Iditarod 53 rookie class

The 53rd running of the Iditarod boasts a roster of thirty-three, of that number nearly half are rookies. Sixteen "rookie" mushers from Alaska, Canada, the Lower 48, and Europe are getting ready to head for Nome in just under two weeks. Of the sixteen, five have attempted to complete the Last Great Race at least once before. Pandemics, illness, injury, tragedy took them out in the past, but they're trying their hand again to complete the journey. Each musher has their own motivation for attempting the race.

There's a musher from a legendary family, there are handlers taking puppy teams thru their first Iditarod, there are mushers wanting revenge on a trail that bested them before, adventurers, bucket listers. The things that will bind the Idita-Class of 2025 will be the trail and the adventure shared with 16 of their best friends.

The mushers are rookies in name only. Sure, they may not have taken the trail ahead of them before (to be fair most of the mushers this year qualify as not having run this particular route as it's a re-route) but each have spent countless hours training teams. All rookies must qualify for the Iditarod by completing several mid-distance races (two 300 mile or longer approved races, and one 150-200mile approved race--or have completed the 1,000 mile version of the Yukon Quest), they must also provide a reference from a veteran Iditarod musher. 

Keep in mind, if you're playing Fantasy Mushing that the award for Rookie of the Year is only for first year rookies, those that have started a race to not finish previously cannot be elligible for ROTY.

With such a large number of rookies in this year's race there will be many names/faces fans may not be familiar with. Let's do a quick rundown of who they are, and how you can find out more about them and support them. 

Idita-Class of 2025

Brenda Mackey - That last name looks familiar, doesn't it? Brenda is the daughter of 1983 Iditarod Champion Rick Mackey (Rick passed away in 2024 after a hard fought battle with cancer). That makes her grandfather (1978 Iditarod Champion, member of the first class of Iditarod mushers) Dick Mackey, and her uncle is the late Lance Mackey (that guy who won 4 Yukon Quests and 4 Iditarods in a row, with several of those wins overlapping). Brenda first attempted the Iditarod in 2021 on the Gold Loop Trail but had to scratch in Nikolai in the best interest of her team. It was a huge disappointment, and she took a few years to regroup. Brenda's husband Will Rhodes completed his first Iditarod last year and Brenda decided to run again this year. Brenda has said numerous times that she knows her father will be with her as she travels the trail. You can learn more about Brenda and the Mackey's Alaskan Distance Dogs via her Iditarod Bio, Website, Facebook page, and Instagram.

Bryce Mumford - Mushing is a family affair for the Mumfords. Bryce got into dog mushing after watching a tv special on the Iditarod in 2008. While Bryce is the one who got the family into the sport, his father and his kids are also racing these days. Mumford notes that one of his proudest moments in the sport is winning an award for best dog care in the Race to the Sky race. Mumford is one of the few teams not from Alaska in the Iditarod this year. Bryce is another one of the mushers looking to complete what he started last year. Mumford made it to Unalakleet after having difficulty on the run from Kaltag, his team had stalled and he chose to scratch to preserve his team. To learn more about Bryce and the Mushing Mumfords you can read his Iditarod Bio, Website, and Instagram.

Calvin Daugherty - The son of Iditarod Veteran (and obsessive mountain climber, as well as one of Alaska's top oncologists) Larry Daugherty tried his hand at the Iditarod last year. After suffering the loss of a dog out on the trail (which is an automatic scratch when cause cannot be immediately determined) Calvin and his team from Mitch Seavey's kennel will try again. An undetected cardiac arrithmia was most likely to blame for Henry's passing. Calvin has spent the last year working through all the what ifs and will carry that into this race. You can learn more about Calvin from his Iditarod Bio, Website, Facebook, and Instagram.

Charmayne Morrison - Charmayne is one of those kids who fell in love with the Iditarod and sled dogs and by 14 had her own kennel. She established Morrison Racing Kennel in 2015 and moved to Bozeman, Montana in 2018 to work with her mentors Rob and Cara Gregor. Morrison has been successful in many mid-distance races in the North West part of the Lower 48. This will be Charmayne's first attempt at the Iditarod, fulfilling her childhood dream. Don't be surprised if she's in the running for Rookie of the Year. You can learn more about her through her Iditarod Bio, Website, Facebook Page, and Instagram.

