Iditarod 47 - Top Ten

As the clock winds down ever closer to the start of the 47th Iditarod, thoughts are turning to who will become the next champion. The pool is growing larger for potential champions. Knowing who is going to take the top prize is more difficult every year. In fact, this year's top ten is really a top fifteen since I just can't seem to narrow it down further. So, yeah, I have a few honorable mentions.

Top Ten

Aliy Zirkle - SPKennel's top dawg, Zirkle is the 2000 Yukon Quest Champion who has been so close to the Iditarod Championship she could taste it. Aliy is everyone's favorite. You'd be hard pressed to find anyone - fan or competitor - who could say a bad thing about her. But enough about why we all love Aliy. She is a true dog woman. Her dogs just ran the Quest with her husband Allen Moore and gave it a good go, but tapered off during the final push. Aliy's team struggled last year during the Iditarod when a storm blew in early on in the race and she finished out of the top ten. That being said, I'm not ready to count Aliy out yet, and last year's finish might be the push she needs to come back "with a vengence".

Jeff King - King is a four-time Iditarod champion who is still gunning for another. While his fellow four-timers seem to have conceded that the race has changed since they won their races, Jeff hasn't given up on the illusive number five. King was just hours away from number five in 2014 when a storm blew him off course and he was forced to scratch. Jeff has proven that he is willing to take chances, but not ones that will do wrong by his dogs. He's an old hat at this race, and that experience comes in handy. His dogs come from a long line of champions. Everything is there to come together, the problem is that a lot of other teams have grown up studying "the winningest musher" and now he has more teams threatening to dethrone him. I was *this close* in bumping him down, but you can't count out Mr. The King.

Jessie Holmes - Many counted out the rookie last year, chalking him up as nothing more than a reality TV star, but Holmes came to play. He not only won Rookie of the Year, he broke the top ten. Jessie's got speed on his side, and he has the right kind of ego to get him to the finish in first. He definitely believes in himself and his dogs. But ego is most definitely a two edged sword and it can cloud judgement. Push too soon and the dogs will slow on the coast. They did incredibly well last year, but a storm helped a lot keeping many of the veteran teams at a slower pace. It will be interesting to see what Jessie Holmes and team will be capable of this year.

Joar Leifseth Ulsom - Can Joar repeat? Repeat wins are difficult. Even if every dog is the same, the elements and trail change from hour to hour and there is no guarantee that you will have even close to the race you had last time. Joar quickly climbed the standings in his Iditarod career, now he has to maintain. That's hard to do in any sport, and especially in dog mushing. Joar had the perfect storm blow in to help him advance to the number one spot. I don't expect Nicolas Petit to lose the trail on the Norton Sound again. If Joar wants to become a repeat champion he is going to have to stay within striking distance and have enough gas in the tank to jump out ahead when the time is right.

Matt Hall - It's kind of mind boggling that this will only be Matt's third Iditarod, but the 2017 Yukon Quest Champion has made sure to keep his name in the running for top ten. He nearly missed out on a top ten finish last year, and was on his way to a strong lead in this year's Yukon Quest when he was sidelined (by choice) waiting for a diagnosis of one of his dogs (doggie cancer sucks). Even with having to make up quite a bit of time, Hall managed a very respectable fifth place finish on one of the most difficult Quests in memory. It is completely within reason to see Matt make the top ten, and I wager he could very easily challenge for first.

Mitch Seavey - "Da Man" or "Old Man" Seavey, depending on who you talk to, has found the fountain of youth and has kept many of the young guns at bay in the last 7 years. The Three-Time Iditarod champion has proven time and again that you can teach the... once around the block... guy new tricks. Master strategist, dog man, and just all around expert - you just don't want to count him out. But, like Zirkle, Mitch can sometimes be the "weak link", but more recently he has worked to improve his athletic ability to be able to do more behind the sled than we're used to seeing. I don't expect him to pull out the tricks from Dallas's books and run sprints up mountains with the team, but don't be shocked to see Mitch not only keeping up but surpassing known fast teams. It's all about "building the monster" as they say.

Nicolas Petit - Someone is starting to gain somewhat of a comical reputation as one who is directionally challenged. Last year Petit was solidly in the lead when he took a wrong turn during the run across the Norton Sound, he lost not only valuable time, but the extra work the dogs ended up dealing with as they backtracked slowed his team. The misstep cost him the win. He's had a few misdirections in several of his mid-distance races this season. Whether it's a loss of focus, or flat out being asleep, or something else - who knows. But it doesn't take much guessing to know that Nicolas is going to run this Iditarod like he has something to prove. Expect Nicolas to get up in front early and fight hard to stay there.

Peter Kaiser - The four-time Kusko 300 champion missed out on a fifth title this season, but not for lack of trying. Kaiser managed a fifth place finish in last year's Iditarod which threw many curveballs at the teams crossing the thousand miles of Alaskan wilderness. One of the strongest Western Alaska teams, Kaiser has steadily climbed the rankings and is poised to do well yet again. It's not a matter of if Kaiser will be an Iditarod champion, it's when. His dogs have it in them, and so does he, but just like all the other champions that have gone before, everything has to go very right for them, and other teams have to have something go wrong. Kaiser has the tools.

