Sixteen rookies are ready to head to Nome this March for the 52nd running of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. Each musher has their own story and reason for why they are in the sport and why this is their year to run the Last Great Race. Unlike many Iditarods, only five mushers are running dogs entirely out of someone else's kennel (though in each case they have trained with the dogs they're taking to Nome exclusively), the majority of rookies have their own kennel program. The future is looking strong for mid-distance mushing even with the hardships of the current economy and climate.
Like all hopeful graduates, the sixteen rookies will have to take a final exam filled with so many unexpected twists and turns. While they must participate in the mandatory rookie meeting several months before race day as well as qualify for the race and get veteran mushers to sign off on their abilities, the rookies still have no real knowledge of just what they will face. Sure, they've heard the stories, they've seen the videos, they know the warnings. But it's one thing to know it and another thing to live it. How many of them will pass their final exam and graduate? Who will get top marks? We'll know in three to four weeks from now.
Anna Hennessy - Anna's rookie run will take her down the trail with a team of dogs out of Kathleen Fredrick's Shameless Huskies kennel. Anna has been mushing for about eight years, the last three winters with Kathleen in Alaska. Anna is an ER nurse and adventurist in her off time. She has had solid finishes in all of her mid-distance races leading up to her biggest test yet. To learn more about Anna you can check out her Iditarod Bio, Website, Kennel Facebook Page, and Instagram.
Benjamin Good - Another one of those "two-year plan" Alaskans who just wanted a couple years of adventure and it turned into a lifetime. Good stated in his bio that he got into dogs learning to skijor using a couple of dogs from Aaron Burmeister's kennel. Good's team has seen some success in races over the years and he's won the vet award in a couple. Iditarod, as we know, is a beast all its own and far longer distance than what he's run previously - but he has run the shorter Quests so he has seen some tough terrain. You can learn more about Benjamin by checking out his Iditarod Bio, Facebook page, and Instagram.
Bryce Mumford - Mushing is a family affair for the Mumfords. Bryce got into dog mushing after watching a tv special on the Iditarod in 2008. While Bryce is the one who got the family into the sport, his father and his kids are also racing these days. Mumford notes that one of his proudest moments in the sport is winning an award for best dog care in the Race to the Sky race. Mumford is one of the few teams not from Alaska in the Iditarod this year. To learn more about Bryce and the Mushing Mumfords you can read his Iditarod Bio, Website, and Instagram.
Calvin Daugherty - Iditarod fans may recognize this kid as being the son of Iditarod veteran (and Everest climber) Larry Daugherty. Calvin has worked full time with Mitch Seavey's kennel for the last few years and it's now his turn to take the Team Seavey dogs to Nome. It will be interesting to see what his Iditarod schedule will be - will he be holding back like many of the "handler" teams have in the past, or will he be given more freedom to challenge for a top spot? With Mitch not running it could be that Calvin will have a role similar to Christian Turner's role last year. Let's just hope he doesn't take after his dad and become a sequel to the "Lost Boys". You can learn more about Calvin by checking out his Iditarod Bio, and Instagram.
Connor McMahon - The musher who named his kennel Feral Racing has been working with dogs since age fifteen and it was a malamute with "behavior issues" that got him into mushing. The one-dog team instilled a desire to mush full time and that's what the Canadian does now. Training and racing dogs in the winter and giving rides in the summer at Caribou Crossing. McMahon's 30 dog kennel has worked for this moment. To learn more about Connor you can read his Iditarod Bio, website, Facebook page, and Instagram.
Erin Altemus - Erin and her husband run a kennel of 30 dogs called Sawtooth Racing in Minnesota. It's taken twelve years to get here as the dream took a backseat as they had and raised their daughter who is now six years old. Erin says she has the right team and circumstances to make Iditarod 2024 the right time. Fun fact, Sawtooth Racing is where fellow rookie Anna Hennessy learned to mush before moving on to Shameless Huskies in Alaska. You can read more about Erin via her Iditarod Bio, Website, Facebook page, and Instagram.
Gabe Dunham - Gabe is one of the second year rookies in the race this year. Gabe originally ran in 2020... yes... THAT 2020. The year the race went from normal to half way through finding out that a pandemic was shutting everything down and checkpoints were being moved well out of villages to protect their populations. Gabe made it to Unalakleet before having to scratch. She's been 2/3 of the way down the trail. Gabe ran this year's Kusko to get her team some coastal trail experience. The Evermore Adventure team is ready to tackle that last third. Dunham has also been under the mentorship of Linwood Fiedler. To learn more about Gabe you can visit her Iditarod Bio, Website, Facebook, and Instagram.
Isaac Teaford - This Navy Vet turned musher has worked his way up the ladder of handler to B-team driver for Dallas Seavey's racing kennel. Many will remember Teaford as being one of the mushers involved in the snowmachine incident on the Denali Highway in November. While it wasn't his team that was hit, he was first on scene and had to help with the triage and dog care. After several months of no doubt reliving those moments Isaac will be on the runners living out a dream he's had for a long while now - the ultimate healing experience. Don't expect Teaford to be racing for Rookie of the Year, but don't expect him to be last either. (According to his Insider interview he's also quite musical.) You can learn more about Isaac by reading his Iditarod Bio, his Facebook Page, and his Instagram.