Connor McMahon - he musher who named his kennel Feral Racing has been working with dogs since age fifteen and it was a malamute with "behavior issues" that got him into mushing. The one-dog team instilled a desire to mush full time and that's what the Canadian does now. Training and racing dogs in the winter and giving rides in the summer at Caribou Crossing. Connor attempted the Iditarod just last year and had to scratch in Galena when his dogs decided they were done running on the river. Connor was a fan favorite for always having a smile on his face, and it is a very happy surprise that he's come back to try again so soon. You can learn about Connor from his Iditarod Bio, Website, Facebook Page, and Instagram.

Dane Baker - Dane is one of those mushers who was just going to try mushing for a season - it was his gap year plan before heading off to college. That was a while ago. Instead of college he's spent years studying the sport under several kennels where he's landed as one of the main handlers at Matt Failor's Alaskan Husky Adventure Kennel. Baker will be taking out the "puppy team" as they're lovingly called. The team that isn't planning to win, but is planning to finish. Baker will most likely not be running for a top placement, but he will no doubt give Insiders some wonderful interview moments. You can learn about Dane from his Iditarod Bio, Facebook Page, and the Kennel Facebook Page.

Daniel Klein - Daniel is an adventurer at heart. That's what Iditarod means to him: Adventure. Klein is running dogs out of Ryan Redington's kennel. He'll no doubt use everything the 2023 Iditarod Champion has taught him as he takes on the Last Great Race. Daniel has completed races like the John Beargrease - the lower 48's longest and some say toughest race. He's run the Knik 200 and Copper Basin. It's anyone's guess what Daniel is planning for his longest race yet, but there's no doubt he'll be loving every minute of it. You can learn more about him through his Iditarod Bio, and follow his race from Ryan's Kennel Facebook Page.

Ebbe Pedersen - The Iditarod Volunteer (2004) is now an Iditarod musher. Pedersen has handled for Iditarod teams for a while now, and in the last few he's been with Turning Heads Kennel (Travis Beals). Ebbe just came off the Kusko earlier in February with the Red Lantern award. The musher knowingly chose to take it easy giving his young team much more rest (and camping out on the trail experience) than what the other teams were taking. Perhaps he had a premonition that his team would need experience of camping between checkpoints and river running ahead of the 2025 Iditarod. You can learn more about Ebbe from his Iditarod Bio and you can follow his race through the Turning Heads Kennel Facebook Page.

Emily Ford - Another one of those with an adventerous spirit, Emily is running dogs from Kathleen Fredrickson's Shameless Huskies kennel. Ford is no slouch, a quick search on the interwebs will find a whole host of accomplished adventures and accodlades for this young musher. Emily's partner Anna Hennessy completed the Iditarod last year, so this year it's Emily's turn. Emily will join a small group of black mushers to run the Last Great Race. Emily says she continues to seek adventure and represent the underrepresented in outdoor spaces. You can learn more about her by going to her Iditarod Bio, Website, Facebook Page, and Instagram.

Jenny Roddewig - This second-generation musher (her dad ran Iditarod twice and is mentor to Charmayne Morrison!) is well known in mushing circles and is considered one of the favorites for Rookie of the Year. Jenny's got a list of top finishes starting from her junior mushing years all the way up to having won the Race to the sky 10 or so years ago - the youngest winner! Jenny is from Montana but moved with her husband to Fairbanks three years ago to accomplish her dreams of establishing a kennel and running the Iditarod. You can learn more about Jenny through her Iditarod Bio, Website, Facebook Page, and Instagram.

Justin Olnes - Justin is one half of the human team that makes up ReRun Kennel. The Marine Biologist came up to Fairbanks for his gradutate degree and fell in love with mushing after working with his professor's trapline dog team. He met his wife and kennel partner Kailyn during the pandemic and the rest is history. What's fun about the Olnes' kennel is about 75% of their kennel is made up of rescued dogs. Justin says many of their rescues make up his Iditarod team. You can learn more about Justin from his Iditarod Bio, Website, Facebook Page, and Instagram.