Travis Beals - This is another pick that I went back and forth on. When Travis is on, he is very very good, other times he's middle of the pack. Beals had a decent season again this year, and looks to have a solid team. Travis did very well in last year's snowmageddon Iditarod, so one would expect it to go well again this year. He is determined, and it would not be a surprise to see him crack the top ten again.

Wade Marrs - After last year's disappointing race where he scratched on the coast, Marrs is back and should be a contender. The face of Stump Jumpin' Kennel and the former ITC Musher Board Representative, Wade is one of the most exciting "up and coming" (though after this many years, is he really still up and coming?) teams. Marrs trained with some of the best in the sport while in the junior ranks, and he's shown to be a pretty quick study when it comes to racing against some of the best in Iditarod. While using his own methods, Marrs has picked up a few tricks watching how Dallas Seavey races Iditarod, and it's no wonder his schedule seems to match up with those of the Seavey teams. It will be interesting to see how a healthy Wade matches up with the pack this go around.


Dark Horses

I couldn't stop at 10. Honestly there's at least 15 teams that could easily be top ten depending on circumstance. This is a highly competitive field and it's exciting to see. So I have been stressing all week trying to justify my picks, and I can't so I'm adding a few more who could easily make it into the top ten.

Aaron Burmeister - No stranger to Iditarod, Burmeister has knocked on the door to the title for many years now. His short-lived retirement(s) proved that he isn't quite able to give up the dogs or the lifestyle. For some, the race just gets inside them and they have to continue on. Each time Burmeister comes back, he reminds everyone just how good he is. Last year he came 12th, in 2015 he was third. He has a very good chance of breaking into the top ten again. He just has to play his cards right.

Jessie Royer - I really wanted to put her in my top ten, but something tells me this is not her year. Jessie ran the Yukon Quest earlier this month, and she had a rough go of it. Not sure if it was just the extreme negative temperatures (likely) or if this is a team rebuilding year. So I have her as a dark horse this year. I'd love for her to wreck my top ten and make a high placement (or a win), but I'm going to hedge my bets on her.

Matthew Failor - Mattew just beat out Pete Kaiser last month in the Kuskokwim 300, a race Pete pretty much owns. A former handler for four-time Iditarod Champion Martin Buser before striking out on his own with his own team of dogs. It hasn't taken him long to become a true contender. The Kusko is just the first stepping stone on the way to the top. His race this year will be fun to watch as it plays out.

Ramey Smyth - One of the best finishers in the business, you don't want to ever have a Smyth team running up behind you. Ramey has come close to beating out champions in the past, and is always knocking on the door. In so many ways it feels like he should have "Iditarod Champion" next to his name, but he hasn't quite found the magic for it to happen. Still, don't be surprised to see his name creep up the standings, especially once his team hits the coast. Then all bets are off.






Thoughts on who might take the prize this year? Who do you have in your top ten? Comment below!

Iditarod 47: Rookie Round-Up

Iditarod Rookie, Blair Braverman, at the Tustumena 200 Vet Check.
Soldotna Sports Complex, January 25, 2019.

We're less than two weeks away from the 47th running of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. 52 teams are signed up (55 if you count the three who have since withdrawn), with ten rookies. Some names are familiar because while they may be new to Iditarod, they are certainly not new to the sport. Others are "social media sensations". As always, there are the tried and true rookies who are handling a second string puppy team for the top kennels. Four of the ten rookies are female. Six teams are from Alaska. Four countries (USA, Norway, Canada, and France) are represented. All have different levels of experience and vastly different backgrounds.

So who are the class of 2019's rookies looking to acquire the finishers belt buckle and an invite into the Iditarod Finisher's Club?

Alison Lifka - Like many rookies, Alison grew up fascinated by the Iditarod Trail and the stories of its heroes. She followed her dreams and moved up to Alaska to begin handling for different mushers. She now calls Willow, Alaska home. Her kennel's name is Bear Necessities. Alison lists photography as one of her passions, and she is definitely talented looking at some of her work she has shared. She will be running some of Iditarod Veteran Linwood Fielder's young dogs. Follow along via her Website, Facebook, and Instagram.

Blair Braverman - Hey "Ugly Dogs" (yeah, that's right, I see you!). Seriously, though, if you're reading my blog chances are you know who this rookie is. Braverman is an accomplished writer, who has grown quite the following thanks to her use of Social Media as well as publishing her memoir Welcome to the G--D--- Ice Cube. Blair moved up to Alaska to train for the Iditarod with her dogs and her husband Quince last fall, and has documented her entire journey to the starting line. "Team BraverMountan" (the combination of her name with her husband's) and their fans lovingly known as "Ugly Dogs" (there's a story that goes with that) have brought a lot of excitement to this year's race and it's been noticed by a lot of key players. If you want to follow along your best bet is Blair's Twitter and Quince's Twitter, she also has a Website.

