Riverboat Discovery

We are happy to announce that the Riverboat Discovery has sponsored Pro Dog Racing Kennels for the 2012 -2013 season.  We would like to thank Wade, Ryan and Jim for there generous contribution.  We will be buying dog food this week and getting some work done on the dog truck.

 

Thank you!!!

www.riverboatdiscovery.com

 

 



 

Training season

We have been blessed with great training opportunities so far this season.  For the last three seasons I have not been able to run on sled until Christmas day.  It's actually kind of been my annual Christmas gift.  This year we started on sled in October.  Temps ranging in -5 to 5 above on training days have also allowed for pleasant times on the snow machine and sled.  Freezing digests is never really fun.

With that said the temps in the Tok area have decided to drop this week.  Dipping as low as -35 at my parents place with some wind, so it feels colder than that.  Dogs get loaded on the dog box to help stay warm when temps are low.  According to the wx forecast it is supposed to break by the weekend and we shouldn't disrupt our training schedule much.  Here's hoping the weather guy is right!

Race season will be upon us soon and these pre-race training are very valuable.

2012-2013 race schedule

December 1 - Montana creek prelim #1
December 2 - ADMA prelim #1 (Fairbanks)
December 8 - Montana creek prelim #2
December 15 - Montana creek prelim #3
December 16 - ADMA prelim #2
December 22 - Montana creek prelim #4
December 29 & 30 - Montana creek championship
December 30 -ADMA prelim #3
January 1 - Tudor road bingo ASDRA #1 (Anchorage)
January 5 & 6 - Orville & Doris Lake Memorial race ASDRA #2
January 13 - ADMA prelim #4
January 19 & 20 - SuValley Championship
January 27 - Norma Rasmussen Memorial ASDRA  #3
January 27 - ADMA prelim #5
February 9 & 10 - Exxon Mobil Anchorage
February 15,16 &17 - Raven Electric 10 dog race Anchorage
February 16 & 17 - Gold Run Fairbanks
February 23 & 24 - Chistochina Fun Days
March 1,2 & 3 - World Championships North Pole
March 8,9 &10 -  Limited North American
March 23 & 24 - Tok Race of Champions
Other races with dates TBA
Tanacross and Minto

Racing for Team USA in the World Championships

Exciting news!!!  I have been selected to race for Team USA in the IFSS Word Championships in March.  We are additionally excited for this years wc race because they will be held in North Pole. It will be nice to have our friends and family able to see the action this year.   I will be racing in both the 8 dog and the 4 dog class.  The 4 dog is actually two separate events.  One event will be a pursuit race and the other will be a mass start race.  Mass start means all of the teams will leave the starting line at the same time.  Fun and exciting for sure!!!!  

The IFSS World Championships are hosted by the North Pole Economic Development Corporation.  They start off with the junior division races on February 26, 27 and 28 at North Pole.  The races that I will be competing in will be held March 1, 2 and 3 in North Pole at the Morning Star baseball fields.  I happen to have watched my son, Corey, play many little league games at this very filed.  

It's an honor and a privilege to be racing for Team USA.  We are looking forward to the race and we have been training hard in preparation for it. 

Thank God for this opportunity and challenge that lies ahead of us.  We know that you will be guiding us and watching out ahead of us on the trail. 

Race Updates

The race season started and so far we are doing well.

Orville and Doris Lake Memorial Race in Anchorage on December 31st and January 1st.  I ran in the open class - 12 miles.  I ran 12 dogs on the first day and 10 dogs on the second day.  I hadn't been on the sled yet this season and  5th place on the first day and ended up in 7th overall after day two with a tie in front of me with Nathan Sterling and Mari Hoe-Raitto.  Bill Kornmueler took the top spot with Daryl Hollingsworth in second and Ricky Taylor rounding out the top three spots.  Michael Tetzner from Germany was the fourth place team.  10 teams total in the field and I was happy with the 7th place finish.  After I got home we regrouped and started training again for the next race on the schedule.  Thanks to my dad for driving me down in his truck while mine was in the shop.  And thanks to Brianna for all her help and entertainment along this trip.  She was able to spot two critical things.  First she spotted the start of an abscess on Uno's face.  He got something stuck in his cheek and it was giving him trouble.  I didn't run him the second day and put him on antibiotics.  She also spotted when I didn't lock Oscar's box properly.  I told her that she was getting the handler assistant award and she was very happy.  She asked what the award was and I said we were going to have a fireworks show Saturday night for her.  The whole town helped celebrate her award.  She was so proud and such a good helper.

