Sheep Mountain 150 Recap

Jessica Hendricks wins with 11 dogs in harness.
She was closely followed by Allen Moore, Hans Gatt, Sabastian Schnuelle, Jeff King & Jon Little.

By all reports, the trail was great and the event was extremely well run by Zach and Anjanette Steer.

Toughest Race On Earth: Iditarod - CHANGE

The Discovery Channel has moved Toughest Race on Earth: Iditarod to Friday's at 8:00pm ET/7:00pm CT.

There are repeats at various times, check listings.

Tonight is the Premiere of "Toughest Race On Earth: Iditarod"

Tonight is the premiere of the Discovery Channel series "Toughest Race On Earth: Iditarod".

The series will air at 10PM Eastern Time tonight, and repeat at 11PM ET, 2AM ET early Wednesday, Friday night at 10PM ET, early Saturday morning at 2AM ET, and Saturday morning at 11AM ET.

Tune in for coverage of the race start in Anchorage and Willow. Meet mushers and their dogs. Learn behind-the-scenes strategies and training methods. See exclusive interviews.

For more on the race, go to http://dsc.discovery.com/tv/iditarod/iditarod.html.

Lance Mackey on to appear Conan O'Brien

Lance Mackey will appear tonight, Thursday October 9th, on Late Night with Conan O'Brien, following the Tonight Show with Jay Leno on NBC.

Among the topics to be discussed are his mushing championships, his "Toughest Athlete on the Planet" win and the up-coming Discovery Channel series "The Toughest Race On Earth: Iditarod" which premieres next Tuesday, October 14th.

Sled Dog Accident

Kasilof Musher Jon Little with injured dog Wolf

Photo By Joseph Robertia


Three sled dogs were killed in a training accident Sunday, and two others were injured, according to the Peninsula Clarion. One of the injured was euthanized Tuesday.

Long-time writer and musher Jon Little of Kasilof was returning from a training run with two teams pulling four-wheelers. His former handler Mike Barnett was running the second team, waiting for his turn to cross the Sterling Highway, when the team got out of control and darted in front of a moving SUV.

According to Little, the location near the highway's intersection with Kalifornsky Beach Road, has been dangerous for many years due to high traffic volume.

"It's a tragedy, but the dogs' deaths won't be in vain if this increases awareness about that intersection," he said.

Those wishing to contribute to the medical costs can log on to his website at http://kasilofkennel.bravehost.com/.

Series Premiere - Toughest Race On Earth: Iditarod

The premiere of "Toughest Race on Earth: Iditarod" on the Discovery Channel has been changed to Tuesday, October 14th at 10pm ET.

The first episode looks at the Start of the 2008 Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, including the strategies of some of the leading competitors and more.

See exclusive, behind-the-scenes footage of Lance Mackey, DeeDee Jonrowe and others.

Lance Mackey - Toughest Athlete!

Congratulations to Lance! Add Winner of the Versus Network Red White Black & Blue "Cam Pain 08" Toughest Athlete contest to his impressive resume. Voted on by the viewers, Lance beat an elite group of athletes.

Log on to the webpage and read all about it, watch his video and leave him a message.

Also visit Lance's Comeback Kennel for more details.

Fall Training Photos

A collection of some training photos from around the internet.

Water Break

From Jon Little

Back On the Trail

From Lagniappe Kennel

Musher's View

From Wolf Moon Dogsledding

TOUGHEST RACE ON EARTH: IDITAROD

The Iditarod Trail Committee has announced the premiere of TOUGHEST RACE ON EARTH: IDITAROD, on Tuesday, October 7 at 10 PM ET/PT, on the Discovery Channel.

Six one-hour episodes will follow mushers and their dog teams as they take on the elements, the cold and the trail conditions – as they race each other over one thousand miles across Alaska in The Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race.

The Discovery Channel crews followed seven teams, including: Four-time Iditarod Champions Jeff King and Martin Buser, two-time Iditarod champion Lance Mackey, pioneering musher and breast cancer survivor DeeDee Jonrowe, two-time Iditarod finisher and diabetic Bruce Linton, along with rookies Rick Holt and Darin Nelson.

