“We all congregate here, around this race and around this sport, because at the core of things, we all want to celebrate and promote and fiercely defend the incredible possibilities that dogs afford us.”
The sport of sled dog racing stirs emotions as few sports do. Even when run on short tracks, through city streets, or along country lanes and over farmers’ fields, the wilderness which lead to the first race between teams is never far from the minds of the mushers, the officials, the volunteers, or the fans. Sled dog racing brings these four diverse types together, if only briefly, in a shared love and respect for a sport like no other.
When racing season is here, whether local sprint races or the major long distance races such as the Yukon Quest, the Finnmarkslopet, and the granddaddy of them all, the Iditarod, there is a tangible excitement in sled dog circles, among the enthusiasts, and favorite tales are revived and shared again, and venerable mushers are remembered, and rising young stars applauded. Old friendships are renewed, and new ones welcomed. It has been said that for those who love the lifestyle a good sled dog race can be better than Christmas.
A handful of sled dog enthusiasts, including mushers who have run the Yukon Quest and the Iditarod, came together to build this website as a way of increasing knowledge and awareness of sled dog sports. It is our hope that this effort will encourage appreciation, education, and support for mushing and for the beautiful sled dogs who make it all possible.