2026 Knik 200 race preview

After a rough beginning to the season in South Central causing races to be canceled or postponed, the Knik 200 is able to run its rescheduled race. The traditional season opener had to push the start back several weeks to try and get some snow on the ground so that trails could be put in. After a deep freeze and finally a dumping (or two) of snow, the race is a GO for Saturday.

One of the big problems with postponing a race is that everyone's schedules get discombobulated. There's an almost unspoken rule of sorts between the races that keeps one major race per weekend in the winter. Unfortunately for the Knik (or any race) to postpone meant that they would have to either take from other races or lose teams to other races depending on how each kennel planned their season.

The Knik went from a full roster with a waitlist to now just fifteen teams are listed on the roster. Not a huge deal all things considered with competing with the very popular Kusko 300 set to take off Friday night, and the Two Rivers 100/200. This may be a good chance for newer kennels and b teams to really have a fantastic placement. It's always good to see the "new guys" do well.

The race has gotten lucky weather wise as this appears to be one of the weekends that the area will have normal winter temps for the teams. With highs in the upper teens and the lows forecasted to be just above 0. Perfect temps for the dogs, and for the bundled up spectators. There's no snow forecasted until possibly Monday, which most if not all teams should be finished will before the snow starts (unless it comes early, which hasn't really been the case this year).

With the small roster, it's anyone's game for the top placings, but there are still some well known names in the mix who are probably thought of at the favorites. We'll take a look at who might be the one's to watch, but really they're ALL worth paying attention to!

**Note Fantasy Mushing is only planning to run an Iditarod game this year, no other races, so no need to run over and create a team.**

Who to watch

Brenda Mackey - Let's not pick her just because of her name. While she does come from Champion bloodlines (as do the dogs) Brenda's no slouch when it comes to mushing dogs. While it's a good guess that Knik is being used to train up and evaluate her team ahead of the Iditarod, if things are going well it wouldn't be surprising to see Brenda let the team cut loose and burn up the trail in front of them.

Eddie Burke Jr - Eddie shared his team line up earlier this week and it looks like he's using this more as a training run for a lot of his younger team with this being their first race. Don't be surprised if he doesn't run a super competitive race, but there's something about Eddie that makes you not want to count him out ever.

Dave Turner - Dave's one of those mushers that if he's in the race, there's a good chance he'll be one of the ones to watch. After running in the Copper Basin the Knik should feel like a vacation (temp wise, anyway).

Hunter Keefe - Hunter's back! After having his season last year derail due to a broken leg in the Kusko last year, Keefe is back! It's unsure what Hunter's hoping to do here on the Knik, but he's a fan favorite and is always one of the fun ones to watch.

Robert Redington - It would feel wrong to not have at least one Redington listed as one to watch in the race dedicated to Robert's grandfather, right? It's also another return of sorts for Robert as he's been away from racing for a couple of years (though we did see him at the ceremonial start of the Iditarod this past year running a team to carry an Iditarider after a last minute WD by another musher).

AddieAnn Randall, Isaac Redington, and Talia Martens could all play spoilers with Randall and Redington most likely vying for top junior musher of the Knik. With Emily Robinson aged out of Junior mushing (and running the Kusko this weekend) it's wide open for juniors as to who will be the next top team.

Make sure to check out the full roster so you can cheer for everyone (go like/follow their socials while you're at it).

How to watch

For those of us who cannot watch in person, there will be a lot of refreshing of internet pages, here's a run down on how you can follow along with this weekend's race. (And good luck to us all with how many races there are to keep track of!)

Official Website
The race had to restructure their organization a couple of years ago and is now under the direction of the Knik Iditarod Trail Blazers, so they have just a page on their site for the race, but it has the rules and basic information. They also have a way to follow the times in and out LIVE via a spreadsheet.

GPS Tracker
What would we do without these little trackers that drive us crazy when they go haywire (I will always blame the aliens), and there's hope of trackers at this race, but at publishing time it has not been confirmed. Trackleaders is once again providing all armchair mushers a way to follow the race, you can catch all the tracker action here.