Keaton Loebrich - Keaton is one of the "newest" mushers, having only started racing in the last couple of years (after starting his kennel just a couple before that). He is known for his enthusiasm. A man of few words (for his bio anyway) he shares a lot of his mushing experiences over social media. It's one of those mushing stories where it went from "I got a few dogs" to "I got a few more dogs, and oh look more dogs" pretty quickly. His kennel is one of the smaller ones in the field, but they've steadily improved their standings and seem poised to make a go at the longest race to date. You can learn more about Keaton from his Iditarod Bio, TikTok, Facebook Page, Instagram, and GoFundMe.

Mike Parker - It's been a few years since we had a team from the Northern Whites on the Iditarod trail. Mike Parker has worked hard to be prepared to take the dogs from Jim Lanier's kennel back onto the Last Great Race. Fans may remember that last season Parker and his team were involved in a snow machine accident, they lost a teammate, but Parker and the Northern Whites have perservered to make their goal of Iditarod 2025. I'm told that Parker is not one to sleep on as far as what to expect for the race. It will be interesting to see how thier race pans out. You can learn more about Mike from his Iditarod Bio, Facebook, and Instagram.

Quince Mountain - Quince is back for a second try at the Iditarod. The second year rookie had a strong race in 2020 that went a little sideways when he got sick a couple of days into the race (not Covid). Having to take a somewhat slower pace to try and get over whatever bug it was, he fell off the pace he had wanted to set. Cobble that with the pandemic that hit just as teams hit the Yukon and it became a hurry up and finish situation for all mushers. Quince was one of many teams that ended up having to cut their race short because the trail officials wanted to pack up quicker than normal to beat any sort of shut downs. Q took it in stride, but took some time away from Iditarod to focus on family, fans, and fun with the kennel he shares with wife Blair Braverman. The new dad chose to come back this year to be a light in darkness. The first openly trans musher to run Iditarod, Quince felt very strongly that he needed to come back to Iditarod to prove that there is a place for Trans athletes to compete. He wanted to give a voice and face to those who feel they have no voice and must hide. You can learn more about Quince through his Iditarod Bio, Patreon Page, Facebook Page, BlueSky, and GoFundMe.

Samantha LaLonde - It will be really interesting to see what time of race Samantha runs. She's running dogs from Dallas Seavey's Kennel in a year that no one else from Alaska Sled Dog Tours/Dallas Seavey Racing kennel. Samantha worked with ATAO kennel for a long while before moving on to working with Dallas and his crew. Samantha is one of those mushers that kinda flies under the radar. That's not a slight, it's just hard to know what to expect - except that there should be little worry about if she will finish. She's got the training and the team to do it. You can learn more about Samantha from her Iditarod Bio, Facebook, and Instagram.

Sydnie Bahl - Sydnie is dreaming her dream and running dogs from, well, Vern Halter's Dream a Dream Kennel. Bahl met Iditarod Veteran Cindy Abbott and learned about Cindy's experiences mushing the Iditarod and was intrigued. After visitng Vern's kennel and taking a ride, she was hooked. She stated she started working for Vern the next day and now here she is running her first Iditarod. It should be an enjoyable ride to follow along with her journey. You can learn more about Sydnie through her Iditarod Bio, and Facebook Page.

This year's race is on record as possibly the longest trail in Iditarod's history. The teams prepped and planned for the traditional southern route while dealing with lack of snow and trails to run on during this insane winter. As with every Iditarod, curve balls have been and will be thrown at all of the teams, and the rookies will have no Iditarod experience to fall back on. One of the fun things about the reroute of Iditarod 2025 is that no team has the advantage of having run this exact trail before. While many of the miles and routes are the same for those like Mitch Seavey who have run reroutes in the past, the Iditarod has once again changed which turns it will take and which checkpoints it will go through. Everyone is on even footing in deciding where to stop, where to go through, and the like. This should be a very exciting and fun ride for all sixteen mushers working to achieve a dream and receive that coveted belt buckle. To join that very exclusive club of Iditarod finishers. Here's a toast to all sixteen with the hope and prayer they all have the ride of their lives.

