Larry
Lance Mackey’s Larry is a mushing legend. The big gray Alaskan husky is the winningest lead dog in long distance racing history; he’s led Lance’s team to victory in seven 1,000 mile Yukon Quest and Iditarod races, and he has won three coveted Golden Harnesses.
Larry has been to Nome nine times, eight with Lance and once, in 2003, as part of Paul Gebhardt’s team. In the 2010 Iditarod Larry is once again going to Nome, but this time he’s not in Lance’s team – he’s part of Jamaican rookie Newton Marshall’s bid for an Iditarod buckle.
Newton with 1978 champion, Dick Mackey
Oswald “Newton ” Marshall is the first Jamaican and Caribbean musher to enter the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. Marshall is a rookie in the Iditarod, but in 2009 he completed the grueling Yukon Quest, winning thirteenth place and the coveted Challenge of the North Award for best exemplifying the spirit of the Yukon Quest. After training for that race with three-time Quest champion Hans Gatt, Newton chose three-time Iditarod champion Lance Mackey as his mentor for the 2010 Iditarod.
Larry and Newton
While Newton is running dogs from Lance’s kennel in the Iditarod, including Super-Dog Larry, the team dogs in Jamaica are rescued from the streets or from the Jamaican Society for Prevention of Cruelty of Animals (JSPCA). A portion of proceeds from the Jamaica Dogsled Tours and DVD sales on the team website benefits the JSPCA. The Jamaica Dogsled Team is sponsored by Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville, Chukka Caribbean Adventures, WestJet Vacations, Alpine Aviation and Annamaet Petfoods.
Newton and his Iditarod team
As of Thursday evening, Newton and Larry were holding their own in the Iditarod through minus thirty-five degree temperatures, and Newton had declared his mandatory 24 hour lay over in McGrath. Videographer Eppo Eerkes, who’s following Newton’s progress on the trail, reported, “After talking to several other mushers, Newton learned that the overload of teams in Takotna for the 24 hour rest wasn’t leaving room for other teams to park. So, Newton decided it was in his best interest to just rest here.”
Newton rounding the corner of 4th & Cordova. Larry is the far side wheel dog. Idita-rider Jan Tremer, Braxton Peterson on the tag sled.
Eppo also reported, “Newton’s affection for his dogs was so intense that he had to make sure that the officials would take care of his two dropped dogs in Nikolai. It just so happened those two dogs flew in my plane from Nikolai to McGrath and they were as calm as ever in the air. Newton was happy that someone he knew personally delivered them to McGrath.”
Tags: Braxton Peterson, Dick Mackey, Eppo Eerkes, Hans Gatt, Iditarod, Jan Tremer, Lance Mackey's Larry, mushing, Newton Marshall, sled dog race, sled dogs, Yukon Quest
Dan Kaduce's dogs
As the mushers move up the trail between Rainy Pass and Ophir, still not quite to the halfway point in Ruby for the northern route, the strength of the teams continues to impress fans, and some of the teams are already taking their mandatory 24-hour rest stops: Jeff King, Zack Steer, Hugh Neff and a few others declared their 24-hour stops in Takotna, located on the north bank of the Takotna River in a broad scenic river valley. Writing for the Iditarod’s Eye on the Trail blog, Bruce Lee shared a few observations about the front running teams at Takotna:
- Jeff King seems to be having one of those “magic carpet ride” runs.
- Hugh Neff is upbeat and is also posting fast run times.
- Lance Mackey’s team came into Takotna like a freight train.
- John Baker’s team looks rock solid.
- Sebastian Schnuelle had energy and his dogs are just as upbeat.
- Sven Haltmann’s dogs ate like a bunch of alligators.
Six mushers have scratched at this point:
- Pat Moon, a rookie from Chicago, was injured and knocked out when his sled crashed into a tree. Belgian musher Sam Deltour found Pat, and being a fifth-year medical student, knew what to do. Pat was airlifted to Anchorage for medical treatment, but plans to return to the race and meet his fellow mushers in Nome.
- Michael Suprenant, Chugiak, scratched for medical reasons in Rainy Pass.
- Zoya DeNure, Paxon, who was nursing her 7-month-old daughter, Jona, until the race began, developed an infection which spread to her left arm and required antibiotics, according to her husband, John Schandelmeier.
- Karin Hendrickson, Chugiak, scratched because of equipment problems and damage to her sled.
- Kirk Barnum, of Seeley Lake, Montana, scratched at Rainy Pass, stating his dogs were tired and he scratched to protect them.
- Kathleen Frederick, of Willow, scratched Wednesday morning due to equipment and gear problems with 14 dogs on her team.