Montana Creek Championship January 7th & 8th.  8 dog class - 8 miles.  Day 1 I went out bib #6 behind Mari Wood.  Things were going well until Foulton tripped on an inside corner flipped and got his harness and back line between and under his back legs.  I tried to get him untangled without stopping the team.  Then I stopped to see if he could untangle himself.  He wasn't able to.  He was still able to run and I didn't feel that spot was safe to hook down.  We went a little further down the trail where the trail looked more firm and safer to hook down.  I hooked down with both hooks and went up to untangle the dog. The team started to pull both hooks and I got back on the sled. I pulled the left hook and then started pulling the right hook when it dropped out.  We were moving and the hook was flopping around as I was trying to grab it. Thankfully I was able to recover the hook before it hooked in and launched me. When I got back up Foulton was untangled and we were back on our way.  I ended up in 1st place after day one.  Day two there was lots of fresh snow and I was the rabbit for the day.  The dogs did good, but Christian Taveau, from France, got me overall by 1 second.  Evelyn was a close 3rd only 7 seconds behind me. Again I was happy and proud of my dogs.

SuValley Championship January 21st & 22nd. 10 dog - 10 miles. Day 1 was cancelled due to trail conditions.  There were high winds and the trail was blown in.  They were going to work on the trail and make a decision at 6am.  So we packed up our bags at the hotel and headed to Anchorage to at least train the dogs in the good weather and possibly run the Anchorage preliminary race if the second day of SuValley were to get cancelled.  I ran two 5 dog teams at the Tozier Track.  Evelyn, Agnes and Jessie all headed that way as well as Marvin Kokrine.  We all got to run our dogs and headed to the hotel.  I want to send a huge THANK YOU to the Microtel Inn & Suites who took us in with short notice.  We got up at 5:30 and the race was on.  They worked all night and got the trail open and race able.  We loaded up and headed back down to Montana Creek.  Christain Taveau was set to go out bib #1 but his driveway was blown in and he was stuck at home. I ended up going out first.  I had some trouble but nothing major.  The trail soft in some areas and some of my big dogs were pounding hard and falling thru.  A last minute change in the order of the dogs proved to be a wrong move.  The dog that I moved up to swing was having trouble and was holding back most of the race.  I ended up in 3rd overall only 5 seconds behind Egil Ellis. Once again I was happy with my dogs and I got yet another beautiful trophy from the Montana Creek Dog Mushers Association.  Thanks to their club for putting on some great races and being able to pull them off even with the adverse weather conditions. Thank you to Adam Tindall who was a last minute handler for me and driver for my cousin Jessie's dogs.  Congrats to Dori Hollingsworth who pulled off the win in the 10 dog class and to Egil Ellis who took home 2nd place. 

I absolutely love racing and getting time to visit with my family that I don't see that often.  Agnes, Jessie and Evelyn always have me cracking up on these trips.  We all roomed together to save costs.  Silly stories and lots of laughs are a guarantee with these guys.
For example... when we were unloading everything in the room on the first night.
Jessie "did you forget something?"
Agnes "uhh, no"  looks around at all the stuff "I brought everything"
Jessie  holding her hands as to grab a sled handle 
Agnes "what!?!"
Jessie "the sled???"
Agnes "no, I thought Jennifer was bringing one"
All of us laughed so hard. 
Jennifer "well I guess its a good thing that I do have an extra sled" 
Silly girls.  Its like this every time and all the time with them.

Next up will be the Raven Electric 10 dog race in Anchorage and Jessie's baby will be on the way soon too.  Lots of exciting things happening in the month of February. 

Oh and on a side note... Congratulations to Shelley Hosken and Carl Demit on their recent marriage.  They went to Las Vegas last week and made it official on the 20th of January.

And Thanks again to Carl who stayed back to take care of the dogs that were left behind, the puppies and the house. Congrats to Charlie McNeill who won the race in Fairbanks with the dogs that were left behind.  Sounds like he had fun and the dogs did great.  Good job Charlie and Carl!

Puppies, puppies and more puppies!