Which rookies are you cheering for? Who do you think will end up with Rookie of the Year? Comment below!

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Four rookies on their way to Nome, one stuck in Golovin

Friday looks to be the last day on the trail for Iditarod 2024 - unless one team can somehow reboot and charge up to White Mountain soon. Three rookies are making their way into the final checkpoint of Safety, one just left white mountain, and the final team has been in the former checkpoint of Golovin for over 24 hours.

Lauro Edlund leads the final flight into Safety with Sevy Cathry and Jeff Reid close behind. The three have traveled most of the trail together and no doubt will continue to do so all the way to the arch. As they leave the checkpoint it will be just a little more coastal run before climbing their final mountain of Cape Nome. Then a run along a road, one final river crossing, a run along the beach and then up onto Front Street where the burled arch and a belt buckle awaits.

Joshua Robbins left White Mountain around 8:45am. As officials counted down he went through a similar ritual to what he did back on Willow Lake a week an a half ago. As he stood on the back of his sled the team broke out into a loud and happy "dogsong". The team's battle cry only stiffled when the official said go and the musher didn't let them leave - he was still trying to put on his parka. The judgemental looks of the team were comical, but they were soon on their way "nice and steady".

Robbins will have to wait a while to find out if he's the Red Lantern this year or not (assuming he makes it to Nome, and why wouldn't he?) as Sean Williams has not scratched yet even after being hung up in Golovin. The three time Iditarod rookie is once again seeing his hope of finishing dashed as his team reportedly will not go out onto the Sea Ice of Golovin Bay. The dogs are still energetic and have been rides to children of Golovin to make the most of their time in the former checkpoint.

Golovin was a checkpoint of the Iditarod for many years, but as teams were able to run further between checkpoints and with the mandatory 8 of White Mountain being the next stop, Golovin became a memory. Until this year. It's an unplanned stop for one team, and it will no doubt be a memory for all. Williams' team reported that he would try one more time this morning, but with little movement on the tracker it's unsure if they will ever get moving.

The Iditarod is coming to a close quickly. It was one of extreme lows and highs. 38 teams left the starting line March 3, and it may have 30 finishes. It's not over quite yet and cheering in the final teams is something every fan should be excited to do.

Iditarod 52 rookie class

Sixteen rookies are ready to head to Nome this March for the 52nd running of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. Each musher has their own story and reason for why they are in the sport and why this is their year to run the Last Great Race. Unlike many Iditarods, only five mushers are running dogs entirely out of someone else's kennel (though in each case they have trained with the dogs they're taking to Nome exclusively), the majority of rookies have their own kennel program. The future is looking strong for mid-distance mushing even with the hardships of the current economy and climate. 

Like all hopeful graduates, the sixteen rookies will have to take a final exam filled with so many unexpected twists and turns. While they must participate in the mandatory rookie meeting several months before race day as well as qualify for the race and get veteran mushers to sign off on their abilities, the rookies still have no real knowledge of just what they will face. Sure, they've heard the stories, they've seen the videos, they know the warnings. But it's one thing to know it and another thing to live it. How many of them will pass their final exam and graduate? Who will get top marks? We'll know in three to four weeks from now.

Anna Hennessy - Anna's rookie run will take her down the trail with a team of dogs out of Kathleen Fredrick's Shameless Huskies kennel. Anna has been mushing for about eight years, the last three winters with Kathleen in Alaska. Anna is an ER nurse and adventurist in her off time. She has had solid finishes in all of her mid-distance races leading up to her biggest test yet. To learn more about Anna you can check out her Iditarod Bio, Website, Kennel Facebook Page, and Instagram.

Benjamin Good - Another one of those "two-year plan" Alaskans who just wanted a couple years of adventure and it turned into a lifetime. Good stated in his bio that he got into dogs learning to skijor using a couple of dogs from Aaron Burmeister's kennel. Good's team has seen some success in races over the years and he's won the vet award in a couple. Iditarod, as we know, is a beast all its own and far longer distance than what he's run previously - but he has run the shorter Quests so he has seen some tough terrain. You can learn more about Benjamin by checking out his Iditarod Bio, Facebook page, and Instagram.