Social Media
The race is most active on Facebook. The race has not been active on Twitter in years. 

For live feeds it may be best to follow the official race page and hope for some feeds there. Kale Casey was supposed to cover the Copper Basin this year but had something come up that made him miss out. There's been no posts by race or Kale to say if he would be in Knik this weekend. If he does end up attending the Knik 200, he'll go live on Facebook!

Julia Redington is a photographer who is often at the race.

Schedule of Events

Friday, January 23, 2026
4:00pm-6:00pm Musher's Dinner and Bib Draw

Saturday, January 24, 2026
8:00am Mandatory Vet Check
11:00am Start

Sunday, January 25, 2026
6:00pm Award Banquet

What are your thoughts on this year's Knik 200? Who do you see taking the big prize? Who are you cheering for? Comment below!

And, as always, you can Buy me a slice of pizza to help keep the blog up and running. It's always appreciated but never expected.  

2026 Kuskokwim 300 race preview

How can you not love the Kusko 300? Really, how can you? Short answer: you can't. This race has it all. Star studded roster, huge purse, FIREWORKS AFTER THE START. The trail may be considered "easy" by some because it's mostly frozen river run, but it's proved time and again to be anything but easy.

The Kuskokwim-Delta knows how to hold a sled dog race. They have their own "grand prix" of mushing events all winter long with the Kusko being the grand finale (though, okay, they have a few races set for after the Kusko this year). 

Last year the race was pushed to February as most of Alaska dealt with obscenely warm temperatures for much of December and January. This year the opposite has been an issue with a crazy cold snap dropping temperatures to nearly -50, forcing the Bogus Creek 150 to reschedule its race in hopes of a warm up.

Mother Nature just likes to keep everyone on their toes it seems. Looking at the projected forecast, teams are in for a windy start with wind gusts of up to 20 miles per hour factoring in a windchill of about -2. The wind will continue through the weekend which will make it a close to 0 average temp for the teams (but man even with the "feels like" temp having wind the whole time can be brutal to the mind).

There are twenty-three teams set for the Friday Night start as of January 20. Teams have traveled most of the day and will continue to arrive Wednesday ahead of musher meetings and vet checks. The Kusko is not on the "road system" so teams that don't live in the area have to fly their teams to the start line. They stay with host families around Bethel and it's just a huge party for all involved. 

Of those teams there are some very familiar names, each with a really good chance to push for a win (or close to it). Peter Kaiser will be running to win his tenth Kusko, a huge accomplishment should he Re-PETE yet again, but he will have a lot of teams challenging him. Let's take a look.

**Note: I've confirmed that Fantasy Mushing will NOT have a Kusko tab this year, they will only have Iditarod for 2026.**

Who to Watch

Cody Strathe - The Squids just finished second in the famed "toughest 300 miles in Alaska" known as the Copper Basin 300. His rookie run on the Kusko was last year when he placed third. It will be interesting to see if he does like he did with the Copper and repeat his placement or improve upon it. It would be a very good bet to choose Cody as likely to challenge the reigning champ on the river run.

Emily Robinson - She ran her first Kusko last year and took the Kusko as a training and learning experience. She finished 6th in a very challenging race. Typically by this point in the season Robinson and her team have had at least one race under their belt (normally with a championship trophy to boot). This is her opening race and there's no doubt she'll take what she learned last year and apply it to this year's strategy. If taking it easy in 2025 landed her in 6th, a lot of teams will be keeping an eye out for her this year.

Jeff Deeter - The 2025 Yukon Quest Alaska champ has tasted victory and is no doubt looking to keep riding that success. While his Iditarod last year did not go as planned, Deeter has an upbeat and positive attitude when he comes into a race and that no doubt translates into the team. After taking last year off from the Kusko he's back in one of the races his kennel says they love. Expect a competitive run for Deeter with him taking a chance at the lead if given the opportunity.

Pete Kaiser - The champ is back to defend his title on his home trails. Kaiser may be the most experienced on the roster just because of how he grew up on the Kusko trails. The 2019 Iditarod Champion has focused more on building and supporting mushing in his home region in more recent years, and he's still the King of the Kusko. He'll be running for his 10th win this year and while it's not a for sure outcome, it's a solid bet.

