"I could see the bone," he said. "I got bandaged up and went racing. I had my adrenaline going. It didn't hurt at the
time. When I was done the race, my finger was waiting for me in a bag of ice. I went to the hospital and the doctor
put it back on. I watched the whole time. I didn't win the race, but I got some points for finishing.

"Worse things have happened to other people and they've kept racing."

Last season, Serre went through the transition phase and experienced growing pains.

Yet, he enjoyed his fair share of success.

He won almost every race he entered in Ontario, but had trouble beating the bog boys at bigger events across North
America. Serre is a patient man. It took a while to become a world champion at the limited class. He knows he has
to pay his dues before he realizes more success in the unlimited class.

"It doesn't happen overnight," he said. "It's a really different type of racing. The surprising thing was I won my first
race I entered last year. I should do well this season. I'm a hard-headed guy and very determined."

Because he has jumped to the unlimited class, Serre had to ramp up his team of dogs. He now trains 40 dogs in
three teams to prepare for races.

Serre breeds his own dogs, which has been a key to his domination over the years. He starts training the animals
when they are puppies.

Serre has a special connection with all his dogs. When he opens the door to the barn where they are housed, their
eyes light up and barking fills the room.

They leap into the air and yelp for his attention. Serre takes the time to acknowledge every dog, hugging them and
receiving lick-kisses from each animal.

"They're all my friends," he said. "They're all treated the same. A strong relationship with the dogs is extremely
important. The closer you are to them, the better they perform.

"They see the snow and get excited like I do. They have the sense of competition and love it."

Serre has been in the sport for more than 20 years.

He has seen plenty of changes, but none more dramatic than rich people getting involved.

Serre is on a fixed income and has little money to throw around. Every cent is accounted for and any decision that
factors in money is meticulously combed over. He sells his dogs to help make ends meet.

"It's becoming a rich man's sport," he said. "They buy the best of everything. There's a lot of millionaires in the sport
now. I have to sell my dogs to survive. Only hard work will beat these rich guys and that's what I do. "

Serre has four ingredients when it comes to constructing a winning formula and team.

First, it takes the right type of dog.

Second, it takes the best food and strict diet to hone the dog's bodies into machines.

Third, it takes hours and hours of proper training year round.

Finally, a bona-fide relationship is required with the dogs where trust has been built and confidence oozes. If all four
are in order, then it's a matter of putting it all together when it counts.

"When you have all four, then you go," he said.

Even at the age of 59, Serre has no plans of stopping. He loves the sport too much. He doesn't need the first
snowfall to invigorate his competitive juices. They flow all year long.

"I'll probably stop when I am in my grave," he said. "You get attached to the sport so bad. There's people who are 70
and 80 still racing. I have a ways to go."

Serre is counting the days down to Jan. 3 and 4. That's when the Markstay-Warren Challenge the Champ event
takes place at the Warren Arena.

It's the first race of the season and also a qualifier for the world championships. This year's world championship
will be contested in Quebec from Jan. 17 to 25. It will feature teams from across the globe, including the United
States, South Africa, Germany, Norway, Finland and even Jamaica with about 400 teams and close to 5,000 dogs.

"There's going to be some barking there," Serre joked.
Newspaper
2008
For local musher and world sled dog champion Lou
Serre, the first snowfall of the season is the most
beautiful sight in the world.

"I looked outside and smiled and it made me feel so
good," he said about the recent snow. "I'm like a kid
who wants to go build a snowman."

Serre is busy preparing for the 2009 sled dog season.

The 59-year-old made a big switch last season, going
from the limited class to the unlimited class.

He had nothing left to prove at the limited class, which
features four, six and eight teams of dogs.

He won 22 International Sled Dog Racing Association
medals since 1986 -- the most by any racer in the
division.
So he raced
Champion musher looks for
new trails to challenge
Lou Serre’s competitive juices are flowing now that snow has
blanketed the region. Serre is gearing up for his second season
in the unlimited class — after being the best in the world in the
limited class.

                                            John Lappa/The Sudbury Star
In April 2007, the ISLRA proclaimed him as the best
limited racer in the world. His highlights include
earning four world championship medals -- taking gold
in Alaska in 2005. In the unlimited class, Serre typically
races with 12 to 16 dogs. Some compete with 20 dogs
on a team.

"I wanted to try unlimited before I get too bloody old," the
feisty musher said. "It's a lot tougher, but I haven't had
too many problems. I've had some mishaps, but
nothing that will scare me away."

One of those mishaps occurred last season during a
race in Quebec.
Before the race, his glove and right middle finger got snagged and yanked by the dogs. The force ripped the tip of
his finger off. Blood sprayed everywhere and had some people cupping their mouths in disgust.

Serre wasn't bothered by the splattering blood or the fact he just lost part of his finger. He was more concerned with
racing. Race officials tried to halt him, but Serre would have nothing to do with it. The way he saw it, he travelled all
the way to Quebec to race and wasn't about to waste his own money.
Posted By SCOTT HADDOW, THE SUDBURY STAR
Copyright © 2005 Y & J Publishing. All rights reserved.