This year the race technically has thirteen rookies headed down the trail, but one of those rookies is the musher in the inaugural Expedition Class of the race and so for our purposes we'll focus on the other twelve who had to qualify for the race as well as have to stay competitive in order to finish. No easy task as we've seen in recent years as the race grows increasingly faster and the gaps widen considerably.
Of the twelve racing rookies, three are returning rookies - meaning they will not be eligible for the Rookie of the Year award. (Though at this point getting that buckle may be what they care about more.) Four of the rookies are women. All in all a healthy roster of rookies.
With that in mind, let's get to the task of familiarizing ourselves with the new crop and make sure we know how we can follow them to learn more.
Idita-Class of 2026
Adam Lindenmuth - Adam began mushing in 2017 learning from other mushers before creating his own kennel in 2021. He ran races prior to his opening his own kennel, and spent the last two years qualifying for the Iditarod using his own dogs. Adam has seen success in the races he's run, winning several along the way. Adam said in his bio that "the pups are old enough so here we are!" ahead of the Iditarod. It will be interesting to see if he tries for Rookie of the Year.You can learn more about Adam and follow his journey from his Iditarod Bio, Website, Facebook, and Instagram.
Brenda Mackey - They say third time's the charm, and that's what Brenda is hoping for. Brenda comes from one of those "legacy" mushing families and is incredibly capable - it's just the last two tries she's ended up with sick dogs that called the race for her. Her true rookie run was in 2021 on the "Gold Loop Trail", the modified trail during Covid. Mackey, like many teams that year, ended up scratching due to dogs getting a very bad bug. Brenda returned last year feeling good about her chances, but after an emergency situation and confusion with the SOS button early on in the race Brenda was out again. Both times she did right by her dogs and that's all one can hope a musher does. Brenda says this year she's looking forward to seeing more than the first 300 miles of the Iditarod. Learn more about the musher from her Iditarod Bio, Website, Facebook, and Instagram.
Jaye Foucher - Jaye is finally going to be on the trail! After having her dreams dashed well before the race in 2022 after a training run turned into a nightmare when on a road crossing a car didn't see Jaye's team and hit the team. Foucher was emotionally and physically not ready to run the race after that and chose to withdraw and head back home to the Lower 48. Jaye will be the only team to have a mix of Siberians and Alaskan Huskies. It will no doubt be an emotional moment to see her take off from the start line. You can learn more about Jaye from her Iditarod Bio, Website, Facebook, and Instagram.
Jesse Terry - Jesse is coming off of a win at the Canadian Challenge just last week and is on the road (probably already made it by the time this is posted) to Alaska. Terry is a member of the Lac Seul First Nation and has run dogs most of his life. He began racing in 2012 and boasts an impressive record of top placements and Vet and Sportsmanship awards. He also recently took over Hans Gatt's sled building business, proving he is exceptionally good at what he does. If we were playing the Oregon Trail, he'd be the one that cost the post to choose as your player - he's got all the skills. You can learn more about the musher by going to his Iditarod Bio, Website, Facebook, and Instagram.
Jody Potts-Joseph - Jody is Han Gwich’in from Eagle Village, Alaska and a citizen of the Native Village of Eagle and Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in First Nation in Dawson City, Canada. She raises her family and her kennel "on the land of her ancestors". Mushing is not just something to do, it is a part of her. Jody wrote recently, "For me, the Iditarod is more than a race. It continues the way my ancestors traveled the land, cared for their dogs, and sustained life along the Yukon River. In the race’s 50-year history, only a small number of Alaska Native women have stood on this trail." Just last year we watched this woman wade through several miles of overflow getting her team down the trail of the Yukon Quest. She's no doubt got the heart and strength for Iditarod. Learn more about this amazing woman and musher from her Iditarod Bio, Website, Facebook, and Instagram.
Joseph Sabin - From sled dog tour guide to kennel owner. Joseph has learned from some of the leading kennels how to train dogs and now it's his turn to go down the trail. Originally from the Lower 48 he would travel to Alaska during tourist season to run tour operations for other mushers. That wasn't enough for Sabin and around 2020 he decided he needed to start his own team. He still manages tours in the summer for another kennel, but he's taking a team of dogs he bred, raised, trained and raced to the start of the Iditarod. He moved to Alaska about three years ago and settled in Fairbanks where he and his partner Willoe Maynard run and train their dogs. You can learn more about Joseph from his Iditarod Bio, Website, Facebook, and Instagram.
