Weekly Mushing News Round Up (July 13)

Happy Friday the Thirteenth! It's been a quiet week online for mushing news, but there are a few tidbits worth sharing, so let's get right to it, shall we?

Retired Iditarod Musher, Karen Ramstead was in the news in Calgary talking of her newest passion - border collies - the article details her life as a musher and how she went from recreational musher to Iditarod musher and back. Karen still has a kennel with a few Siberians and is still active in the mushing community having been a race official for Iditarod several times now.

Newly retired Iditarod musher Scott Janssen - aka the Mushin' Mortician - was awarded by the State of Alaska yesterday for his act of bravery during this year's race. You may remember that Janssen came accross fellow musher Jim Lanier in the infamous "Blow Hole" very close to the finish. Lanier and team were forced down and stuck due to high winds. Both Lanier and Janssen flirted with hypothermia, but Scott refused to leave his fellow musher. He ended his race to get help for his friend.

Mushing Legend and Alaskan hero, Leonhard Seppala's house has been a mainstay in Nome for decades. Seppala, of course, is long gone having moved to the lower 48 after many year's in the "frozen North" before passing away in 1967. The house has become run down and was set to be demolished until a group of mushing enthusiasts and historians came together to try and save the building. Headed by Jon Van Zyle - artist and former Iditarod musher - the house has been saved and the restoration is underway. The house will become a historic building housing a museum of mushing and the history of the serum run that Seppala and his famed dog Togo ran to save Nome from the Diptheria outbreak of 1925








There are still only 29 mushers signed up for Iditarod 2019. Iditarod officials and fans are all hopeful at least once Seavey will add their name to the list soon.

Like I said, it was a light news week... though I am sure I missed something - if there's some news I missed or you feel I should have included, please send me a note! Chances are I just didn't see it.

Disclaimer: all of my blog posts are my own opinion and do not reflect anyone else's viewpoints unless I share a direct quote. I am in no way related to, or employed by, any musher or member of their family/crew. 

Larry Daugherty to run Iditarod 46

Larry Daugherty at the ReStart in 2016, his rookie year.

Many fans noticed earlier this week that there was a very late addition to the roster of Iditarod teams, Iditarod veteran Larry Daugherty's name appeared and had people questioning. Yesterday the doctor turned sometimes musher took to social media to confirm that yes he was running. This morning he shared how it all came to be on his facebook page:

While I am obviously thrilled to be in the race and very grateful for the opportunity, my heart was and is broken for Jason whose team I am running and who did all of the training and preparation to get this incredible team of dogs to the starting line! I've quickly learned that Jason is the most organized musher I have seen and stepping in for him has been so seamless because he just has absolutely everything completely planned out, tidy and in order.

I am incredibly appreciative of the trust he has bestowed in me and I hope to make Atka nation proud.

I'm already very attached to these dogs. For those who have not been following Jason already, soon I will introduce you to Ambler,Mullet, Tytte,Roros, Fido,Aphrodite, Redman,Cash, Kodiak,Copenhagen, Stach,Wally, Canuck, Pecan, Jet and Tank. This is a phenomenal team, very disciplined, full of power and ability. It's humbling to be the guy they are pulling.

...snip...

When I first dreamed of the Iditarod, it was the southern route that enchanted me the most. It is the only route I have not done, and I'm so incredibly excited to see that portion of Alaska by dog team.

Thanks to all for the support. Prayers for Jason for a speedy recovery.

Until Saturday, mush on!

Most remember Daugherty as one of the two teams out of the Seavey kennel a few years that took an extended detour. Both Larry and fellow musher Patrick Beall became known as "The Lost Boys". Both completed the race that year, it just took a little longer. This will be Larry's first trip on the Southern Route of the trail, which was last run in 2013. If weather holds the next couple of years will see the Southern Route run to make up for the years missed. Many villages used as checkpoints on the race need the race as it brings in income to the area. Many have faced severe hardships in the last 5 years due to the lack of visitors in the odd years.

Jason Campeau was set to run the Iditarod, but after a severe head injury during the Yukon Quest (that could have been fatal if not for the awesome response by strangers and race officials), Campeau was unable to run Iditarod this year. The Canadian musher ran the race in 2015 and in 2016, having a bit of a backwards race last year that saw him drop significantly in the standings. It was believed at the time of his injury, Jason was running in 5th or 6th position (unofficially).

Campeau's team was trained to run a competitive race - far more so than Daugherty's previous teams - so it will be interesting to see if Larry can make it into Nome as the "most improved musher", should that be one of the goals the two men have mapped out for this team.


Campeau's social media statement on his team, and who will run in his place.