Rohn Buser - One of the other former Kusko Champions, Rohn's won it twice in 2012 and 2014, but it's been just shy of a decade since he took a team down this trail. "Back in the day" he was running teams out of his dad's kennel that they were co-managing/training - now he has his own kennel with his wife with a very successful program. One of those generational mushers that has a lot of success Buser should make a pretty impressive return to the race. His last time running he finished 8th and it could be that he decides to take it easy and ease back into this race, but he's another team that given the opportunity he should push to make a statement.

Ryan Redington - The 2023 Iditarod Champion finished towards the back of the pack last year, and it's not entirely clear what his plans are for this year's race, but you can never count Ryan out. It could be he's working with a newer, younger team than what he had in his Iditarod winning year, making it a rebuilding year, or he could be just testing the waters with Iditarod his main focus. Either way, Ryan in the mix makes things exciting.

Travis Beals - He was third place in 2024, the last time he ran the Kusko. Travis has studied dog mushing his entire life. He's learned from some of the best in the sport. His kennel literally turns heads (what a coincidence that his kennel's name is Turning Heads!) He just became a dad of TWO a few weeks ago, so this may be a celebratory run for him. One things for sure, with a newborn at home, Travis has been practicing that working/mushing on no sleep for weeks - which will help him out this race season.

Wade Marrs - Wade is back! Yeah, he ran last year with a team borrowed from a musher, but this year Marrs is back in Alaska full time and is making the trip with his team. Fans are no doubt to have the former Stump Jumpin (renamed to 49th State Sled Dogs) on their list of one to watch. He was 12th last year, but mostly stays within a top ten finish when he runs the Kusko. Expect him to improve on last year's finish.

Honorable mentions go to Bailey Cross Vitello, Cim Smyth, Mike Williams Jr, and Riley Dyche. Seriously this roster is STACKED. Pete's really gonna have to keep one eye behind him if he wants to win this thing. You can view the whole roster in start order here.

How to Watch

Things may look a little different this year with coverage. Make sure to pay attention to the changes!

In years past the school did a live feed of the start, however they had equipment failure several years ago and were unable to continue their program. Radio station KYUK lost its funding thanks to, well, you know, and will not be able to give as much coverage as they have in years past. The race has employed one of the former radio broadcasters to help with the livefeeds on the race's Facebook page, Youtube, and Website. With this new format we could end up seeing some glitches, so please please please be patient and understanding. We're all navigating these new normals.

Official Website

The Kusko's website is pretty slick. You can follow all of the races, fundraising and news from their site. It's easy to navigate and they have great musher bios. And this is where you will find those ever important in and out times from the checkpoints. Be sure to check it out.

GPS Tracker

Real time updates will come through the trackers as always. With the cold there may be more glitches than we'd like (blame the aliens!) but there's not much we can do. Cold and technology don't get along. The link for trackleaders hasn't gone live yet, so this will get edited once it does. Once it goes live you should be able to view them here.

Radio Broadcast

KYUK Radio lost their funding this year and as a result cannot do their live broadcasts on the race as they have for years (don't get this blogger started). One of the former radio station employees has been hired by the race, however, to help with their plans to keep everyone as informed and up to date as ever with the race. (They will still give news updates on the race, but the LIVEfeeds seem to be minimal.)

Social Media

Updates will most likely be posted on the race's Facebook page, and possibly their twitter account. Photo updates should come from Instagram. They typically try to have a Facebook live feed. If you are tweeting, instagramming, etc. the traditional hashtag is #K300.

Most mushers have facebook these days, and many of them have someone monitoring and posting to those pages during the race. To find and follow all mushers in this year's race, check out the 2026 Kusko 300 musher roster on this blog where all socials are linked.

Schedule of Events

Wednesday, January 21
Vet Checks

Thursday, January 22
Vet Checks
5pm - Musher Meeting
7pm - Bib Draw 

​Friday, January 23
8:00pm - Kuskokwim 300 START
8:40pm - FIREWORKS

Saturday, January 24
NOON - Akiak Dash Mass Start

Monday, January 26
6pm - Musher Awards

Did we miss anything? Thoughts on who might take home the prize? Comment below with your thoughts!