TOUGHEST RACE ON EARTH: IDITAROD is produced for Discovery Channel by Thom Beers, creator of Deadliest Catch and Ice Road Truckers, among others.

View trailer:

Lance Mackey Speaks!

Check out the Mushing Magazine website for video clips of Lance Mackey speaking at the Willow Dog Mushers Symposium, held September 7th, 2008.

Lance talks about the events that led up to the snowmachine accident that ended the career of his historic lead-dog Zorro, discusses his training, success and the state of the Iditarod.

Musk Ox Attacks Sled Dogs

Sprint-racer Cyrus Harris suffered an injury to his dog team Sunday, when a musk ox attacked his dogs in his dog yard at his residence near Kotzebue.

His dog, Snoopy, one of three that were attacked, suffered a wound in his stomach that appears to be non-life threatening.

Harris was able to bring the animal down with several shots from a rifle.

While the animals are common in the area, Harris said they've never been a problem before. According to Alaska Wildlife Trooper Eric Lorring, musk ox attacks are not rare, especially at this time of year, when they are in rut. His advice for anyone who encounters one is simple - get as far away from it as fast as you can.

Not the First Musher to have Musk Ox Problems

Last fall, 17-year-old musher Mellisa Owens team encountered a herd of musk ox during a training run for her rookie attempt at the Iditarod. While the dog team got tangled up in the excitement, Owens was able to get them into her truck without suffering any injuries.


Photo: Melissa Owens

Changes are coming to the T-200

2008 Tustumena 200 Winner Lance Mackey Photo from Tustumena 200 website

Board Gets A New Look


Change is inevitable, as organizers of the Tustumena 200 Sled Dog Race surly realize, while they prepare for the 25th anniversary running of the Kenai Peninsula race.

Several board members and officers have stepped down from their positions after several years of extremely dedicated hard work. When the elections were held this past spring, few volunteered to take their places.

Kasilof resident and Iditarod musher Paul Gebhardt stepped down as race marshal, a position he has held the past two years. According to the Peninsula Clarion, Gephardt said, "It just takes too much time away from my own training and racing. I've been shorting myself, but I'd like to win Iditarod and I'm not getting any younger, so I need to focus on my own dogs."

Another challenge facing race organizers is finding a new major sponsor, as Kenai Chrysler Center pulled out after last season.

However, a new executive director has been hired. Tami Murray, a Sterling resident who has volunteered with the Iditarod, raised funds for local organizations, and worked for more than 25 years as a television producer, takes over.

"I'm very excited about the position. I love the sport of mushing and have always thought the T-200 was a great community race and I wanted to see it keep on going," she said.

Artist and musher Jon Van Zyle is the new race marshal. He brings his experience of racing the Iditarod, as well as serving as a race marshal in numerous other races, to the event.

Race organizers are working with local snowmachiners and riding clubs, plus area dog mushers who regularly ride and train in the area, to utilize their knowledge, time and skills in keeping the trail up to standards.

The 25th anniversary running of the T-200 is scheduled to start on Jan. 24, 2009. Details of the T-100 and Jr. T races are still being worked out.

But despite the challenges – the race will still go on.

"Rookie" Martin Buser to race in Yukon Quest

Four-time Iditarod champion Martin Buser of Big Lake, AK, has entered the 2009 Yukon Quest sled dog race. The fifty-year-old will race against four consecutive-years Quest champion Lance Mackey, also winner of the past two Iditarod races, and the only musher to win both races in the same year.
Among the 23 entrants is newton Marshall of the Jamaican dog sled team.
The race will start February 14, 2009 in Whitehorse, YT and finish in Fairbanks AK.

PHOTO: www.yukonquest.com

Meet Lance!