The crazy weather here in Fairbanks continues on.  It was warm for awhile then the temp drooped to very cold and we were not able to run the dogs. Then we were hit with a heat wave.  From -40 below to 40 above in one week.  Yes, you read that right, an 80 degree difference in a matter of a few days.  Rain and disappearing snow, school closed due to hazardous driving conditions and the dogs getting crazy.   Now the weather has tapered off and has been 10 to 25 above out.  So much warmer for training dogs.  Sometimes when its cold out, training the dogs can be so cold.  My fingers practically freeze off and it hurts more than you can imagine when the blood comes back in your fingers as they thaw out.  Today when we ran dogs I didn't get cold at all in fact my face was warm as we ran thru some hot pockets of air.  Its 7:30 pm and 32.7 degrees above zero.....in the middle of December in Fairbanks, Alaska.

Updates since last post:

Swiper had her puppies on 12/9/11.  5 females and 3 males, 7 of them are white with large black patches just like their dad, Foulton.  One solid black one and none that look like mama.  She is doing very well and is taking good care of them.  She has her own room in the atco that's about 12x9.  They sure are a noisy and active bunch of puppies.  Even when nursing they are wining.  They are constantly moving, way more than Sues group of puppies when they were two days old.  Next will be getting their du claws removed.  We do this when they are about 4 or 5 days old.  It helps prevent injury when they are older.  She surprised us with the delivery because we fed the dogs and she ate all her food.  Right after she ate she went in her house and started delivering puppies.  Typically a female stops eating the day she delivers her puppies, but not Swiper.  She reminds me of her mom, Whitey.  She was a good mom and always ate and drank very good.  Its important for the mother dog to have a good appetite for not only her puppies but especially for her health.  We moved her into the atco and were able to witness the miracle of life as she delivered one of the puppies while we were there.  I'm always amazed at how they just know what to do... and there is lots for her to do.  Shes in full mama mode managing the 8 little ones like a pro.

Sue's puppies are getting big and are still as cute as ever.  We take them all out of the pen to run around and they listen so good.  Smart, friendly and quick all 9 of them.  We will have to sell some puppies because of space and financial limitations but the decision will be hard no doubt.  We started running Sue again yesterday.  Diamond was feeling a little under the weather so we decided to let Shannon use him to lead one of her puppy teams and Sue ran for the first time in lead with him.  She did awesome!  Today was her second day in lead and she was like a pro.  She held the team out when I untangled some team dogs, passed several people walking, passed loose dogs and even passed a plane that was driving down the road to its hanger.  Down the steep hill on to the lake and back up to the road without missing a beat.  So proud of her, I just knew she would be able to do it.

Diego is fully recovered and running with the main team again.  As he is one of the most energetic dogs in the kennel its hard to imagine he just had surgery.  Dogs really are amazing when it comes to things like this.  I was way more bothered by it than he was. 

On Sunday, November 27th we went up to the hills to train, up to Jeff Conn's place.  The weather dropped a little again and we decided to head up where its about 20 degrees warmer.  We watered and loaded the dogs, drove across town to warm up and load our 4 wheeler that was at the Erharts place.  We had to use the space heater to warm it up and doing so must have caused some condensation and in turn water in the tank somewhere. So we loaded the 4 wheeler and headed to higher ground about a 30 min drive away.  We hooked up 16 dogs and then the 4 wheeler decided to not start back up.  Carl pulled and pulled and it just wouldn't start.  We put it in neutral and took off.  There were lots of hills on that trail so our short 6 mile run was quite the work out for both the dogs and Carl.  They pulled up the hills pretty good but when they thought we were tyring to stop them they did.  So Carl would get off the machine and push us up the hill.  He also made several more attempts to pull start the 4 wheeler with no luck. 

The ride home was a little faster.  We cruised down the hills and around the corners.  Cant wait to get on sleds and not have to worry about the 4wheeler that tends to be a PITA from time to time.  Besides I love being out there with the dogs and feeling the power, hearing them breath and feel much more connected with them than when we are on the 4wheeler. 

We drug it down the hill to Craig and Rose Nicholia's place to and went back the next day to retrieve it.  Had a nice visit with Pastor Craig and got to check out their nice house.  I loved to hear about Rose and what a hard worker she is.  She designed the house and built another one some years earlier.  She works for forestry in the summer and the school in the winter.  She also has a nice little recycling area set up in the garage.  I have tried to do the recycling but it seems to all get consolidated anyway.  We have been cooking for the dogs and use a fire to cook so i save all the paper and burnable items and I recycle that way.  I am inspired to do more recycling and she has a nice set up to use as a guide.  Thanks Rose.  Also want to say a big thanks to Craig and Rose for supporting the kennel. 