If you like what you see and want to support my addiction (I mean HOBBY) of following these races and stalking (I mean cheering on) the mushers, you can buy me a slice of pizza (that really goes to paying for my internet/web expenses).

2026 Copper Basin 300 race preview

Grab your fur hats and parkas, folks! The race season is finally kicking off! After last week's race getting canceled due to lack of winter, this week's race is right on track to have everything mushers and their fans want to see for a sled dog race!

Typically the Copper Basin 300 is the second major race of the race season in Alaska, but as the Knik 200 canceled its race everyone has anxiously turned their attention on the "toughest 300 miles in Alaska." The race boasted a full roster with a large waitlist soon after opening registration this fall, but with the lack of snow for most of the end of 2025 in South Central Alaska several teams withdrew due to lack of training (among other reasons).

At last check there are thirty-four teams planning to leave the starting line Saturday morning. The forecast shows that the teams should have a pleasant weekend of mushing with temps ranging from a high point of 35F at the start of the race to temps nearing zero and snowfall by the finish. As teams travel into Glennallen Thursday and Friday the weather will go from a crisp -30 and clear skies Thursday night to -7 or warmer and snow Friday with an estimated 1-3 inches of new snow acculation. The 10am start on Saturday should see clear and sunny skies. 

There is a perfect mixture of seasoned race teams as well as up-and-coming teams. Mushers who are looking to use the race as a challenging training weekend for their teams headed for bigger races like Yukon Quest Alaska and the Iditarod, and there are those teams hoping to complete the qualifications to be able to sign up for those bigger races. Some are handlers taking out the team and getting experience while they're at it. Some are in it to win, to show off their team's abilities and qualities (from breeding program to training). 

To view the whole roster, you can check out the Reitter's Block musher roster compiling links to each musher so fans can keep track of their favorites (and find new favorites) and direct links to support them! But let's take a moment and talk about the teams most likely the push for the win. (It's unclear if Fantasy Mushng will happen this year, but the roster can also be used for that should it pop up in the next day or so.)

Who to watch

Amanda Otto - Remember when she did that monster run at the end of the Yukon Quest Alaska a few years back nearly beating out the champ? Otto trained and learned from what of the best, Mr the King himself, Jeff King. Now Amanda is an "old hat" at this thing and along with her dogs that make up Team Otto one is hard pressed to think she won't at least take a stab at it if she finds herself in the mix. She's crafty and has a few tricks hidden in her parka. 

Cody Strathe - The Squids have been knocking on the door for the last few years, and they've been amazing in the Iditarod. A brief look at the race archives over the last few years show a pattern of whichever team comes in second the year before end up winning the next year. That's not a rule, though, and anything is possible... but these dogs are full of disco and can be expected to boogie on down the trail with the best of them - and maybe even disco away with a win!

Deke Naaktgeboren - It's nice to see Deke back on the runners after seeing his handler turned kennel partner Jonah Bacon race with the team.  The team lead by Bacon last year came in fifth, so it's safe to assume Deke will see similar if not better results this year. 

Jessie Holmes - The reigning Copper Basin champ is also the reining Iditarod champ. Holmes seems to still be riding high on the "perfect season" last year and it's a good bet his team is just as strong this year. Unless he's running a fully inexperienced group of dogs without any plan to be competitive expect the champ to be right up there in the mix if not leading the whole thing.

Mille Porsild - Mille is a force all her own. There's a reason why so many fans adore her: she has grit. This is the woman who ran the Iditarod while dealing with a severe bout of pancreatitis afterall. Mille has years of experience running dogs and manages to pull out some miraculous feats with her team. It should surprise no one if she manages to find herself in the lead group.

Some other names to keep an eye on as it will be interesting to see what they do are the teams of Dave Turner, Josi Shelley, and Rohn Buser. All are very competitive, but could also plan to take it easy on this first outing of the season depending on their goals for later on in the year and what their teams are capable of. Don't be surprised if one or all of them play spoiler to the top five above.