Lance Mackey, 4-time Yukon Quest Champion, 2-time Iditarod Champion, only musher to win both races in the same year, now in back-to-back years, will meet the public at the Tanana Valley State Fair in Fairbanks, August 2nd & 3rd, from 1:00 - 3:00pm, and at the Alaska State Fair, outside Palmer, on August 23rd & 24th, from 1:00 - 3:00pm.
It's a chance to chat with the champion musher, take photos and get his autograph.

GROUNDBREAKING DISCOVERY CHANNEL SERIES CHRONICLES ONE OF THE TOUGHEST RACES ON EARTH

-- Premiering October 2008, IDITAROD (wt) Shows a Musher’s Preparation is No Match for Mother Nature --

SILVER SPRING, Md., July 10, 2008 – Discovery Channel continues its exploration into and chronicling of the fascinating world around us with the groundbreaking series IDITAROD (wt). The world premiere of this original series is slated for October 2008. This historic 1,150 mile sled dog race over some of the world’s most beautiful – and most challenging – terrain was documented from beginning to end through the eyes of the men and women who dared to take on the monumental challenge.

In this six-part series, viewers will get a rare look into one of the harshest races on the planet – The Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. Across frozen rivers, barren tundra, mountains and thick forest in freezing temperatures, this grueling race from Anchorage to Nome puts mushers and their dog teams through the ultimate test of human and animal teamwork and endurance.

"This new series truly defines adventure programming," said John Ford, president and general manager of Discovery Channel. "Viewers will once again travel back to Alaska, one of the toughest places on earth, where they will see the sheer will and determination it takes for men and women to compete in and complete this 1,150 mile race. The stories of these competitors deserve to be told and we are proud to do it."

Mushers from around the world convene in Alaska each March to run the "Last Great Race on Earth." Some prepare all year for this legendary race while others fit in training around their full-time jobs. Some are carrying on a proud family tradition while others are first generation mushers. Discovery Channel will follow returning race veterans and rookies alike to see, through their eyes, what it takes to compete not only against each other but also Mother Nature.

The Iditarod Trail was originally used as a mail and supply route from the coastal towns of Seward and Knik to the interior mining camps and eventually all he way to Nome. Mail and supplies went in and gold came out – all by dog sleds. Mushers became legends. In 1925, part of the trail became a life-saving highway. Mushers and their dog teams were called upon to bring serum to epidemic-stricken Nome and save the town from Diphtheria that had overtaken it. The Iditarod is a commemoration of those brave and legendary mushers and their faithful dogs.

IDITAROD (wt) is produced for Discovery Channel by Original Productions. Thom Beers and Phillip Segal are executive producers and Jeff Conroy is co-executive producer. For Discovery Channel, Paul Gasek is executive producer.

About Discovery Communications
Discovery Communications is the world’s number-one nonfiction media company reaching more than 1.5 billion cumulative subscribers in over 170 countries. Discovery empowers people to explore their world and satisfy their curiosity through 100-plus worldwide networks, led by Discovery Channel, TLC, Animal Planet, Science Channel, Planet Green, Investigation Discovery and HD Theater, as well as leading consumer and educational products and services, and a diversified portfolio of digital media services including HowStuffWorks.com. Discovery Communications is owned by Discovery Holding Company (NASDAQ: DISCA, DISCB), Advance/Newhouse Communications and John S. Hendricks, Discovery's founder and chairman. For more information, please visit www.discoverycommunications.com.

No ESPY for Mackey, but maybe a movie?

ACTION! Warner Brothers, Disney are both interested, musher says.

By CHRIS FREIBERG
Fairbanks Daily News-Miner

Published: July 19th, 2008 01:02 AM
Last Modified: July 19th, 2008 02:11 AM

FAIRBANKS -- Usually, the number two is good to champion musher Lance Mackey.

Twice he has won the two biggest races in mushing -- back-to-back -- the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race and the Yukon Quest International Sled Dog Race.

And Mackey hoped that voters might grant him an ESPY award this year, the second time he's been nominated for the honor.

"It would look great on the trophy shelf, but I'm not counting on it," Mackey said from Las Vegas, where he was preparing to travel to Los Angeles for the ceremony broadcast Sunday on ESPN.