Thanksgiving

After a long break from training we started back at it on November 23rd.  The weather finally warmed up a little and we were excited to get back out there, and so were they.  Training was going so well up to the point when it got cold and we had to see what the dogs were feeling like for the first run back.  They looked really good, but we took it easy on them.  Still on the 4 wheeler out in the marina.

We ran again on Thanksgiving day.  Beautiful day to get out and enjoy time with the dogs followed up by some excellent food and company at Carrie Erharts place that evening.  Then I danced off all the good food with the xbox kinect just dance. I had so much fun!!! Friday and Saturday I played in the Effie Kokrine Thanksgiving Basketball Tournament.  Even though we were 2 and out I still had lots of fun and some good exercize.  Just another way to help me get back in race shape.  Since I had lots of problems with my eyes this summer and I was put on steroids for almost 3 months straight, I gained some weight and I'm slowly but surely working it off and getting back to my race weight.  I will start p90x this week as soon as I recover from the dancing and basketball tournament.

Crazy weather and Crazy Diego

Record breaking low temps in the interior had halted training for 10 days!!!  Normally I would pack up and head out of town to train where there is better weather.  However the weather in Tok was just as cold as Fairbanks and that wasn't going to work. 

Fortunately the atco was in place and all the fencing done so we moved the dogs home and they were nice and warm in their very own house.  We can let the dogs out to run free in the yard and they love it!  Diego however still has ADD well actually ADHD and he needs more security and monitoring than the other dogs.  He escaped a few times but digging under the fence and squeezing out.  Even though there is plenty of room to run he is constantly looking for a way to get out, then doesn't go anywhere.  So we attached a leash to his drop chain.  At the end of the leash we hooked a pan that was on top of the atco, i think an exhaust stack cover.  Anyway he drug that around the yard and still ended up making his way out with that pan attached. So we upgraded him to a small tire.  He went round and round with that, but just wasn't able to get as much exercise.  So we downsized a little and used an empty water jug.  Now he drags the jug around and is very skilled at getting unstuck from just about anything and (knock on wood) hasn't gotten out of the fence.  It also works as a means of keeping the other dogs out of trouble.  Diego runs round and round taking out anything and everything in his path. So all the other dogs are forced to be heads up and they thing that the water jug is going to get them if the misbehave. Its been comical to watch and a useful tool for more than one dog. You would never think he had surgery at all.  He runs around the yard more than any other dog and looks awesome.  He has run a few times since his surgery and is doing well.  He uses a coat to help protect the area on his tummy that was shaved for surgery and his incision looks very good.  So glad we didn't take any chances and had the rock removed right away.  Glad to have our little ADHD dog back running around the yard (along with his bucket) and keeping me on my toes.

Race Calendars

Last night I was looking at the web sites of different mushing clubs race schedules.  I was writing down the dates and started getting the butterflies.  It's so exciting just thinking about it.  We are getting snow here in Fairbanks, not lots, but more than years past.  So that means the local preliminary races here should be a go.  Filling up the calendar with the potential races, the mileages etc and I can't believe it's almost that time.  Would be nice to get on the sled soon.  The past 3 years my first run on sled has been on Christmas day at my parents place. Hope I get my annual Christmas present a little early this year.

We are still training on the 4 wheeler and running a 14 dog string.  All the dogs are looking good and we have them running in some really good pairs.  One of our young leaders, Jackie, has been doing such a great job up there.  We gave her a rest and ran some other dogs in front on our last run.  We used good ole Oscar and one of our new dogs, Red, in lead.  Red did great.  He was running in swing but we moved him back to wheel because he wanted to argue and get tough with the dog next to him.  In wheel we were closer to the problem and could get his attention better when he was doing wrong.  In a 14 dog string the swing dogs (the ones that run behind lead)  are so far away that when you yell at the dog to stop, he can barely hear you.  So he ran in wheel for several runs.  He ran next to Moose and he didn't put up with Red's attitude. The one thing that we both noticed though was that Red's line was tight every run.  He was never distracted by any traffic, loose dogs, people etc on the runs.  It was just his "short mans" syndrome that kicked in at the start of the run.  We figured that we would try him with Oscar because he is a dominant male and strong.  So he wouldn't take any crap from Red and would be able to pull him where we wanted them to go.  Jerry has been helping us and knows the frustrations we have had with Red. So when we put him in lead Jerry said "what possessed you to do that?" We said "just watch, you'll see"  sure enough he did a great job.  Looks like we have one more leader in the group.  You can never have enough leaders that's for sure. 