Craig Medred, following the back of the pack for a book he’s working on, reported Kathleen’s misfortune on his Twitter feed: “frederick on good run to rohn until her race went in the creek. literally. sled trapped under ice for hours. (4 hours ago)” And then: “after Iridium phone talk w/ race hdqrters, catherine frederick cried & cried. better now. accepting race over. (3 hours ago)”
Tags: Craig Medred, Dan Kaduce, Hugh Neff, huskies, Iditarod, Iditarod Trail, Jeff King, John Baker, Karin Hendrickson, Kathleen Frederick, Kirk Barnum, Lance Mackey, Michael Suprenant, mushing, Pat Moon, Sam Deltour, Sebastian Schnuelle, Sven Haltmann, Zoya DeNure
The red dotted line in the center is the Iditarod Trail
The Iditarod Re-Start on Willow Lake
Newton Marshall, St. Anne, Jamaica
Karin Hendrickson, Chugiak
Art Church, Jr., Willow
Ryan Redington, Knik
Quinn Iten, Kotzebue
Karen Ramstead's handlers holding back her Pretty Sled Dogs
Dee Dee Jonrowe, Willow
Robert Nelson, of Kotzebue
Kirk Barnum of Seeley Lake, Montana
Sebastian Schnuelle placed second in the 2009 Iditarod
Libby Riddles, first woman to win the Iditarod, in 1985
Michelle Phillips and son Keegan, from Tagish, Yukon Territory
Martin Buser holds the record for the fastest time
Sven Haltmann
Keith Blaha, handler for Sven Haltmann
Jim Lanier, with son Jimmy driving in the blue parka
Sonny Lindner
Zack Steer, of Sheep Mountain Lodge, with his sons
Iditarod veteran Gerald Sousa of Talkeetna
Surrounded by family and friends, Lance approaches the start chute
Lance is still visiting with his fans as he waits at the starting line
Lance's mom holds onto the sled as his handlers hold the team back
Aliy Zirkle
One of the last mushers heads across the lake
Tags: Alaska, Aliy Zirkle, Art Church Jr., Comeback Kennel, Dee Dee Jonrowe, Gerald Sousa, Helen Hegener, Iditarod, Iditarod Re-start, Iditarod Trail, Jim Lanier, Karen Ramstead, Karin Hendrickson, Keith Blaha, Kirk Barnum, Lance Mackey, Libby Riddles, Martin Buser, Michelle Phillips, mushing, Newton Marshall, Northern Light Media, Pretty Sled Dogs, Quinn Iten, Robert Nelson, Ryan Redington, Sebastian Schnuelle, Sheep Mountain Lodge, sled dog race, Sonny Lindner, SP Kennel, Sven Haltmann, Willow, Willow Lake, Zack Steer
Great stuff at the Willow Dog Mushers Association table
Goodies at the Willow Dog Mushers Association table
Pat Bach and Joe Runyon shopping at the WDMA table
Photographer extraordinaire Carol Falcetta
Lovely applique and quiltwork designs
A closer look...
Talkeetna artist David Totten's artwork
More vendors...
A couple of hours before the 2010 Iditarod Restart on Willow Lake
Getting everything ready
Karen Ramstead's license plate
Karen Ramstead stopped during the ceremonial start and sang a rousing chorus of 'Oh, Canada' with the fans, which got into the Anchorage Daily News
Theresa Daily, http://www.gomush.com
Aliy Zirkle's SP Kennel team
Sign on Emil Churchin's dogtruck door
Changing runner plastic
Sebastian Schnuelle and a friend look over his sled
Sebastian Schnuelle's sled
Brenda Borden and Jeff Chandler
Longtime Iditarod fan Marlene Phillips-Daniels, of Belgrade, Montana
Warren Palfrey of Quesnel, B.C. gets ready to load his sled
Passing out the bibs
Dan Seavey, veteran of the first Iditarod in 1973; he came in third in 20 days, 14 hours, 35 minutes, 16 seconds
A neat coil of gangline and harness snaps
Marlene Phillips-Daniels, Pat Bach, and Karen Ramstead
Lance Mackey and his wife Tonya
Lance and his long-time friend Theresa Daily take care of last minute business before he hits the trail for Nome
Lance Mackey
Libby Riddles, who ran the Iditarod several times between 1980 and 1995, and became the first woman to win the race in 1985
Serum Run veteran Jamie West and artist David Totten
Hand carved and painted box by Rose Albert, the first Alaskan Native woman to run the Iditarod, in 1982
Close-up of the lid
Tags: Aliy Zirkle, Brenda Borden, Carol Falcetta, Dan Seavey, David Totten, Emil Churchin, Go Mush, Helen Hegener, Iditarod, Jamie West, Jeff Chandler, Joe Runyon, Karen Ramstead, Lance Mackey, Libby Riddles, Marlene Phillips-Daniels, Northern Light Media, Pat Bach, Rose Albert, Sebastian Schnuelle, Theresa Daily, Tonya Mackey, Warren Palfrey, Willow Dog Mushers Association
Newton Marshall, Jamaica, with Idita-rider Jan Tremer, from Pennsylvania
Ever the crowd-pleasing showman, four-time Iditarod champion Jeff King with his gee-pole sled and Idita-rider Darian Stengrim, of Alaska
Ross Adam and the ever-popular Freedom Frog, promoting freedom from drugs and alcohol
Mitch Seavey and Idita-rider Janet Shelfer, Florida
Hans Gatt with partner Susie Rogan and Idita-rider Kathy Wright from Georgia
Iditarod veteran Ramey Smyth balances the sled as they top the Cordova St. hill at 15th Avenue
Ramey Smyth and Idita-rider Yvonne Ooten, from Florida
Karin Hendrickson and Idita-rider Joyce Griffith, California
Ryan Redington, grandson of Iditarod founder Joe Redington, Sr., with Idita-rider Georgeanne Eiskamp, of California
Warren Palfrey, Quesnel, British Columbia, with Idita-rider Denali Adams, Alaska
Quinn Iten, Kotzebue, Alaska, with Idita-rider Sharyn Gunter from California
Siberian huskies emerging from the Seward Highway tunnel, and the always popular Iditarod veteran Canadian musher is...
