Weekly Mushing News Round Up (Aug 31)

Aside from a sunny warm spell on the Kenai Peninsula - training season temps have hit Alaska, and teams are hooking up and running down their trails working to get into race form by December. The last litters of the year have been born, and in another couple of weeks the first litters will start learning about being "big dogs". Yearlings will be harness broken this fall, and will work to become sled dogs like their parents and grandparents. Mushers will pull away from the civilized world and become increasingly focused on dogs. It's the most wonderful time of the year for mushing!

If you're interested in taking part in it yourself, there are several teams still looking for a handler for at least part of the 2018-19 season. Squid Acres are looking for someone just for the fall months.


National Dog Day was celebrated by many mushers last week - though, really, when you're a dog person EVERY day is National Dog Day!



Training vids and pictures have been shared more than any other type of post this past week.








Until the snow flies, training is done hitched to atvs running in neutral or very low speeds. It allows mushers to run and control larger teams.

The end of touring season is still ongoing, with most every glacier tour closed for the season by September.


Seeing Double Kennel (run by twins Kristy and Anna Berginton) are expanding their training regimine to include bike-joring. Kristy's husband, who ran his rookie Iditarod this year, Andy Pohl has taken to using a few of the dogs to do some dryland runs with his bike. Pohl and Berington met when Kristy was running the Iditarod with dogs, and he was biking the trail (brrr).

Iditarod musher Rick Castillo works hard year round not only as a musher, but he works with combat veterans who suffer from PTSD and other issues as a result to their service for their country. Battle Dogs has been praised Nationwide for their work. And now they're being recognized by the Combat Veteran Motorcycle Group! Congratulations, Rick and team!

Several dog teams in Nome were let loose earlier this week. One dog died as a result, others injured, and another dog is still missing. Mike Owens, Chrystie Salesky, and Janet Balice all have dogs in a secure dog lot outside of town. There has been no information as to who or why the dogs were let loose, but it's caused a major stir in the community of Nome and the larger dog mushing community.
Sixty dogs were let loose, from three of the four kennels who park their dogs there. For some unknown reason, the fourth kennel's dogs were not bothered. Many speculate that the vandals responsible ran out of time to release all of the canines.


Iditarod roster is up to 32 name with a rookie from France joining the mix. The roster now stands at 32 names, tying the roster of the very first Iditarod with the smallest list of names in race history. Still no Marrs or Seavey on the list.