Ed Hopkins - Mushing fans were all scratching their heads when Ed's name had "rookie" next to it after signing up, but it's true. Hopkins is not a veteran of the Iditarod, though he is a veteran of "that other thousand mile race" (the Yukon Quest). Hopkins is no stranger to the race, however, as his wife Michelle Phillips has run the race and done quite well for a number of years. Originally, Michelle had signed up to run the 2019 Iditarod, but she swapped with Ed. Ed and Michelle's Tagish Lake Kennel will no doubt be in the running for Top Rookie this year. You can find out more about their kennel on Facebook, and their Website.

Jessica Klejka - Jessica's life has revolved around dogs. She grew up mushing with her family in Bethel and was inspired by the Kuskokwim 300 sled dog race to get into mushing. This Iditarod Rookie is no stranger to the Iditarod trail, as a teen she won the Junior Iditarod (which runs a portion of the Iditarod race a week prior to the 1,000 mile race). Oh, and she beat some familiar names that year, like Iditarod Veteran Wade Marrs. Just sayin'. She has a Website, and you can follow her on Facebook.

Martin Apayaug Reitan - Martin has had a busy winter. He just completed his first Yukon Quest where he won Rookie of the Year (meaning he was the first rookie across the finish line). Reitan's older brother and father have both run the Iditarod in years past, so it's little brother's turn. Raised in both Norway and Alaska, Martin is no rookie when it comes to dog care. He's been mushing most -if not all of his life. When the family relocated permanently to Alaska, they brought the racing team with them. Martin has a bright personality, and is no slouch when it comes to racing. He is another team that is definitely in the running for Rookie of the Year in this race. There's really not a good way to follow him online as his website is for the family's polar bear watching tours.

Niklas Wikstrand - Originally from Norway - where he learned to mush IN SCHOOL! how cool is that?! Alaska we're slackin'! - Niklas will be running a team out of Pete Kaiser's kennel. The 28 year old rookie moved to Alaska to work for Kaiser Racing in 2016 thinking it would be a one year gig. Three years later he's heading to Nome. When not in Alaska he works as a tour guide in Norway. He shared the Kaiser Racing link as his Website, they also have a Facebook page.

Richie Beattie - This two time Quest finisher (and Rookie of the Year in 2006) is living his dream of running Iditarod this year. Running a kennel of what appears to be twenty-four dogs with his wife in Two Rivers, Alaska, the Wild Thingz Kennel has done well to prepare for the Last Great Race. Beattie should do well with his race, and it will be interesting to see how he does. He has a Website, Facebook, and Instagram.

Ryan Santiago - Wondering who gets the honors to run the puppy team out of Mitch Seavey's kennel, look no further. Santiago was a late entry into this years race as he finished up his qualifiers. He attended the rookie meeting earlier this season before signing up, so he's jumped through all of the hoops. Ryan won't be in the running for Rookie of the Year as typically the musher running the puppy team is running a not so competitive schedule, but look for him to have a solid run to Nome. No doubt a few updates on his run will be on the Ididaride Facebook page.

Sebastian Dos Santos Borges - Another wordsmith, Borges is another one of those small kennel teams that focuses on the relationship over the overall placement. Borges started his kennel using "shelter dogs" and says some are in his racing team. Sebastian is originally from France, but resides now in Alaska. He completed the 2017 Yukon Quest, and has run several mid distance races placing respectably.

Victoria Hardwick - Another dental professional turned dog musher, Victoria moved from Washington State to Bush Alaska five to six years ago. Another musher who dreamed from childhood of mushing, she has worked hard to be able to run the Iditarod. Another one of these mushers who doesn't leave much of an online footprint, you *might* be able to find her on Facebook.


This year's class of rookies is an interesting bunch, with several with the ability to vy for Rookie of the Year. Don't expect a performance quite as dramatic as last year's RotY Jessie Holmes, but we could see another rookie break the top 10 if they play their cards right. Some real talent and experience in this group.


Who's your favorite rookie? Comment below!

Weekly Mushing News Round Up (Oct 21)

Yet another week has passed, and fewer and fewer leaves remain on the trees. Snow has been reported in the interior and more northern parts of Alaska. Dryland races - which seem to be more mud than dry land - are winding down. Folks are getting snow tires on their vehicles. Some swear they can smell snow in the air. Me? I'm just wishing this rain would turn to snow so I can see the moose while driving at night. Right now they just pop out of the dark and by the time they're seen it's too late. Not fun!

If you're looking ahead to Iditarod and possibly traveling from wherever you are to the start (or finish) of the Last Great Race's 47th installment - you may find my new series "IditaGetAway" to your liking. Shameless plug, I know, but I started it this week so I'm going to say that it counts as mushing news. Hoping to have the series continue through at least December - there's so much info to discuss! Fingers crossed I can stay organized and motivated. If you have any questions, tips, or suggestions for the series let me know, I want to hit as many topics within the subject as possible!