And in a last minute change of roster (as in day of race sign-in) Ryan Redington is now on the list in place of Mazzy Bailey (young musher who runs out of Ryan's kennel). It will be interesting to see if he runs a competitive race or if he takes it easy and runs closer to what Sarah Keefer's schedule looks like.

How to follow

Copper Basin has several areas where cars cant go and satellites can't find. There's a remote checkpoint that almost no instant communication comes out of. Just remember, if the trackers don't work or the news isn't instantaneous to just be patient. Part of the fun of a sled dog race is the unknown. (Seriously, don't make me come at you with "back in MY day".)

GPS Tracker
TrackLeaders.com is once again supplying all of our GPS tracking obsession needs, you can find this year's map and teams here. (The link goes live typically after the bib draw/starting order is finalized.)

Official Website
If you want to see official in and out times, the official website is the best place to find the updated timesheets. Remember, this is all done by volunteer and communication and connection can be sketchy, but if you want the latest greatest numbers use patience and follow along on the CB300 website. (The site has had a make over this year and it's fantastic! Streamlined and user friendly. It has a few new pages with quick and easy info to follow the race!)

Radio Broadcast
KCAM Radio will broadcast the start beginning at 10am (or shortly before). If you're in the area you can listen to the broadcast on AM 790, or online through this link.

Live Stream
The CB300 plans to go LIVE on Facebook at 9:30am on Saturday, a half hour before the first GO! According to the CB300 website our buddy Kale Casey will also go live to share "behind the scenes" coverage as well as videos from the checkpoints. CB300 posted on Facebook that due to "unforseen circumstances" Kale will not be at the race this year.

Social Media
Updates will most likely be posted on the race's Facebook page, and possibly their twitter account. There may even be live video feeds, but there's been no promise that systems will work for the whole start. If you are tweeting, instagramming, etc. the traditional hashtag is #CB300.

KCAM normally posts updates throughout the weekend on the race on Facebook as well. KTUU/Alaska's News Source is always good for a recap of the races.

Schedule of Events

Friday, January 9
10am-4pm Registration and Mandatory Vet Checks
5:30pm Mandatory Handler Meeting
6pm Mandatory Musher Meeting & Bib Draw
*Rookie Meeting follows directly after Bib Draw*

Saturday, January 10
10am - Race Start

Tuesday, January 13
6pm - Award Banquet

Who do YOU think are the teams to watch? The team to beat? The team to take it all? Comment below with your thoughts about this weekend's race!

Buy me a slice of pizza to help keep the blog up and running. It's always appreciated but never expected. 

2025 Kobuk 440 musher roster and preview

It's essentially the season finale of mid to long distance dog mushing! Spring has sprung in most of Alaska, but for the Northern West Coast there's still a little winter left to be found. Kotzebue hosts (and boasts) one of the longest mid-distance races in Alaska. The Kobuk 440 is known for unpredictable weather, many a race has been sidelined due to violent ground storms that blow up seemingly out of nowhere. 

The Kobuk has had some of the most exciting finishes of any race, coming down to just seconds a time or two, and is always a musher and fan favorite. The race is well known for its creative and humorous social media volunteer team that never seems to sleep during the race but always brings the fun.

This year there will be fourteen teams headed down the trail, many coming from outside of the region. Four women are in the mix, as well as an Iditarod Champion. There are mushers hoping to finish up their qualifiers ahead of the 2025-26 season, their eyes set on "the big one" in 2026. There are mushers who are hoping to finish their season on a strong note. Mushers who have more they want to prove of their team. Mushers whose motives are anyone's guess.

Many fan favorites will race in the Kobuk in April. Let's discuss who have the best chance to take home the top prize.

Who to Watch

Eddie Burke Jr - Eddie's been working hard to rebuild his kennel with a fresh set of young dogs bred at Off the Rails Kennel. He managed to run several races with his "puppy team" this season even with the lackluster winter South Central Alaska suffered. Burke even tried his hand at the Rondy Invitational where he took his long distance doggos to a sprint race. They did pretty well. Burke has been a quick study on the back of a dog sled, the 2023 Iditarod Rookie of the Year has high hopes for his team's future, and it starts here. Eddie withdrew ahead of race day.

