About us

Vargevass is a Scandinavian kennel of FCI Siberian Huskies. Established by Karsten Grønås in 1965 when he acquired his first dog from Europe’s oldest Siberian Husky kennel owned by explorer Helge Ingstad /kennel Brattalid. With the intention to have a companion to join him on ski trips in the mountains of west Norway, Karsten soon found himself racing with a team. At first in Nordic-style, but shortly after in Nome style. Throughout the years he competed in sprint racing, mid-distance stage races like Alpirod and Pirena, topping it off with long distance racing when he retired from work. Few of his merits are: winner Pirena 1998, 3rd place in Femundløpet of 2001, 10.pl in Femundløpet 2007 and finishing Europe’s longest sled dog race the 1000 km. Finnmarksløpet in 2006 as the oldest competitor at age 67 and setting the fastest time for a Siberian Husky team until this date.

In November 2001, Eveline Koch from the Netherlands joined forces with Karsten. Having had an interest in the breed since age 11 and acquiring her first dog when she was 16 years old, she spent six months as handler at the famous Alaskan/Anadyr kennel of Earl and Natalie Norris winter 1997/1998 to experience the breed in its true element as sled dog. Upon return from Alaska, she was determined that when continuing with Siberians, it should be there where they thrive and able to do the work they were bred for; in the snow!
For more than ten years, Eveline trained the youngsters of the Vargevass kennel in their first season of working, but also participated in few mid distance races winning a.o. Polar Distance 160 km. in 2005, 2008 and 2010. After 2013, when she finished her first 300 km race, she took up the challenge to train a team for the Finnmarksløpet 500, host of IFSS long distance world championships of 2015. The team became world champion in the Nordic Breed class and placed as nr. 15 of 76 teams overall and was awarded the Best Dog Care Award. In 2017, they started in the Femundløpet400, this time placing 6th. of 76 teams starting and were nominated for the Best Dog Care Award.