One of Alaska's premier sled dog photographers, Laurent Dick, shared a photo this week on facebook showing Father-Son mushing duo Ketil & Martin Reitan running his team on snow outside of Kaktovik. They are the only mushers to mush HOME from Iditarod (not counting teams that live in Nome), it takes them a month to return via dog sled. Adventurers the both of them, they are signed up to run the 2019 Yukon Quest.


So, like I said, it's been pretty wet this October... all over Alaska. Iditarod musher Cindy Abbott shared a photo from training this week where it looks like everyone should've been wearing swimming wear! I guess she can chalk this up as some open water training with the dogs, but dang if it isn't nasty wet out on the trails. Cindy also shared a look at what the pups eat for snacks out on the trail. Salmon that goes for a pretty penny in the states (and even here in Alaska) is chopped up for a quick and healthy snack while dogs are training (and racing). Pretty crazy, eh?



Mitch Seavey broke the golden rule of picking favorites and shared a photo and a bit of a brag on one of his up and coming super stars named Echo. This dog must be special if Mitch takes the time to give him a shout out on social media!


Are you a teacher who uses the Iditarod Education program in your classroom? Ever wonder what it takes to be the "teacher on the trail" or where the Iditarod gets its curriculum ideas from?! Well, they're looking for their next Teacher for the 2020 Iditarod - Applications are due Dec 1. Hurry up and apply.


Dennis Kananowicz - Outlaw Dog Racing - shared some photos of training and the pros/cons of this fall's weather. Looks like they had a semi-decent day weather wise.


Another musher who was sure they were done with long distance mushing announced Friday that he was wrong. Charley Bejna is once again signed up for Iditarod! Charley made the following statement on his social media page:

"Even though I said I wasn’t going to sign up for another Iditarod, today Brown and I took a ride to headquarters to sign up for the 2019 Iditarod. It would be hard to not compete in the race as I enjoy working with my dogs and traveling across the state to Nome. Everything we do in life is a challenge and this is definitely a big one for me, especially with my diabetes. I will continue to raise awareness for diabetes as it’s a disease that is affecting myself and others on a daily basis. I will also be having a (CGM) continuous glucose monitor that will help me control my blood sugars along the race. I’m very excited to try this and see how it does in the extreme conditions. Thank you to all the sponsors, new sponsors and the support that everyone gives to the dogs and myself."

Brett Bruggenan also signed up to run next year's Iditarod, bringing the total teams signed up for Iditarod 2019 to 38 with just a month and half left before registration closes.


Willow Dog Mushing Association hosted a vaccine clinic for anyone needing to get their pets updated on the rabies vaccine (cats and dogs). Mary Helwig shared this humorous story about one of her dogs that was not so eager to be stuck with a needle.


The Berington Twins - Kristy & Anna - and the dogs of Seeing Double Kennels are stars of a short movie titled Sixty-Three Dog Night. Showing why girls rock, Anna and Kristy share their love for their dogs and their sport - and how Female Mushers are a cut above the rest. Girls kick butt!


Jessi Downey's kennel, Aimaagvik (Inupiaq word for "Home") Kennel, shared a few photos this week of their pups having fun while the musher was away. Happy, healthy dogs is what we like to see!


I get asked about podcasts to listen to - this one is kind of fun. One of Iditarod's former teachers on the trail has come up with a podcast that is run by herself and her students. Each episode is an interview with a different person involved in mushing/the Iditarod.


The UP200 has opened its registration. They announced the first two teams signed up, and reminded mushers looking at sign ups that they have a chance to win part of their entry fee back if they sign up by November 1.


Gotta love musher humor. This photo coming from a team in New Hampshire.


Matt Hall shared a little bit about sled dog foot care and the costs associated with making sure all of the dogs' feet are well cared for and bootied.


Rob Cooke has been on the trail with his team daily, and they've encountered some semi frozen water that the dogs are learning to avoid or at least listen to their musher when he tells them not to run over it.


And Quince Mountain shared some video today of Blair Braverman - who will run her rookie Iditarod this coming March. The team still running on their trails at home, not yet on their way to Alaska to train for the winter. Most teams will continue to train with ATVs until December - or whenever a lot of snow packs the trails and it is safe to run with traditional sleds.

Training run with Addison @addisonbrothers and @blair https://t.co/0zawj7CBqm

— Rugged Art Cowboy (@QuinceMountain) October 21, 2018

Weekly Mushing News Round Up (Sept 28)

Where did September go?! We're in the last couple of days of the month and then we'll be in full on Halloween mode! Termination dust has been reported on the mountains of South Central Alaska, which means we're only weeks away from the first real snow of the season. How is this even possible?! Time for the clock to slow down a smidge! Before we know it the racing season will be underway... okay, well, we still have about 3 months before we need to worry about that...

The Yukon Quest and Iditarod saw their rosters grow by one name (each) this week. Iditarod has until December to finalize their roster and numbers. They are still well below their average, whereas the Yukon Quest is looking at a stable number that is slowly climbing and it could be one of their largest rosters ever.

