 |
| 19 mushers signed up in person at the 2026 Iditarod Picnic. June 27, 2026. Wasilla, Alaska. |
The Iditarod Picnic is a time for fans, volunteers, and mushers (past and present) all come together without their parkas to celebrate the last great race. The picnic is the unofficial start of the next race season being the first race to open up registration for participants. Along with sign ups it is also a thank you to the hundreds of volunteers who make the Last Great Race possible.
In some ways, the Iditarod Picnic is family.
This year with rain forecasted there was concern that the picnic would not be well attended, but as the rain stayed to a light sprinkle the yard of Iditarod HQ filled up as it almost always does. There were nerves as the list stayed small for much of the picnic, but like clockwork the mushers came in about an hour before the sign ups closed ahead of the drawings for free entry fees.
First to sign up was, once again, Riley Dyche. Dyche has the advantage of working at Iditarod HQ giving out dryland cart rides to visitors each day all summer long. The first rookie to sign up was Isaac Redington - which makes him the first fourth generation musher to run the race. Redington's father and grandfather ran their fair share of Iditarods, and his great grandfather is - of course - the Father of Iditarod Joe Redington Sr. Isaac signing up had many long time volunteers and mushers buzzing with excitement to see Joe's legacy continue.
Another rookie looking at making history is AddieAnn Randal. Randal plans to run both Jr and full length Iditarod this year - with the junior being used as a final training run. Randal will turn 18 the day of the Start of Iditarod 2026 and if her mom did the math correctly she could beat Dallas Seavey's youngest finisher record by mere minutes (she will have to finish). Going to be an historic run for many.
Noticeably absent: Returning champions. While Dallas Seavey and Dick Mackey were both in attendance at the picnic neither one has any plans to return to racing (we can give Mackey a pass at the young age of 93 and all), no other champion signed up in person or online. That should change as at least one returning champion had family at the race who expected him to send their application in once they were done doing tours for cruise ship guests. There was some concern about reigning champion Jessie Holmes as he had made comments to many that he would be at the picnic and signing up - yet Holmes was no where to be seen.
Fan favorites Matt Hall, Matt Failor, and Jeff Deeter were all at the picnic and ready to take another stab - this is a return for Failor as he sat last year out as a new dad of two.
Six rookies signed up at the picnic, and five of the six rookies were able to win their entry fee back. This year 80% of each rookie's entry fee is covered by inaugural Expedition class musher Kjell Rokke. Longtime Iditarod Supporter Frank Seigler donated monies for a random drawing for up to four rookies for the remaining 20%. One rookie's fee was already paid in full and so they waived participation in the drawing. In true Iditarod fashion the lone musher left that did not win the random drawing was covered by Travis Beals and Sarah Stokey.
Race Director Mark Nordman was on hand to announce the musher drawings - with the grand finale being the two entry fees being awarded to two lucky mushers. Nordman asked for exiting CEO Rob Urbach to draw and announce the names. Mark took a moment to thank Urbach for his years of service to the race and spoke highly of their working relationship. It was announced Friday that Urbach was stepping down from his role - remaining with the race to help select his successor and help with the transition.
Urbach pulled the names of Chad Stoddard and Hunter Keefe, both mushers seemed very excited to get that $4000 back.
Currently twenty-two mushers are signed up. More will surely follow - but as with the last few years the opening day list is short. This has some musing what it will take to bring it back to the 40+ name range in June, with many different ideas of what has caused the numbers to hover in the 30s by race day.
Iditarod 55 kicks off in Anchorage, Alaska on March 6, 2027. Mushers can register until November 30 before a significant increase in entry fee is applied. All applications are automatically under review by the Qualifying Review Board. Six of the twenty-two mushers are women; eight rookies are signed up.
A current list of mushers signed up can be found via the official Iditarod website.
What are your thoughts about this year's opening day? Who do you hope to see sign up? Comment below!
Do you like having an easy to find list like this and want to see them continue? This blog has always been a hobby and will continue to be - and this list is more for myself than anything - if you can spare a few dollars to help keep this blog running I wouldn't say no. Please do not feel obligated, but know that all support (in every form, not just financial) is greatly appreciated! Click here to "buy me a coffee".