Mackey, who has won the Yukon Quest for the past four years and won both the Quest and the Iditarod in 2007 and 2008, is one of five nominees for the Best Outdoor Athlete award.

And while lucky numbers usually smile on Mackey, it didn't happen this time.

Scott Smiley, an Army captain who climbed Mount Rainier after losing his sight in Iraq, was the winner, chosen through online voting at www.espys.tv.

On his second trip to the ESPY awards, Mackey planned to take more time to relax and enjoy the trip, though he called it his "duty" to meet seven-time Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong.

Many people have compared the two Lances over the years. Both beat cancer and returned to their respective sports to become champions.

"I don't think there's much comparison," Mackey said. "He does all the work, while my team does most of the work in my sport."

Mackey also will meet what he described as a "well-known" director next week to discuss the possibility of making a movie about his accomplishments.

"Warner Brothers and Disney both are interested in some sort of movie," he said.

The Fairbanks musher has already begun training for next year's races, and he believes his team is capable of three-peating back-to-back Yukon Quest and Iditarod titles.

Still, he remained humble about his accomplishments.

"I just want to say thanks to the fans who follow the sport," Mackey said. "Without them I'd still be sitting in a small town in Alaska instead of being in L.A. with the big dogs."

Last year, Mackey lost out to Dean Karnazes of San Francisco, who ran 50 marathons -- one in every state -- in 50 days, including the Mayor's Marathon course in Anchorage.

Update on Zorro

Most of you know that Lance Mackey's dog "Zorro" was injured during the 2008 All Alaska Sweepstakes when a snow machine collided with his team. Zorro was riding in the sled bag when he got hit. He suffered 3 broken ribs, had some internal bleeding, and spinal injuries.

As of the last report from Lance's Comeback Kennel website:
Early Father's Day for Zorro!!!
June 4th 2008
Zorro has had enough of the foo-foo treatment and has opted for returning to his old dog house deep within the 90 plus sled dogs in the Mackey dog lot.

The fur has grown back over the cracked ribs. There is only a hint of where the accident occurred in Zorro's hips, where he occasionally sits to rest them.

Zorro has something new to brag about as he returns to his team mates in the dog lot. The Mackey's announced that Zorro is the proud pappa of 9 healthy puppies.

Retirement is grand!

No ESPY for Lance

Champion musher Lance Mackey did not win an ESPY this year, for the second year in a row. Lance was nominated for "Best Outdoor Athlete of the Year". The winner was Army Captain Scott Smiley, blinded in Iraq, he climbed Mount Rainier in Washington state in July 2007.

Not to discredit Captain Smiley, but Lance's accomplishment deserved to win. It was as if Lance Armstrong won the Tour de France twice in the same year, two weeks apart, and then did that two years in a row! Talk about an "Iron Man" - the Incredible Lance Mackey!

Oh well, we'll keep mushing as an obscure sport.

It'll be our little secret!

2009 Iditarod

Sign up for the 2009 Iditarod took place on Saturday, June 29th, in Anchorage. (I was unable to attend)
65 mushers signed up, despite the fee increase to $4,000.
My favorite mushers, Martin Buser and Lance Mackey, were there.
Also 4-time champion Jeff King, 2002 champion and this years' All-Alaska Sweepstakes winner Mitch Seavey.
The races' only 5-time champion Rick Swenson.
Last year's rookie phenom Melissa Owens.
The 2008 rookie of the year Sigrid Ekran.
Blind musher Rachael Scdoris and her visual-guide Tim Osmar.
Aliy Zirkle and Allen Moore
Dee Dee Jonroe
Paul Gebhardt, John Baker and brothers Ray & Ryan Reddington and Cim & Ramey Smith.

The complete list of entrants is on the Iditarod Commitee website: http://www.iditarod.com/race/musherlisting.html

Welcome

To my mushing blog!

I'll try to keep you updated on the happenings in the world of mushing, sleddogs, dog sled racing, etc.

It's the middle of summer, so there's not a lot of action right now. But I'll let you know as soon as I hear anything!