Veteran Nathaniel Hamlyn from Step Up Kennels has thrown his name in the ring today! He brings the 1,000-mile roster up to 26 mushers. Full bio: https://t.co/DV9yTs1DqY #YQ2019 pic.twitter.com/4qQOesUx2Y

— Yukon Quest (@theyukonquest) September 26, 2018

Ryan Redington shared a photo of a recent training run.


Apparently, Denmark has a new law that directly affects the mushing community in that country. I am still looking into it, but considering most of what I've found is not in English, it's hard to figure out just what the law is. It sounds like they are blocking teams from running near any "established road" but it's loosely worded so that basically anywhere is considered "near a road". It makes training and races nearly impossible - or so some of their mushers are saying.



Brent Sass also shared a photo of a recent training run, and it looks magical.


New England fans have a chance to bring their pups out to an event next weekend to learn about pulling/mushing sports and have a chance to listen to a few Iditarod veterans give talks. The New England Sled Dog Trade and Seminars event spans the course of two days and is a way to keep sled dogs active as well as educate others on the sports and the different ways you can be active with your pup. Your dog(s) does not have to be a husky to be welcome to participate, just has to have an inclination to pull. Guest Speakers are Justin and Jaime High, and Bruce Magnusson.



Pretty slow news week. There are a lot of training posts as well as the "please sponsor us" posts on social media. There were also a lot of dryland mushing events held last weekend around Alaska (and probably elsewhere).

Weekly Mushing News Round Up (Sept 21)

Martin Buser and team at the ReStart of the 46th running of the Iditarod.
March 4, 2018 - Willow, Alaska.

Just going to share a few fun items today as well as some movie news - there is now a website (that I'm not involved with) that is working on "mushing news" and it's run by someone a little more dialed into the politics of the sport than I am. I don't want to step on toes, but I'll continue to do the round up of social media finds and big news.

If you've been around the Iditarod mushing scene for any length of time you know that the mushers all typically get along even when there are fierce rivalries and intense differences of opinion. Dogs, though, bring all of these personalities together and they get along more than they don't. Two old dogs who have rival kennels and tour businesses seem to have a lot of fun at each other's expense. Jeff King and Mitch Seavey shared a good laugh this week.


Yukon Quest champion Matt Hall shared some puppy sweetness on facebook today. Who wants to cuddle? I volunteer as tribute!

Squid Acres took to the interwebs to find a handler, interested in working with one of the top female mushers in the sport right now? Head on over and apply. (This is not an endorsement, simply informational.)


The Kusko 300 is doing something right when it comes to filling its purse for the race. They announced their breakdown online for their three race classes, a full breakdown will be available closer to race time. The numbers are impressive considering the Iditarod can't seem to keep the numbers steady... unless you count the steady decline. Iditarod powers that be have blamed loss of sponsors and monies on the animal rights groups, but other races seem to be thriving and get just as much flack from the terror groups. Just an interesting observation.


The Finnmarkslopet has opened up registration for all of its race classes. So far 57 teams total will run the 500, 1200, and junior races. No Americans or Canadians appear on the roster, and of the 57 teams that are signed up, 30 of them are rookies. There's still time to enter, and with Dallas Seavey having had such a good time in this year's race, it wouldn't be surprising to see another team try their luck. Seavey said after the race this year that he would be back, but that they'd probably not be able to make the trek back so soon. Seavey is not signed up for Iditarod which runs during the same time frame, and has not really spoken publicly of his race plans for the coming season. His name has yet to appear on any roster in Alaska.

Dallas Seavey has racked up a few airmiles lately, having made several trips over to Norway to give talks and run dogs over the summer and fall. He finished up an event earlier this month with current Iditarod Champion Joar Liefseth Ulsom that apparently was well received. If you attended, comment below and let me know how it went.


I found out about a neat opportunity for troubled youth in the Fairbanks area. Had no idea that this organization existed. I wish there was a program down on the Peninsula. Our kids could really use something like this.

So I just found out about @noble_paws organization that helps promote confidence and positive mental health to those in need by teaching them how to run a dog team. How cool?! https://t.co/4OI0ofElSu#MusherTwitter pic.twitter.com/3ws4ijCasN

— Toni Reitter (@tonichelleak) September 16, 2018

Lisbet Norris' kennel had a great training run today. Gotta love those happy, muddy faces.


Iditarod rookie (come March) Blair Braverman came up with a brilliant grading system on sled dog softness this week. She graded most of her dogs in her dog yard. It's very scientific. If you have time, read her twitter thread on the subject (or even if you just like pictures of happy sled dogs, she's got lots).

We all know that the sled dogs are super-athletes with a keen sense of adventure, family loyalty, and courage beyond belief.

