Elizabeth P. Ricker, whose husband was part of the family that operated the Poland Spring resort, became interested in dogsledding in 1926-1927.

Dogsledding competitions took place at Poland Spring into the 1930s, with world famous competitors participating. A match between musher rivals Leonhard Seppala of Alaska and Arthur Walden of New Hampshire was held in 1927.

Ricker began racing offspring of Chinook, the famous lead dog that began the Chinook breed, developed by Arthur T, Walden in Wonalancet, New Hampshire.

Ricker and Seppala later opened a kennel in Poland Spring to breed Siberian Huskies, the descendants of Togo, a dog famous for delivering diphtheria vaccine to Nome, Alaska in 1925.