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W W W. M A I N E B I Z . B I Z 35 Fact Book / Doing Business in Maine P H OTO E S S AY THE MANE EVENT: Horseback riding and skiing: two great tastes that go great together. At least that is the theory behind skijoring, a sporting hybrid that — like better-known equine competitions — has its own Triple Crown. In above photo, Amy McHugh, in the saddle atop Birdie, tows skier Ronda Cloutier (also garbed in Pink Panther regalia) over the course at Skijor Topsham, the middle jewel of Maine's big three skijoring contests. ``It's scary at first when you think about it, but once you do it you get hooked,'' says McHugh, a lifelong horsewoman from New Hampshire. Birdie, a rescue horse, couldn't agree more. "She loves it, she gets fired up," McHugh says. RELEASE THE HOUNDS: Dressed in Santa-adjacent costumes, the dogs come marching in to Kennebunkport every December, as one of the final happenings in the town's annual Prelude fest. Other events include fireworks, a hat parade and Santa arriving by lobster boat. "Picture a Hallmark Christmas movie coming to life," in the words of the nonprofit Kennebunkport Business Association, an alliance of local merchants that manages the nearly two-week pre-Christmas extravaganza, first staged in 1982. Registration for this year's half-mile canine procession opens Oct. 15, but beware: poorly behaved pooches need not apply. PERFECT GAME: The Christmas spirit is so infectious that even Maine's not-exactly-real animals get in on the act. Here, Slugger, the mascot of the Portland Sea Dogs minor league baseball team, escorts Santa after the big-bellied bringer of good cheer alights from his helicopter near second base of Hadlock Field. Those who turned out for the yuletide descent from the skies were rewarded with free cookies and hot chocolate, face painting, balloon artistry, meet-and-greets with Santa and holiday music. As for the frozen backdrop: snow has been known to fall on the Sea Dogs' opening day in April, but that's another story.