Bryce Mumford - Mushing is a family affair for the Mumfords. Bryce got into dog mushing after watching a tv special on the Iditarod in 2008. While Bryce is the one who got the family into the sport, his father and his kids are also racing these days. Mumford notes that one of his proudest moments in the sport is winning an award for best dog care in the Race to the Sky race. Mumford is one of the few teams not from Alaska in the Iditarod this year. To learn more about Bryce and the Mushing Mumfords you can read his Iditarod Bio, Website, and Instagram.

Calvin Daugherty - Iditarod fans may recognize this kid as being the son of Iditarod veteran (and Everest climber) Larry Daugherty. Calvin has worked full time with Mitch Seavey's kennel for the last few years and it's now his turn to take the Team Seavey dogs to Nome. It will be interesting to see what his Iditarod schedule will be - will he be holding back like many of the "handler" teams have in the past, or will he be given more freedom to challenge for a top spot? With Mitch not running it could be that Calvin will have a role similar to Christian Turner's role last year. Let's just hope he doesn't take after his dad and become a sequel to the "Lost Boys". You can learn more about Calvin by checking out his Iditarod Bio, and Instagram.

Connor McMahon - The musher who named his kennel Feral Racing has been working with dogs since age fifteen and it was a malamute with "behavior issues" that got him into mushing. The one-dog team instilled a desire to mush full time and that's what the Canadian does now. Training and racing dogs in the winter and giving rides in the summer at Caribou Crossing. McMahon's 30 dog kennel has worked for this moment. To learn more about Connor you can read his Iditarod Bio, website, Facebook page, and Instagram.

Erin Altemus - Erin and her husband run a kennel of 30 dogs called Sawtooth Racing in Minnesota. It's taken twelve years to get here as the dream took a backseat as they had and raised their daughter who is now six years old. Erin says she has the right team and circumstances to make Iditarod 2024 the right time. Fun fact, Sawtooth Racing is where fellow rookie Anna Hennessy learned to mush before moving on to Shameless Huskies in Alaska. You can read more about Erin via her Iditarod Bio, Website, Facebook page, and Instagram.

Gabe Dunham - Gabe is one of the second year rookies in the race this year. Gabe originally ran in 2020... yes... THAT 2020. The year the race went from normal to half way through finding out that a pandemic was shutting everything down and checkpoints were being moved well out of villages to protect their populations. Gabe made it to Unalakleet before having to scratch. She's been 2/3 of the way down the trail. Gabe ran this year's Kusko to get her team some coastal trail experience. The Evermore Adventure team is ready to tackle that last third. Dunham has also been under the mentorship of Linwood Fiedler. To learn more about Gabe you can visit her Iditarod Bio, Website, Facebook, and Instagram.

Isaac Teaford - This Navy Vet turned musher has worked his way up the ladder of handler to B-team driver for Dallas Seavey's racing kennel. Many will remember Teaford as being one of the mushers involved in the snowmachine incident on the Denali Highway in November. While it wasn't his team that was hit, he was first on scene and had to help with the triage and dog care. After several months of no doubt reliving those moments Isaac will be on the runners living out a dream he's had for a long while now - the ultimate healing experience. Don't expect Teaford to be racing for Rookie of the Year, but don't expect him to be last either. (According to his Insider interview he's also quite musical.) You can learn more about Isaac by reading his Iditarod Bio, his Facebook Page, and his Instagram.

Jeff Reid - Probably one of the smallest kennels represented in this year's race. Jeff is another military veteran who found mushing as a way of healing. He found mushing after reading Gary Paulsen's Winterdance. He and his wife moved to Alaska where Jeff began working with Aliy Zirkle and Allen Moore before forming his own kennel with dogs from them as well as Sebastian Schnuelle. Frozen Trident kennel is close to 7 years old, now, and they are ready to hit the trail. To learn more about Jeff you can visit his Iditarod Bio, Facebook page, and Instagram.