Puppies and surgery

This fall Carl and I bought a dog that we both really liked and had been watching for some time.  We were training her and she was doing great.  We started to notice that she was getting a little heavy.  We kept or eye on her and sure enough it became apparent to us that she was in fact pregnant.  So we prepared a pen for her and got things ready for puppies.  Since we had no idea that she was pregnant we didn't know her due date either. Sue was quick to learn how to be loose outside and adapted quickly to bring inside the house.  Vinyl, hardwood floors and stairs were never a fear of hers not typical of outside dogs.  Finally on 10/25/11 she had 11 puppies. They were all pretty small but one was about half the size as the others. She pushed it away during the night.  When a mother senses something wrong with a puppy its not uncommon for them to do something like this.  Still 10 puppies were plenty for her to take care of. 

The kids have been enjoying the puppies and the little ones are learning lots about the miracle of life.  We have been feeding ma ma dog lots of food and supplements to help keep both her and her puppies healthy.  Much like people the babies take so much out of the mother and its critical for her to be healthy. 

So Sue had her puppies on Tuesday the 25th. Then Diego one of our main leaders ate a rock and had to have surgery on Thursday.  A busy week for us and lots of dogs in the house staying warm and recovering.  Diego has a cone around his neck so he doesn't bother the wound on his belly.  He suffers from ADD or ADHD and insists on sniffing everything with the cone on his neck.  Looks like he is healing well and he is full of energy but he will be off for 3 weeks before he can start back exercising again.  I'm so glad that we discovered it quickly.  The vet said that he would not have passed it and it could have been fatal.  When I took him in i didn't care how much it would cost, i just wanted them to get it out.  Now I am the proud owner of a $750.00 rock and blessed that I still have my beloved Diego here. 

Waiting for the right opprotunity

I've been looking and looking for a building for the doggie barn.  Checking everyday on Craigs list and other places for a shed, barn, garage, trailer or something that can be converted or remodeled into a doggie barn for the hounds.  The reason for the barn is because in the winter it can get pretty cold here in Fairbanks and this would be a way to comfortably house the dogs out of the weather. They are a hound cross and some have fairly short hair.  Most can live in the house and are house trained, but it would be better for both the dogs and the kids for them to have their own space. 

Well after weeks and weeks of searching and patience, I found two atcos that will be perfect for the dogs. My uncle will be able to move the trailers to our place next weekend.  It has 3 bedrooms, 1 bathroom a kitchen and living room.  It has a heater as well as an area to put a wood stove.  Just need to keep my eye out for a wood stove for a back up heat source.  There is enough room to properly store the equipment such as sleds and runners, harnesses and lines.  Its wired so we can even wax the runners right in the unit as well.  I could have imagined a more perfect place for the dogs and a more perfect guy than my uncle Al Probert to move it for us. 

I want to thank my dad for taking the time to help check out the atcos and to my uncle Al in advance for him moving the units to my place.  And to Curtis and Shannon for lending us the bobcat to prepare things for the trailers. Wish us luck on the big project next weekend. 

In the mean time we placed the posts for the fenced in yard, expanded the drive way for the atcos to make it in, moved the dog box to the new trailer and continue to train the dogs and do the daily chores.  Fun Fun!  and snow is right around the corner.  Little bits of snow falling today. Nothing big, but just a glimpse of whats to come soon.  It hailed last week another sure sign that it will be here for good in no time. 

First training run!!

On a nice cool, muddy Saturday afternoon we hopped on the 4wheeler for the first time this season.  I can't explain the feeling of the wind in your hair, the sand in your teeth and the mud all over your face as you fly around the neighborhood out in the Chena Marina.  We hooked up two 9 dog teams and one 10  dog team and had a blast.  I'm not sure who had more fun, the people or the dogs, or who slept better. It's always fun to see the expression on peoples faces as we pass them while walking or driving their cars.  We came up on two young guys as they were walking.  Looked like college students from out of town.  They were quite surprised and impressed as the team went around and past them without hesitation.  Big smiles on their faces and wide eyed as we yelled "on by" to the team and not even one dog looked at them.  The dogs were running thru and around puddles, water splashing every where, as we talk about how this will prepare them for some of the spring races, always thinking ahead.