Hugh Neff - Let's just.... put aside the controversy shall we? Neff is reportedly running a team borrowed from Iditarod Champion Dean Osmar (from the Kenai Peninsula) and where Hugh is - well, we can't count him out. Expect Neff to run an aggressive race. He is out to prove something to someone most likely and he wants to give his fans a show. He's won this race before, and he's hungry for another one.

Jessie Holmes - Jessie loves the Kobuk. Jessie just had the magic carpet ride on the Iditarod. Jessie has the team that dares you to try and beat them. Team Can't Stop is just that, a team that can't and won't stop. You'll have to out race them at every part of the race this year. Expect the reinging Kobuk champion to do everything in his power to do it again.

Rohn Buser - Rohn's race season kinda went sideways for good reasons (he's a new dad of TWO!) and he was a late entry for this year's Kobuk. He's got his sights set on Iditarod 2026 so this will be most likely a race that he uses as a "training run" for his team as he starts the work to prepare for "the big one". Buser is very capable of playing more than a spoiler in this race, and it will be interesting to see the approach he takes.

Let's also give some nods to teams that could totally blow this prediction out of the water. James Bourquin had a fantastic race last year with the Kobuk finishing 3rd. Jim could easily do it again if conditions are right. Anna Hennessy and Kristy Berington both are running teams that had phenominal success for their respective kennels. Anna is running a team made up of the dogs that Emily Ford ran in this year's Iditarod, and Kristy is running the dogs her sister Anna took down the trail. And right behind Anna Berington was Lauro Eklund who could also surprise us. It's a stacked field, let's just leave it at that.

So let's just take a look at all fourteen signed up for the race that begins April 3, shall we? (As always, once bib numbers are published this blog post will be updated with bib numbers. Currently the list is in alphabetical order.)

Musher Roster

Bib	Musher	Kennel	Link	Link	Link
1	Lauro Eklund	Skookum Expeditions	Website	Facebook	Instagram
2	Jessie Holmes	Team Can't Stop	Website	Facebook	Instagram
3	Kristy Berington	Seeing Double Racing	Website	Facebook	Instagram
4	James Bourquin	Orion Kennel		Facebook	Instagram
5	Quince Mountain	BraverMountain Kennel	Website	Facebook	BlueSky
6	Jody Potts-Joseph	Raven Clan Kennels	Website	Facebook	Instagram
7	Sam Paperman	Turning Heads Kennel	Website	Facebook	Instagram
8	Sadie Lindquist	Seavey's Ididaride	Website	Facebook	Instagram
9	Kevin Hansen	Hansen Kennel		Facebook	Instagram
10	Hugh Neff	Dean Osmar		Facebook	Instagram
11	Rohn Buser	Susitna Sled Dog Adventures	Website	Facebook	Instagram
12	Anna Hennessy	Shameless Huskies	Website	Facebook	Instagram
13	Adam Lindenmuth	Sojourn Kennels		Facebook	Instagram

Roster edited to reflect final roster and bib numbers. April 2, 2025 @7:45pm AKDT.

You know who's racing, but how are you going to watch if you can't get up to Kotzebue? So glad you asked!

How to Watch

Unlike what we just had with Iditarod (if you paid for Insider), the Kobuk like most of the mid-distance races relies more on social media posts and radio updates than they do video. Depending on weather and internet connection there may be live video of the start and finish, according to accuweather the thermometer is set to read just above zero though the chill in the air will make it feel like -11. A frozen feed (pun somewhat intended) is possible, though the volunteer social media crew have gotten pretty good at making videos happen even if the livefeed doesn't. Along with the video feeds there are ways to keep up with the race happenings, so let's make sure we have all of the links you need.

Official Website
You can find the rules, links to all ways of following the race, and the history of the Kobuk 440 here. Musher bios are also available. The official website may have links to live feeds, so also keep a look out for that. Click here for the link.

