

Raw Treat Pet Food

OFFICIAL CANINE NUTRITION SPONSOR

The health, fitness and welfare of our dogs remain central to everything we do, both at home and while travelling.

Raw Treat Pet Food has supplied our dogs’ food for more than ten years. As a fantastic Welsh business, its support has always extended far beyond simply delivering a product.

Owner Colin Paterson has supported Mynydd Sleddog Adventures and our dogs through many seasons. We are incredibly proud to have Raw Treat beside us as we prepare our sleddog athletes for their journey to Sweden.

Mann Broadbent Insurance

OFFICIAL SWEDEN TEAM SPONSOR

Specialist insurance broker Mann Broadbent has made a significant financial contribution towards our Road to Sweden.

International travel with young athletes, dogs and sporting equipment requires careful preparation, and Mann Broadbent understands the demands faced by people working within outdoor and specialist activities.

We are extremely grateful to Doug Kaye and the Mann Broadbent team for recognising the value of this opportunity and helping us move closer to the European Championship start line.

VetPartners

OFFICIAL VETERINARY SPONSOR

Every dog travelling to Sweden must meet strict animal health and international travel requirements. VetPartners has generously agreed to sponsor the rabies vaccinations required by the dogs travelling to the Championships.

This support removes a significant cost for the team while helping us ensure that every dog is properly prepared for safe and compliant travel.

We are incredibly grateful to VetPartners and the veterinary professionals supporting our team. Their contribution directly protects the welfare of our dogs and makes this international opportunity more accessible for our young athletes and their families.

Nordikota Print & Embroidery

OFFICIAL SWEDEN TEAM CLOTHING SPONSOR

Nordikota Print & Embroidery is providing official Sweden Team hoodies for our four young athletes.

Nigel and Sandra have supported the Junior Academy before, producing the fantastic race jackets worn by our young athletes at the British National Championships. Their continued support means that Imy, Megan, John and Xavier will travel as a united team and represent Great Britain with pride.

Thank you, Nordikota, for once again helping our young people look and feel like the athletes they have worked so hard to become.

Additional Supporters

Our Road to Sweden is being supported by many generous individuals, families and businesses. Some have provided financial sponsorship, while others have donated prizes, professional services, equipment or their time.

Every contribution matters, and every supporter has a place on this journey.

Powered by Our Community

Alongside our official sponsors, an extraordinary community has helped the team through donations, fundraising events, raffle prizes, shared posts and messages of encouragement.

People have donated through our GoFundMe page, supported collections at events and shows, approached potential sponsors and shared our story with their own communities.

Every donation represents somebody saying, ‘We believe in these young people.’

To everyone who has supported the team, thank you. Your contribution is helping four young athletes and their sleddog teammates represent Great Britain on an international stage.

Follow Our Road to Sweden

The journey has already begun.

Over the coming weeks, we will share training updates, preparations, sponsor news and behind-the-scenes moments as the team gets ready to leave North Wales and travel to Sweden.

Follow Mynydd Sleddog Adventures and the Wales Sleddog Sports Junior Academy on social media to come with us every step of the way.

Watch Our Story

The young people, dogs and work of the Wales Sleddog Sports Junior Academy were featured in the BBC One Our Lives documentary.

The programme offers a glimpse behind the scenes, following the young athletes as they train, compete and learn to work in partnership with their sleddogs. It shows the commitment required from the young people, their families and everyone who helps to make the Academy possible.

Watch on BBC iPlayer

LinkedIn Pulse By Dr Anna Waters

When Sport Builds More Than Performance: Why I'll Be Watching Tonight's BBC Documentary

"Joe has created far more than a sports academy. She has built an environment where young people are challenged, trusted and encouraged to grow... developing confidence, resilience, and teamwork."

Read the Full Article on LinkedIn

Help Us Reach the Start Line

There is still time to become part of our Road to Sweden.

You can help by:

Donating to our team fundraiser
Sponsoring an athlete or sleddog
Offering practical or professional support
Donating a fundraising prize
Sharing our story
Following and supporting our sponsors

Whether you are a local supporter, a small Welsh business or a national organisation, your involvement can make a real difference.

SUPPORT OUR ROAD TO SWEDEN

From their first training runs in a North Wales forest to representing Great Britain at the European Championships, Imy, Megan, John and Xavier have already achieved something exceptional.

Now, with their dogs beside them and an incredible community behind them, it is time to take the next step.

SWEDEN AWAITS.