But did you know they’re also soft? pic.twitter.com/H9V97ZMYg5

— Blair Braverman (@BlairBraverman) September 20, 2018

Last, but not least, Disney is currently in production for a new film about Leonhard Seppala and Togo and the story of the Serum Run. Willem Dafoe stars as Seppala. It's currently filming in Alberta, Canada (cheaper than coming to Alaska now that we no longer have tax incentives for Hollywood big budget movies, don't get me started). Martin Buser announced via facebook this week that he has been called upon to be the expert on set. His race team will be brought to him later this year so that he can continue to train for Iditarod 2019. He does not, at this time, plan to not run the 47th running of the Last Great Race. The movie is set to premiere on Disney's new streaming service they plan to have up and running next year. The movie does not have a release date yet. Here's hoping this is better than Spielberg/Dreamworks' animated film Balto which had so many historical inaccuracies it makes you cry. Then again, Disney did no better around the same time with their version of Pocahontas' history, so... we'll have to wait and see which version of Togo we get.


And that's a basic rundown of what was interesting in the world of mushing this week. Let me know what you think about this and whatever else is on your mind by leaving a comment or two.

Weekly Mushing News Round Up (Sept 7)

Happy September! It's more or less officially fall in Alaska, and that means it's training season. I know, I know, I keep saying it, but it's for realsies now. All kennels on social media have reported their first few runs of the season. It's still getting up into the 60s by midday, but that just means early mornings and late nights for the teams. Then off to work for the humans before back to training when they get home. Mushers. Never. Sleep. The weirdos.

Mary Helwig once again shared a bit of joy from her kennel. If you're familiar at all with the sled dog breeds you know that they're great singers. In my opinion very little else sounds as beautiful as a dog yard coming together in a contented howl after a feeding. And there's very little as sad a sound as the howl of a dog yard where one team of dogs has gone off on adventure and the dogs not hooked to the sled mourn that they were not chosen for the trip.

Mitch Seavey came out of hiding this week posting several photos to facebook before ultimately announcing that he was officially signed up for Iditarod 2019. The three-time Iditarod Champ spoke out repeatedly this summer about how he would not run the 47th Iditarod unless major changes were made to how the Iditarod Trail Committee (ITC) ran the program. With the addition of several new board members, and the recent resignation of Andy Baker as Board President, Seavey felt there was enough proof that the ITC was listening to musher concerns that he could run. Still, Seavey has been vocal about some of the rule changes for the race, claiming they were overreaching. While no revisions to the rules have been made public, it seems Seavey is satisfied - for now - that the race is headed in the right direction. Seavey also urged fans and mushers to support the race and keep the sport of mushing strong.




Speaking of Iditarod, they managed to obtain a new sponsor after the loss of Jack Daniels earlier this year. The Anchorage Distillery happily announced their sponsorship of the Last Great Race. Apparently mushing and beer are a happy match. Mush/Drink responsibly.

Laura Allaway plans on running the Yukon Quest this year, and has also come out of social media hiding to share a very nice photo of some fall training.


Squid Acres shared a photo of a recent hike with some of their pups. I share merely for the fact that fall colors in Alaska are beautiful.


Cindy Abbott shared her booty haul.

And some info out of Paul Gebhardt's kennel on fall prep and training from one of his handlers. Paul, you may recall, sat out last season due to being diagnosed with Cancer. After an aggressive treatment and stem cell transplant, Paul is on the road to recovery. While he builds up his immune system again Gebhardt cannot do the day to day chores with the dogs, and has hired help. I - as a non-stalker-stalker - have seen him around town as he runs a very successful construction business in the area and he looks great! Here's hoping his health continues to improve and we see him out on the trails again soon.


And that's this week's round up. If I missed anything big, let me know in the comments or on twitter. I don't share everything I find on social media as that would make this too long. It's a snapshot of what's going on. As soon as the snow flies and the races are in swing there will be more print media news to share.

Weekly Mushing News Round Up (July 20)

Aliy Zirkle's lead dogs run through Anchorage during the
Ceremonial Start of Iditarod 46. March 3, 2018.

Another week in the books, another week closer to fall... which is another week closer to training season for the Alaska dog teams waiting for cooler temps and less busy mushers. The Sockeye are finally starting to show themselves in the river, meaning everyone is busy collecting food to fill the freezer. It's the height of the summer season, tourism at its peak for the next couple of weeks. The last hurrah before the fireweed are in full bloom...

But I digress, you aren't here for that. You're here for sled dog news. So let's get to it, shall we?

The Redingtons had a GREAT start to their week with two of their own being inducted into the "Iditarod Hall of Fame". Though not associated with the race officially, the Knik based Hall of Fame acknowledges mushers, dogs, companies, volunteers, and others associated with Alaska's Last Great Race. Both Raymie and Joee Redington were awarded this year. Joee passed away last year due to complications in surgery, so it is a bittersweet moment for his family - but a proud one none-the-less.

Iditarod Musher Kristin Bacon, owner of Bacon's Acres Kennel, is hiring! Bacon is looking for a handler for the upcoming season. Housing and a stipend are some of the perks, plus you'll be working with an Iditarod kennel. Bacon is well connected within the mushing community, so you may rub elbows with some of the biggest names in the sport. Author note: I am not affiliated with Kristin in anyway and have no working experience with her or her kennel. This is not an endorsement, just sharing the info.