Karen Ramstead, North Wapiti Kennels, Perryvale, Alberta, with Idita-rider Stone Kellus, Washington
Michael Suprenant and Idita-rider (unidentified)
Karen Ramstead and Idita-rider Stone Kellus, Washington
Michelle Phillips, Tagish, Yukon, with Idita-rider Lindy Fortier, Alaska
Sebastian Schnuelle, who came in second behind Lance Mackey in the 2009 Iditarod, and won the 2009 Yukon Quest, with his Idita-rider, Anita Danielson from Oregon
Kristy Barrington, with her twin sister Anna riding the tag sled
Newton Marshall, from St. Anne, Jamaica, is an Iditarod rookie, but he placed 13th in last year's Yukon Quest, and 7th in the 2008 Percy Dewolfe Race from Dawson City to Eagle, Alaska and return
Newton Marshall's secret weapon: multiple Iditarod and Yukon Quest leader, multiple Golden Harness award winner, perhaps the most famous sled dog in Alaska, Lance Mackey's 'Larry'
Newton Marshall's Iditarod team
Handler Braxton Peterson leads two of Newton's team to the dogtruck
Eppo Eerkes interviewing Newton Marshall
Hank Debruin, Winterdance Dogsled Tours, Haliburton, Ontario, with Idita-rider Julia Roles from Ontario
Aliy Zirkle and Idita-rider Ken Privratsky, Alaska
Veteran Ken Anderson with Idita-rider Karlee Bridges, from Alaska
Champion musher and Iditarod veteran Aliy Zirkle's team
Taking off the harness after a good run, one of Aliy Zirkle's dogs
Sleds at the end of the ceremonial run
Keith Blaha and GG Goss; Keith rode Sven Haltmann's tag sled
Iditarod veteran Sven Haltmann, from Fairbanks
Lance Mackey arrives with his Idita-rider, Bette Isacoff from Massachusetts
Lance's team
Reigning three-time champion musher Lance Mackey
1978 champion Dick Mackey - dispensing a little fatherly advice?
Dan Kaduce's team at the end of their ceremonial run, with Idita-rider Sarah Greenlaw, and Jodi Bailey riding the tag sled
Kathleen Frederick's 'Shameless Huskies' Iditarod team heading home
Dan Kaduce and Jodi Bailey ready to unhook their team
Teammates from Dan Kaduce and Jodi Bailey's Dew Claw Kennel, Chatanika, Alaska
Dan's partner, champion musher Jodi Bailey
This is Dan Kaduce's rookie Iditarod run, but he's had four top ten finishes in the Yukon Quest and received the Vet's Choice Award in 2003.
Dan Kaduce and his Idita-rider, Sarah Greenlaw from Wisconsin
Tags: Aliy Zirkle, Anita Danielson, Anna Barrington, Braxton Peterson, Dan Kaduce, Darian Stengrim, Denali Adams, Dew Claw Kennel, Dick Mackey, Eppo Eerkes, Freedom Frog, gee pole, Georgeanne Eiskamp, GG Goss, Hank Debruin, Hans Gatt, Jan Tremer, Janet Shelfer, Jason Mackey, Jeff King, Jodi Bailey, Joe Redington, Joyce Griffith, Julia Roles, Karen Ramstead, Karin Hendrickson, Karlee Bridges, Kathy Wright, Keith Blaha, Ken Anderson, Ken Privratsky, Kotzebue, Kristy Barrington, Lance Mackey, Lindy Fortier, Michael Suprenant, Michelle Phillips, Mitch Seavey, Newton Marshall, North Wapiti Kennels, Northern Star Kennel, Quesnel, Quinn Iten, Ramey Smyth, Ross Adam, Ryan Redington, Sarah Greenlaw, Sebastian Schnuelle, Sharyn Gunter, Stone Kellus, Susie Rogan, Sven Haltmann, Warren Palfrey, Winterdance Dogsled Tours, Yvonne Ooten