Jeff Reid - Probably one of the smallest kennels represented in this year's race. Jeff is another military veteran who found mushing as a way of healing. He found mushing after reading Gary Paulsen's Winterdance. He and his wife moved to Alaska where Jeff began working with Aliy Zirkle and Allen Moore before forming his own kennel with dogs from them as well as Sebastian Schnuelle. Frozen Trident kennel is close to 7 years old, now, and they are ready to hit the trail. To learn more about Jeff you can visit his Iditarod Bio, Facebook page, and Instagram.
Joshua Robbins - Another military veteran who works at restoring other veterans dealing with post military life and mental health, Joshua runs his small kennel on the Little Willow River with purpose. Robbins has been living this lifestyle for the last 4 years. He's won awards in mid distance races voted on by his fellow mushers. He seems to be a favorite in the community. You can read up on Joshua by checking out his Iditarod Bio, Website, Facebook page, and Instagram.
Josi Thyr - The There and Back Again musher has turned heads this season as she's competed against some of "the best" in the sport and managed high placements. Josi came third in the recent Yukon Quest Alaska in the 300 mile race, coming behind an Iditarod champion and former Iditarod Rookie of the Year (and she would be rookie of the year for the YQA except second place got that honor this year). Josi has been mentored by some of the best in Iditarod, handling for both Aaron Burmeister and Jessie Royer. She could challenge for Rookie of the Year this year. To learn more about Josi, read her Iditarod Bio, Website, Facebook page, and Instagram.
Lara Kittleson - The second team out of Mitch Seavey's kennel this year will be driven by Kittleson. This handler is also a talented artist and writer. Don't expect Lara to challenge for Rookie of the Year but do expect her to finish as the goal of any Seavey handled team is to get the young dogs safely to Nome at a good steady pace that is both fun for the dogs as well as a good test for their future. Lara has a very upbeat and positive personality that if you've ever met her you know she'll be one of those mushers having fun out on the trail with the pups she calls her "tater tots". Read more about Lara through her Iditarod Bio, and Instagram.
Lauro Eklund - Eklund is an established generational musher from the Interior of Alaska. His good natured posts have found their way into the hearts of many fans. On top of that, he's just a good dog driver. They're a steady team that like cold temperatures. Eklund has studied races and learns from the best in how to schedule a race. That came to a head last year in the Yukon Quest Alaska as the race marshal decided to end Eklund's race early (in any other year his schedule would have kept him middle to the front of the pack). Lauro should be able to get that belt buckle as long as he sticks to his schedule and the front runners don't speed up the race. You can learn more about Lauro by checking out his Iditarod Bio, Website, Facebook page, and Instagram.
Sean Williams - Another rookie who's gone down the trail but didn't quite make it all the way, this time Williams is running his own dogs. Williams learned a lot from working with Martin Buser for years. Sean now runs his own dogs as part of the group that hosts tours out of Alaskan Mushing School. Like many of the Happy Trails Alumn, Sean is capable of reading his dogs and knowing what they can do and what they need. Read more about Sean via his Iditarod Bio, Facebook page, and Instagram.
Severin Cathry - Severin achieved a lifelong dream 14 years ago when he visited Alaska and rode on a "real life dog sled" - he was hooked. The musher grew up on a dairy farm but is now all huskies. Severin will run a team out of Midnight Howler's Racing Kennel - home of junior musher Arien Sanderson (who is running the Junior Iditarod this weekend). Learn more about Severin by reading his Iditarod Bio, and Facebook page.
Will Rhodes - This rookie is one of those where you wonder how this could be their rookie race. If you know mushing you probably know Will Rhodes. Will shares a kennel with his wife Brenda Mackey. The Mackey's Alaskan Distance Dogs kennel tried their paws at the Gold Loop trail in 2021 but illness took them out before they could complete it - Brenda was running that time. This time it's Will's turn. Expect Will to run a solid race, and he could easily challenge for Rookie of the Year - though that won't be his goal (is my guess). Happy, healthy dogs at the FINISH is the goal for all of these teams. Will is also one of the mushers who prides himself on winning awards for best dog care. Read more about Will from his Iditarod Bio, Website, Facebook page, and Instagram.
Sixteen mushers will run to Nome in just a little over a week with the one goal of completing the race and obtaining their finisher's buckle (and their membership into the exclusive Iditarod Sled Dog Race Finishers Club). They are attempting what few have tried and many have dreamed. This is one of the bigger rookie classes with a lot of talented teams. Each one to make it to the starting line is a winner in many ways after tackling finances, qualifiers, drop bags, and all hoops in-between. Here's to Iditarod's Class of 2024! Good luck, Rookies, may you soon be rookies no more!
Who are you excited to cheer for? Who do you think will come out on top as Rookie of the Year? Comment below with your thoughts!
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