Aisling Sheperd, a ten year old from Norway, Maine - recently became one of the three winners of the 2008 American Girl of the Year “Real Girl” Award. She was able to travel to New York City & meet champion figure skater Emily Hughes, deliver an acceptance speech, and enjoy the sights and sounds of [...]

It’s no secret that sled dogs are amazing athletes; controversially the best animal athletes of the natural world. With incredible hearts, and super-strength lungs; sled dogs have the ability to run for hours on end without tiring. We’ve only begun to delve into the mysteries of the sled dog physiology & capabilities; as Dr. Michael S. [...]

This year’s 25 Toughest Athletes, published by Sports Illustrated, posed quite a surprise for the mushing community. Coming in at a strong 2nd place - our very own Lance Mackey led the 25 Toughest Athletes list. He was only surpassed by the most well known sports persona in the world - Tiger Woods. Sports Illustrated [...]

This is a preliminary announcement of an upcoming event sponsored by Quesnel’s Gold Rush Trail Dog Sled Association. On Wednesday June 18th, at 7:00 p.m. in the main lodge at Troll Ski Resort on Highway 26 west of Quesnel B.C., Warren Palfrey, a top finisher in this year’s (2008) Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race will [...]

According to an article by the New York Times, Dr. Michael S. Davis from Oklahoma State University, was given a $1.4 million grant in 2003 by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency to study the metabolic wonders in working sled dogs. The goal of Dr. Davis’ project is to use the information gained from sled [...]

Europe´s toughest race has it´s winners on both, the 600km and the 400km versions. Team Norway´s Kjetil Backen, who will take his turn in running Iditarod this year, is the 2008 Femundlopet 600 champion! Following just minutes behind were Iditarod veteran Ketil Reitan and two time Iditarod champion Robert Sorlie, both from Norway. Backen needed [...]

This year’s Iditarod field is the largest the race has ever seen - with 96 teams running in the Last Great Race. Among the competitors are Jeff King, Lance Mackey, Martin Buser, Mitch Seavey, Zack Steer, Kjetil Backen, Paul Gebhardt, Rick Swenson, Hans Gatt, Dee Dee Jonrowe, and many more - making this year’s race [...]

WHITEHORSE, YUKON (February 20, 2008) - As Lance Mackey glided over the Finish line in first place early this morning, the veteran musher has entered the history books yet again winning his fourth consecutive 1,000-mile Yukon Quest International Sled Dog Race. After 10 days, 12 hours and 14 minutes on the race trail, Mackey arrived [...]

The popular knowledge portal, HowStuffWorks, has recently published an article on “How Mushers Work.” Inside the article they include the following topics: How Mushers Work, Reasons to Mush, Preparing to Race, Race Realities, plus other information. The article is well thought out, researched - and makes for a good read and added publicity for the [...]

A modern day film adaption of the famous “Call of the Wild” story by Jack London is taking place in Lincoln Montana. Though it’s a low budget film - crews have already filmed the restart of the 2008 Race to the Sky Sled Dog Race for use in the production. The state of Montana and [...]

Park City, Utah—February 2, 2008—Melanie Shirilla of Lincoln, Mont., won the International Pedigree Stage Stop Sled Dog Race (IPSSSDR) with an overall time of 24:41:05. Shirilla gained the lead in Stage Five and maintained it throughout the final days of the race. Shirilla was the first woman to win the IPSSSDR in 2002 and won [...]

Jackson, Wyoming—February 1, 2008-Due to extreme weather and the closure of 1-80 East of Evanston, the International Pedigree Stage Stop Sled Dog Race (IPSSSDR) was moved from the North Slope Road south of the Mirror Lake Scenic Byway to the Purple Sage Golf Course in Evanston. “Because of the shortened stage, an average was taken [...]

Jackson, Wyoming—January 30, 2008—Melanie Shirilla of Lincoln, Mont., had the fastest time in Day Five of the International Pedigree Stage Stop Sled Dog Race (IPSSSDR), moving her into the overall lead. Shirilla ran the 58 mile course in 4:42:48. Jacques Philip of Nenana, Alaska, was second with 4:56:49. In third for the day, Bruce Magnusson [...]

Jackson, Wyoming—January 29, 2008—Wendy Davis of Lander, Wyo., posted the fastest time in day four of the International Pedigree Stage Stop Sled Dog Race (IPSSSDR) completing the 52-mile stage in 6:10:22. Melanie Shirilla of Lincoln, Mont., finished the day in second with a time of 6:11:11. Canadian musher Sam Perrino of Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, was [...]

Jackson, Wyoming - January 28, 2008 - The course from Cora to Pinedale, Wyo., in Day Three of the International Pedigree Stage Stop Sled Dog Race (IPSSSDR) was shortened from 33 to 18 miles due to extreme weather conditions, said Race Director Frank Teasley. Visibility along the route was restricted by winds measuring 60 mph, [...]

January 28, 2008—Wendy Davis from Lander, Wyoming had the fastest time in day three of the International Pedigree Stage Stop Sled Dog Race (IPSSSDR) completing the 18-mile stage in 1:42:53. Melanie Shirilla from Lincoln, Montana was second with a time of 1:45:24. Sam Perrino from Yellowknife Northwest Territories, Canada, was third with 1:49:12. In overall [...]

Jackson, Wyoming—January 27, 2008—Wendy Davis of Lander, Wyo., led day two of the International Pedigree Stage Stop Sled Dog Race (IPSSSDR) with the fastest time of 6:10:06. Melanie Shirilla of Lincoln, Mont., was second with a time of 6:25:33. Jacques Philip from Nenana, Alaska was third with a time of 6:26:43. Trail conditions were challenging [...]

IPSSSDR boasts eight days, 19 teams, 12 towns, two states and over 300 dogs Jackson, Wyoming—January 25, 2008—Cold temperatures and snow flurries provided perfect conditions for the start of the 2008 International Pedigree Stage Stop Sled Dog Race (IPSSSDR), announced Race Director Frank Teasley. Fur and flakes flew as 19 teams left Jackson’s Town Square [...]

As a quick message, I’m leaving on January 13th, 2009 for a two year sabbatical to serve a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. I’ll be serving in the Colorado Denver North mission. For the time being there will be no way to contact me. Upon my return I hope to [...]