Kevin Hansen - Another rookie who embodies Joe Redington Sr.'s original vision for the Iditarod, Hansen hails from the West Coast of Alaska in Kotzebue. The Physical Therapist by trade, but musher at heart has been training and racing dogs for much of his life with the dream of Iditarod always in the back of his mind. Fans may recognize him most from the Kobuk 440 a springtime race run out of Kotzebue each year as Hansen has in most recent years stuck with the top teams having consistent top placements. Just getting to the starting line makes him a winner with the added expenses (to an already insanely huge expense just to run the race) with living in remote Alaska off the road system so he has to fly his dogs to Anchorage so that he can mush them back to the West Coast. You can learn more about Kevin from his Iditarod Bio, Facebook, and Instagram.
Richie Beattie - Okay. So. This one's tricky. Not the musher's fault. It's a technicality really. Many fans may remember Beattie has run the Iditarod before and he did make it all the way to Nome. Richie technically completed the race in 2019 but the Iditarod still lists him as a Rookie. This has thrown a lot of people, but a quick look at his race history shows a "WD" designation next to his Nome "checkpoint". This was due to them having to envoke that year's Rule 42. (It needs to be said that Iditarod's necropsy and investigation never lead to any wrong doing from Beattie and he was not sanctioned.) So technically he's finished, but he's also technically a rookie. Clear as... mud? You can learn more about Richie and his team of Wildthingz from his Iditarod Bio, Website, Facebook, and Instagram.
Sadie Lindquist - She'll be running Mitch Seavey's puppy team, so don't expect her to break any records. Her job - as with all Seavey puppy teams - is to get the young pups to Nome in the most fun way possible. No stress, just fun! And that's kinda how Sadie is in general. Guests to the Seavey Kennel in Seward will likely recognize her as she's one of the familiar faces giving demonstrations, talks, and tours of the Ididaride Kennel. She's a life long Alaskan who has been connected with these dogs pretty much their entire lives. Expect her to make it to Nome beaming that Sadie smile the whole way. You can learn more about Sadie by going to her Iditarod Bio, Website, Facebook, and Instagram.
Sam Martin - Ten years ago there was this kid straight outta high school looking for adventure and found it on the Panhandle of Alaska. Like many, his start was giving tours on a glacier for hundreds of cruise ship passengers wanting to experience Alaska. Sam says one summer was all it took, he was hooked and soon found his way to Matt Failor's kennel where he has helped run and train dogs. Martin has run his qualifiers at a conservative "finish with everyone happy and ready for more" type pace and it may be how he takes on the much larger beast known as Iditarod. You can learn more about Martin from his Iditarod Bio, GoFundMe, and Facebook.
Sam Paperman - Sam's one job is to get the Turning Heads Kennel puppy team to Nome. With, you know, happy dogs ready to do it again. Paperman has been with THK since he was 14 years old working his way up from kennel hand to dog trainer and now racer. He's also a volunteer EMT for their local emergency services (fans may remember he helped save a man's life when a boulder fell on him while hiking). When Sam is racing his dad is often keeping folks updated on how it's going for the young musher (the proud dad posts are fantastic and informative). Don't expect Sam to take away any top prizes, but it's a good bet this guy will get them to Nome. You can learn more about the musher by going to his Iditarod Bio, Facebook, and Instagram.
Sydnie Bahl - Sydnie is another one of the rookies returning for a second try at this finishing thing. Bahl ran last year and was one of the heartbreaking scratches/withdrawals from the race. Sydnie was having quite a good run up to when her race ended and many felt she should have continued on. That's water under the bridge as of now, though, because she's on her way to try number two. The trail is the normal one, there are no extra miles, no back and forths, no millions of miles of river (well except for the normal amount). Bahl runs a team out of Vern Halter's kennel and he does his best to create a schedule that sets his musher/team up for success. To learn more about Sydnie you can visit her Iditarod Bio, Website, and Facebook.
The Iditarod kicks off Saturday, March 7 with the Ceremonial Start in Anchorage, Alaska.
What do you think of this year's rookie class? Who do you have for Rookie of the Year? Comment below with your thoughts and predictions!
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