As reported by this blog (as well as many others), on Monday the Iditarod Trail Committee announced its newest board of directors members. Four new names join the remaining ITC board and will spend the next few weeks/months becoming educated on the race and the inner workings. The four newest BODs were not voted into their position by ITC members but by the current Board of Directors. The same board that was found to have lost the trust of mushers and members alike and were told that they should step aside. Only three of those members did so - others have made excuses for why they need to stay (among them Andy Baker, board president and brother of a now retired Iditarod champion). While most have been positive about the announcement, many are still in a wait and see pattern before they celebrate any changes.


If you follow Aliy Zirkle, you know she's been sharing videos she made while out on the Iditarod Trail this year. Little vlogs if you will, it's been a great way to break up the waiting as summer goes by. Aliy's team does a fantastic job of keeping fans involved while Allen and Aliy work to provide for their kennel.


I know I just shared puppy stuff from Jeff King's kennel last week, but I can't not share this. I mean... it's puppies. You can't go wrong with puppies!



Ryan Redington is the only Redington signed up for this year's Iditarod (still), and he's hard at work with summer tours before heading back to the lower 48 to race down there before heading back to Alaska for the race his family helped create 47 years ago. From time to time he gives us a glimpse into touring life.


The Yukon Quest announced yesterday that their purse for next year's race will be $115,000 USD. The purse will be divided among the top 15 teams. Sign ups for the 2019 Quest begin on August 4, just two weeks from now. The Quest may see a larger number of entries with the lack of mushers signed up for Iditarod - some may decide to try a new race where there typically is less drama from the powers that be.

New voices added to Iditarod Board of Directors

The Iditarod Trail Committee (ITC) announced the addition of four names to their board of directors Monday. After months of speculation as to who would be named - or even if the ITC would follow through with the promise to change up their roster - the cat is out of the bag. The Iditarod released the names Monday afternoon, with a brief description of each new member.

Depending on your familiarity with winter sport, Alaskan politics and business, you might recognize some of the names presented in today's press release. Still, the names listed have seemingly little experience or knowledge of the sport the Iditarod represents. This, however, is not as alarming as some make it out to be. The independent research done by the Foraker Group found that there was a need to change the board and its policies - starting with getting rid of those with a conflict of interest. Mushing is a small, tight-knit community. It's hard to find someone not related to those racing to be able to be part of the board of any race. Those listed today have experience in running large organizations successfully - something the ITC in the last two years has demonstrated they have very little success in doing.

The new members of the Iditarod Board are:

Nina Kemppel - a four time Winter Olympian for Team USA in cross-country skiing, Nina is a long time Alaskan who has many ties to the state; most noteably as the president and CEO of the Alaska Community Foundation which provides grants to non-profits statewide. She is also on the board of directors of the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) and sits on their Athlete Advisory Council. Kemppel brings an impressive resume to the table, and while not experienced in dog sports or mushing, she does understand the workings of a successful sports program as well as what it takes to keep a highly visible non-profit working. Her addition is an interesting and exciting move on the ITC's part. It will be interesting to see how they utilize her in the coming months.

Karen King - president and CEO of "Alaska's largest advertising company", Spawn Ideas, King's resume boasts helping companies reimagine themselves and reset their course within the public eye. She's worked with General Mills, Coke-a-Cola, and local entities like the University of Alaska and GCI (an Iditarod sponsor). One only needs to look so far as her company's website to have an idea of where Iditarod plans to use her. One of the biggest areas of improvement needed is how Iditarod is perceived by the public and fans - and that's where King will most likely step in. Spawn Ideas promotes a very positive work mantra: "Everyday, we challenge ourselves and our clients to create strategically smart, provocative, bold ideas." Perhaps it will transfer to Iditarod.

Mike Mills - a lawyer who apparently is on of "the Best Lawyers in America" since 2003. Considering the ITC has seen itself in a legal nightmare more times than not over the last few years with animal rights "activists" going after them, misuse of their name/logo, and of course the quagmire that allegedly started this mess: doping. It doesn't take too much imagination to know what Mills will be bringing to the board, but it is so desperately needed.

Ryan York - representing Bristol Bay Native Corporation (BBNC), York is the corporation's senior VP and chief director of Finance. One of the largest Native Corporations in the state, York understands the many working parts and personalities an Alaskan company/program has. While not native to Alaska, he has a love for the state and for the sport. BBNC has been very supportive of the race for years, and this no doubt will add to their enthusiasm as the Iditarod continues.

Some changes were announced weeks ago with the resignation of Wade Marrs as the Iditarod Official Finisher's Club (IOFC) representative to the board, and Aaron Burmeister. Both had to resign due to the restructured bylaws stating that no board member could be actively racing in Iditarod (this was a rule change at the recommendation of the Foraker Group conducted earlier in 2018). Also not returning is five-time Iditarod Champion and retired musher Rick Swenson who chose not to run for re-election.