Joshua Robbins - Another military veteran who works at restoring other veterans dealing with post military life and mental health, Joshua runs his small kennel on the Little Willow River with purpose. Robbins has been living this lifestyle for the last 4 years. He's won awards in mid distance races voted on by his fellow mushers. He seems to be a favorite in the community. You can read up on Joshua by checking out his Iditarod Bio, Website, Facebook page, and Instagram.

Josi Thyr - The There and Back Again musher has turned heads this season as she's competed against some of "the best" in the sport and managed high placements. Josi came third in the recent Yukon Quest Alaska in the 300 mile race, coming behind an Iditarod champion and former Iditarod Rookie of the Year (and she would be rookie of the year for the YQA except second place got that honor this year). Josi has been mentored by some of the best in Iditarod, handling for both Aaron Burmeister and Jessie Royer. She could challenge for Rookie of the Year this year. To learn more about Josi, read her Iditarod Bio, Website, Facebook page, and Instagram.

Lara Kittleson - The second team out of Mitch Seavey's kennel this year will be driven by Kittleson. This handler is also a talented artist and writer. Don't expect Lara to challenge for Rookie of the Year but do expect her to finish as the goal of any Seavey handled team is to get the young dogs safely to Nome at a good steady pace that is both fun for the dogs as well as a good test for their future. Lara has a very upbeat and positive personality that if you've ever met her you know she'll be one of those mushers having fun out on the trail with the pups she calls her "tater tots". Read more about Lara through her Iditarod Bio, and Instagram.

Lauro Eklund - Eklund is an established generational musher from the Interior of Alaska. His good natured posts have found their way into the hearts of many fans. On top of that, he's just a good dog driver. They're a steady team that like cold temperatures. Eklund has studied races and learns from the best in how to schedule a race. That came to a head last year in the Yukon Quest Alaska as the race marshal decided to end Eklund's race early (in any other year his schedule would have kept him middle to the front of the pack). Lauro should be able to get that belt buckle as long as he sticks to his schedule and the front runners don't speed up the race. You can learn more about Lauro by checking out his Iditarod Bio, Website, Facebook page, and Instagram.

Sean Williams - Another rookie who's gone down the trail but didn't quite make it all the way, this time Williams is running his own dogs. Williams learned a lot from working with Martin Buser for years. Sean now runs his own dogs as part of the group that hosts tours out of Alaskan Mushing School. Like many of the Happy Trails Alumn, Sean is capable of reading his dogs and knowing what they can do and what they need. Read more about Sean via his Iditarod Bio, Facebook page, and Instagram.

Severin Cathry - Severin achieved a lifelong dream 14 years ago when he visited Alaska and rode on a "real life dog sled" - he was hooked. The musher grew up on a dairy farm but is now all huskies. Severin will run a team out of Midnight Howler's Racing Kennel - home of junior musher Arien Sanderson (who is running the Junior Iditarod this weekend). Learn more about Severin by reading his Iditarod Bio, and Facebook page.

Will Rhodes - This rookie is one of those where you wonder how this could be their rookie race. If you know mushing you probably know Will Rhodes. Will shares a kennel with his wife Brenda Mackey. The Mackey's Alaskan Distance Dogs kennel tried their paws at the Gold Loop trail in 2021 but illness took them out before they could complete it - Brenda was running that time. This time it's Will's turn. Expect Will to run a solid race, and he could easily challenge for Rookie of the Year - though that won't be his goal (is my guess). Happy, healthy dogs at the FINISH is the goal for all of these teams. Will is also one of the mushers who prides himself on winning awards for best dog care. Read more about Will from his Iditarod Bio, Website, Facebook page, and Instagram.

Sixteen mushers will run to Nome in just a little over a week with the one goal of completing the race and obtaining their finisher's buckle (and their membership into the exclusive Iditarod Sled Dog Race Finishers Club). They are attempting what few have tried and many have dreamed. This is one of the bigger rookie classes with a lot of talented teams. Each one to make it to the starting line is a winner in many ways after tackling finances, qualifiers, drop bags, and all hoops in-between. Here's to Iditarod's Class of 2024! Good luck, Rookies, may you soon be rookies no more!

Who are you excited to cheer for? Who do you think will come out on top as Rookie of the Year? 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).