The dogs looked great and were all back in the groove.  Just like a well oiled machine they all went past the cars and loose dogs without trouble at all.  The cook pot on the other hand was more like a slow cooker and we ended up using a space heater to finish it off, but it got done.  We fed and bedded the dogs down for a good nights sleep.  Can't wait to do it again!

Blog facelift

Check out the new look to the blog!!!!  In addition to the new look we've got a new email address  prodogkennel@gmail.com and the kennel will be on face book soon.  Will keep you all posted with updates as we start to train and make improvements to the kennel. 

Hope you all like the new look.  Comments and suggestions are always welcome.

Kennel preperations

We are busy working on preparing the kennel for a move and for the winter. Currently the dogs are at Curtis and Shannon Erhart's place but we will be moving the dogs to our place soon. We got all of our straw from the University of AK Fairbanks and Carl built a shed to protect the straw from rain and snow. Next on the list is fencing in the yard and a dogie barn for the hound dogs. Then we will be able to move the dogs up here and start training.

Getting geared up

Its that time of year when the nights are getting darker and cooler. The dogs are getting restless and the people are getting excited. The leaves are starting to turn color... the season is changing. Training season is right around the corner. The kids will be back in school and we will start running the dogs. Looking forward to days of training and hard work followed by a home cooked meal with conversation about the dogs.

We have been working on a trailer for the dog box and its coming along nicely. Getting everything ready for safe and comfortable traveling for both the dogs and the driver this year. Lots of changes and updates to the kennel dynamics this year and I'm more than excited to see what this year has in store for us.

Keep posted for details and pictures on the New and Improved Kennel.

How it all started...

This is a picture of me and my dog Bob Tail in 1979 racing in the 1 dog class in Tok. He was my favorite dog. He was super cool and super fast! He was a naturally bob tailed dog. He ran in my dad's team and in his Sr. years he ran for me. Check out my scarf flying in the wind.

The next picture is of me any my mom with Bob Tail (on the left) and Old Blue (on the right). Her name was Blue until we got another, younger dog, named Blue. Then she became Old Blue. She was responsible for knocking out a few of my baby teeth when we crashed on a sharp corner.

Exxon Mobil Championships ~ February 6 & 7, 2010

What a weekend. The Exxon race has a 4 dog, 6 dog, 8 dog and open class. All of the limited classes are run with 1 min intervals and open with 2 min intervals. Often the 6 and 8 dog classes are 2 min intervals so the 1 min adds excitement and stress to the weekend. Since the day is packed they have limited time between classes. 20 mins after the last 4 dog teams goes out is the start of the 6 dog race. 30 mins after the last 6 dog team goes out is the start of the 8 dog. So depending on where you draw and how fast your team is this could be really really stressful and possibly impossible. I drew #2 in both the 6 dog and 8 dog. We were going a longer distance and it was really warm, snowing and blowing so not sure how long it would take on a day like this, but we made it. I was in high adrenalin mode from the start till the finish.

Exxon and ASDRA put on a great event! Not only did they sponsor the race by offering an excellent purse that we were racing for but they also had a tent on Saturday and gave away free food and drinks to everyone! They also gave away hats, posters and pins to all of the mushers and spectators. Thank you to Exxon and I am looking forward to running this race again next year.

Once again the 8 dog team did great! We finished 1st amongst some really great teams. The 6 dog team was primarily young dogs and leaders that are still learning. I'm proud of their performance they were racing in a very competitive field and held their own. All of this will be worth it in the future. Racing on the Anchorage trails is a great experience for dogs. There are several obstacles on the trail. Culverts to go thru, bridges to cross, road crossings, under overpasses, allot of spectators and often loose dogs and moose on the trail. Always fun and exciting racing in Anchorage!