GPS Tracker
We're all attached to this bit of technology. If you wonder where the term "tracky boi" came from, you can thank the Kobuk 440. Their social media team were the first to coin the phrase... the phrase that sets some fans' teeth on edge, but it's becoming more endearing each year. Once again, you can follow the race thanks to TrackLeaders. Beep-boop-beep.

Radio Broadcast
Race updates throughout the weekend will be broadcast over on KOTZ-AM. They have a livestream. They may broadcast the start, but it's unclear. Click here to listen in. (If that link doesn't work, try this one.)

Social Media
This is where it's at. The most entertaining race has to be the Kobuk 440 for their amazing social media team. The volunteers know how to get and keep your attention. You can follow them on Facebook and Twitter where they are most active as well as Instagram. KOTZ-AM also has a Facebook page that should share some race info throughout the weekend.

You know HOW to watch, but let's make sure you catch all the action by giving you the days and times of what is planned.

Schedule of Events

Wednesday, April 2
10:00am - Meet the Mushers (Radio Interviews)
6:00pm - Musher Meeting/Bib Draw

Thursday, April 3
12:30pm - Race Mass Start

Monday, April 7
2:00pm - Finish Cutoff
6:00pm - Awards Ceremony

Who are you excited to follow? Thoughts on who may take home the top prize? Comment with your thoughts below!

And, as always, you can Buy me a slice of pizza to help keep the blog up and running. It's always appreciated but never expected.

2025 T-Dog musher roster and race preview

Just as fans (and mushers) are catching their breath after an incredibly difficult and dramatic Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, it's time for one of the final races of the season to kick off. The Tanana Valley Sled Dog Race - lovingly called the T-Dog or T-Dog Alaska - is set to kick off this weekend and the roster is packed with teams that most fans may not recognize, with a couple fans will definitely know.

The T-Dog is the brain child of Tekla Monson-Butcher. Tekla wanted to create a race that sounded like the races she grew up hearing about where mushers were racing but it was all for fun. Mushers that mentored each other, camped together, ran together. Tekla's race in just three years has become one of the most popular by teams looking for fun over competition as well as those dipping their toes into racing on their way to "the big one."

The T-Dog is a bit of a lone wolf when it comes to how it runs - there's no cash purse. The race wants to encourage mentorship as well as sportsmanship, hoping the more experienced mushers will take the time to come alongside those that are green. The award is bragging rights (as well as donated prizes) as well as having a good time. Oh, and not all of the teams are pulling dog sleds! The 200 mile race is the only class that must be with sleds, but the 100 and 50 also have bikejor and skijor entrants! This is a celebration of winter dog sport at its finest.

As stated there are three separate classes. The 200 mile sled dog race, the 100 mile race, and a 50 mile race. The 200 mile race can be used as a qualifier for the Iditarod and Yukon Quest races. The best way to find out exactly what each class entails you can read up on the rules. 

For this post we're going to focus on the 200 and 100 milers, as the majority of those racers are on dog sled. They are also, typically, running from a kennel and most are adults - not teens. Trying to keep privacy to those who aren't your typical racers. Note that all three classes, however, will have trackers. We'll get to all of that, though in a little bit. Because they are not running for a purse, we'll forgo the predictions of who are the ones to watch - let's keep with the spirit of the T-Dog. Let's see who we have racing this year, shall we? (Roster is sorted alphabetically, which is different from how they are listed by the race on their website.)