Current Board President Andy Baker, brother to Iditarod Champion John Baker, is not stepping down as originally planned, stating that his brother is retired and so there is no longer any conflict of interest. Mushers and fans alike petitioned for Baker to resign well before the start of this year's Iditarod, but he said he would not step aside until after the race. Now, he is saying that he will not serve another term when his term expires next year. Time will tell.

Most talk of today's press release has been positive. The Anchorage Daily News (ADN) reached out to three-time Iditarod Champion Mitch Seavey for his response and he, too, had only positive things to say. The ADN also reported that Seavey is still waiting to sign up until the Board reviews the new revisions to the "personal conduct rule."

The Iditarod also announced today that they plan to add one more name to the roster in the coming months.

Iditarod BBQ 2018

Last night I was so tired after a long day of driving and "extroverting" that I did a very short blog post about the BBQ before passing out for the night. I live in Kenai which is a 4 hour drive (one way) to Wasilla... on a good day... without traffic... or a dad who wants to stop at Cabella's for a man's version of retail therapy... and who also drinks way too much fluids when road tripping if you get my drift. I guess he's getting me back for that summer of potty training when I'm pretty sure I waited until no bathrooms were in sight and I just had to go behind a bush on the side of the road.

But I digress, you're not hear to read about my road trip woes (it really wasn't that bad).

The BBQ was not as well attended as in year's past. Normally by noon the overflow parking is filled with dog trucks and volunteer cars alike, but when we got there only a handful were there. This is a huge field to park in, so it was a very noticeable difference. There is no doubt, to me, that the "woes of the ITC" in the last two years are starting to greatly affect the long standing fans and volunteers along with the mushers. You cannot have a race the size of the Iditarod without those, but it seems the ITC is still more concerned with protecting their seats than the race.

After parking we made our way to the gift shop, where I ran into my first musher - Iditarod Rookie Blair Braverman. As I said in a previous blog post, she flew in from Wisconsin to sign up for her first Iditarod. I've "known" her husband for 4 years as he followed me on twitter, and I think it was a year later he suggested I follow Blair - and I'm glad I listened. Blair is such a positive voice for the sport - she just makes it fun. She is a kick to follow on twitter, and if you like sled dog puppies (I love them) then you definitely want to follow her, too.

I didn't actually spot her, she spotted me as I walked into the gift shop and she shouted my name. It's a small room, but I think we were all shocked that we'd finally managed to be in the same place at the same time (we missed meeting up at the restart this year, her husband worked at Ididaride one summer and I never saw him, it's crazy!). After exchanging hugs and introductions to my dad, they pointed out that Mitch Seavey was in the room next door and so Q went to interview him, Blair and I chatted and realized he was never coming back so we went in search. It was an interesting conversation considering Mitch had let the world know just a few days before that he was considering sitting out next year's race. Mitch attended the meeting that morning in hopes of having his concerns listened do and addressed, we had a very interesting conversation (for instance they are changing the "dropped dog" term to "returned dog" and it sounds like that was a heated debate in what the new term should be).

Trying to convince the three-time champion that social media is a great tool.

I'm still very much Team Seavey so I am biased, but I do feel that Mitch - as always - has a really good perspective on the issue and that he's thought it through. A part of me wants him to run and just to hell with the rest of them, but another part of me wants him to stand firm. I don't know if there is a right answer. I'd like to think Mitch is right, because it's the closest to what I think, but I'm not sure. I do know that there's a lot of hurt, and a lack of trust, and it's not just Seavey... and they're not the ones who started it. There was a quietness to the event this year that just seemed to hang in the air.

Small Roster to start Iditarod 2019 Musher Sign Ups

As always, the rain stayed away during the annual Iditarod Volunteer Appreciation BBQ and Musher Sign Ups. 28 mushers, all but one a rookie, made their intentions known at the Iditarod HQ. Three champions signed up, but at least five were on hand to greet fans and volunteers. Jeff King, Martin Buser, and reigning champion Joar Leifseth Ulsom will run for another championship... while Mitch Seavey held onto his entry waiting to see what the ITC planned to do about the controversial rule changes (specifically the gag rule, and how the "dead dog" rule was worded). 

The lone rookie is Blair Braverman of Wisconsin. If you're active on social media you probably recognize her name - she is the queen of "Musher Twitter" (I just officially crowned her). She and her husband Q flew up to sign up in person today, and while nervous the rookie was all smiles as she handed her paperwork to the ladies at the desk. Braverman plans to head to Alaska after the holidays to get in some training with the dogs. Blair is also an accomplished writer, writing for several publications and she has a best selling book!

I have quite a few pictures to go through, but I got home about an hour ago and I'm exhausted. We'll have more coverage tomorrow. You can always hop over to my twitter to see some of the high lights. I may have gone a little fan girl over Blair... and Mitch... but more photos of other mushers are coming. For now... Stitch the Pug is demanding we sleep.