	6 Dog - 8 miles
1	Christian Taveau	6/6	26:17	26:26	52:43
2	Jennifer Sterling	6/6	27:23	26:25	53:48
3	Bev Stevens	6/6	28:29	25:39	54:08
4	Kris Rasey	6/5	27:40	26:54	54:34
5	Jennifer Probert	6/6	28:14	27:36	55:50
6	Forrest Seibold	6/6	30:00	27:46	57:46
7	Melissa Ghosh	6/6	29:28	28:36	58:04
8	Susan Anderson	6/6	33:05	27:32	1:00:37
9	Rick Cavens	6/6	33:22	30:26	1:03:48
10	Ryan Reddington	6/6	35:40	32:06	1:07:46
11	James Castro	6/6	34:13	34:53	1:09:06
12	Ron Adler	6/6	50:00	46:33	1:36:33
	8 Dog - 10 miles
1	Jennifer Probert	8/8	0:30:55	29:21	1:00:16
2	Greg Sellentin	8/8	0:31:02	30:05	1:01:07
3	Helen Lundburg	8/8	0:31:15	30:23	1:01:38
4	Christian Taveau	8/7	0:30:42	31:06	1:01:48
5	Micheal Tetzner	8/8	0:31:25	30:45	1:02:10
6	Amanda Byrd	8/8	0:31:54	31:01	1:02:55
7	Wendy Callis	8/8	0:32:15	31:16	1:03:31
8	Jennifer Sterling	8/8	0:32:40	30:52	1:03:32
9	Kathie Barnhart	8/8	0:32:52	31:10	1:04:02
10	Mari Hoe-Raitto	8/8	0:33:03	31:47	1:04:50
11	Eveyln Beeter	8/8	0:34:29	32:32	1:07:01
12	Hillary Schwafel	8/8	0:35:28	34:07	1:09:35
13	Gail Hoekman	8/8	0:36:42	34:58	1:11:40
	Brenda Burge	8/	0:33:49	scratch
	Ken Chezik	8/	0:36:11	scratch

Norma Rasmussen Memorial Race ~ January 31, 2010

Here are the race results from the Norma Rasmussen Memorial Race held on January 31st in Anchorage, AK at the Tozier Track on Tudor Road. Thanks to John and Bunny who donated half the prize money out of their own pocket for us!

The main team did great in the 8 dog class, we ended up in 1st place. Things were clicking well but some minor adjustments can be made before the next race, the Exxon. This makes two weekends in a row the 8 dog team takes 1st place.

The 6 dog team, which is comprised of dogs that are yearlings, dogs that are 1 year old, and dogs that are recovering from some type of injury did well. We were moving right along and had already made 2 passes. We were on the home stretch about 2 miles out and had the next team in sight. It was perfect timing for getting a chase into the finish where they might get a little tired. One of the young dogs in wheel tried to dip and it didn't go so well. Often when a dog dips they reach out and take a bite of snow from the side bank and come back to join the team. This is something that we don't want the dogs to do, they slow the momentum of the team as well as risk getting tangled. So this young dog dipped and did a terrible job. She stuck her head way out and ended up tripping and tumbling. A huge mess for one little dip. Some how her harness got stuck in the neckline snap of the other dog in wheel. I had to hook down, run up and untangle. Not a quick untangle with the harness stuck and lines twisted around legs. It was crazy how tangled things were. We got untangled and back on our way, but the team that we were chasing was out of site. Not sure how much time we lost on this. I am totally confident that this was a top 3 team. But that's how it goes with a dog race, any thing can happen to any one out there.

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IMG_3117 Jennifer PrTrail good--temperature 20 F

3-dog Recreational class - 4 miles		Dogs	Time
1	Brian Bearss*	4	20:23
	4 Dog - 4 miles
1	Jen Sterling	4	10:52
2	Kim Wells	4	11:05
3	Kathy Barnhart	4	11:17
4	Evelyn Beeter	4	11:41
5	Debora Summers	4	12:17
6	Steve Cole	4	12:20
7	Fran Pekar	4	12:47
8	Debra Baines	4	12:51
9	Yvette O'Connors*	4	20:54
	6 Dog - 6 miles
1	Susan Anderson	6	17:35
2	Jen Sterling	6	17:44
3	Rick Cavens	6	18:40
4	Susan Cantor	6	18:52
5	Jennifer Probert	6	18:54
6	Debra Summers	6	19:43
7	Lois Rockcastle	6	23:28
8	Melissa Ghosh	6	25:39
9	Denise Saigh	6	27:09
10	Ron Adler	6	27:36
11	Kitty Wellman	6	29:11
	8 Dog - 8 miles
1	Jennifer Probert	8	23:11
2	Bev Stevens	7	23:26
3	Norman Hayashi	8	24:02
4	Brenda Burge	8	24:04
5	Jen Sterling	8	24:09
6	Evelyn Beeter	8	27:11
7	Kathy Barnhart	7	28:24

*Due to a fence down two mushers went 6 miles.