200 Mile

Musher	Kennel	Link	Link	Link
Adam Lindenmuth	Sojourn Kennels		Facebook	Instagram
Alison Lifka	Shenanigans Kennel		Facebook
Andrew Wappett	Snowdrift Kennel		Facebook
Annette Llanes	Honky Tonk Kennel		Facebook	Instagram
Ashley Dove	Crooked Creek Kennel	Website	Facebook	Instagram
Bailey Vitello	Team Bailey	Website	Facebook	Instagram
Brianna Blomgren	Team Bailey		Facebook
Emma Lewis	Wildwoods Mushing			Instagram
Erika Loebrich	Star Gazer Racing	Website	Facebook	Instagram
Jennifer Nelson	Northern Lone Star Mushing		Facebook	Instagram
Jessica Burr Lemaire	The Comstock Kennel	Website	Facebook	Instagram
Joe Taylor	Mushing Malarkey	Website	Facebook	Instagram
Kamey Kapp Worland	The Dog Lot		Facebook	Instagram
Katrina Handler	Trail Breaker Kennel	Website	Facebook	Instagram
Lindsay Llanes	Honky Tonk Kennel		Facebook	Instagram
Michael Roddewig	Sage Mountain Kennel	Website	Facebook	Instagram
Richie Beattie	Wildthingz Dog Mushing	Website	Facebook	Instagram
Sam McLain	Skookum Expeditions	Website	Facebook	Instagram
Sam Paperman	Turning Heads Kennel	Website	Facebook	Instagram
Sarah Richards	Deja Vu Sled Dogs	Website	Facebook	Instagram
Shane Blumentritt	Cold Start Kennel		Facebook	Instagram
Skylar Whitcomb	Shameless Huskies		Facebook	Instagram

100 Mile

Musher	Kennel	Link	Link	Link
Abbey VandenBerg	Cloudberry Kennel		Facebook	Instagram
Anja Maijala	Skier
Ashley Patterson	Lone Wolf Kennel	Website	Facebook
Brenda Mackey	Mackey's Alaskan Distance Dogs	Website	Facebook	Instagram
Eddie Burke Jr	Off the Rails Racing	Website	Facebook	Instagram
Hailey Pearson	Twinkle Toes the Arctic Panther		Facebook
Hazel Sutton	Goldstream Girls Racing Kennel
Isabel Rhodes	Mackey's Alaskan Distance Dogs	Website	Facebook	Instagram
Jay Allyn	Orange Blossom Kennel		Facebook	Instagram
Jennifer Hallsten	Midnight Sun K9s
Jenny Simard	?
JJ Shelley	There & Back Again Sled Dogs	Website	Facebook	Instagram
Juliah DeLoach	Oil Well Kennel		Facebook
Kathleen Frederick	Shameless Huskies		Facebook
Ned Rozell	Bikejor
Stefan Milkowski	Bikejor
Torleif Bentzen	Whisky Jack’s Kennel

*Rosters current as of March 19, 2025 @ 9pm AKDT

So we've seen who plan to race, but how can armchair mushers follow along? Fans need our fix after nearly two weeks of non-stop sled dog coverage in the Iditarod. Glad you asked!

How to Watch

Official Website

Like with most of the races, the best place for accurate information will be the T-Dog's official webpage. It is there you will find the rules, schedule of events, trail updates, links to trackers, and any race information one could want. 

Social Media

T-Dog is very active on their social media accounts. All "news" seems to get posted to their Facebook page as well as fun little videos and memes. Photos will be posted here and there may be a live feed or two. Their Instagram has similiar updates with the fun reels and photos and infographics. 

GPS Tracking

The tracker is already live! The T-dog posted a pic Thursday that trackers were labeled and ready for Saturday. Once again trackleaders.com is the place to be for all things sled dog. 

Schedule of Events

Friday, March 21, 2025
4pm Vet Checks for 200 mile (Manley)
7pm Musher Meeting for 200 mile (Manley)
8pm Kickoff Concert (Manley)

7pm Meeting for 50 Mile participants (Fairbanks)

Saturday, March 22, 2025
8am-10am 200 Mile Start (mushers may choose when to leave)
9pm Musher Meeting for 100 mile (Minto)

MIDNIGHT 100mile start, 2 minute intervals for sleds (Minto)

Sunday, March 23, 2025
8am 200 mile Sourdough (re)Start (Minto)
8am 50 mile start (Nenana) 

Monday, March 24, 2025
5:30pm Finisher's Banquet (Fairbanks)

The race season isn't over folks, it's still got a month to go! Will you be watching? What do you think about the format of the T-Dog? Comment with your thoughts below.

And, as always, you can Buy me a slice of pizza to help keep the blog up and running. It's always appreciated but never expected.