Iditarod 50
March 5, 2022 4:13 PM Subscribe
The ceremonial start of the 50th edition of the Iditarod sled dog race took place in Anchorage, Alaska on 5 March 2022. The race proper will start from Willow on Sunday 6 March. Forty nine mushers and their dogs will race 1049 miles through arctic wilderness and the Alaskan interior before skirting the edge of the Bering Sea and finishing in Nome to commemorate of the 1925 Serum Run.
Climate change, covid and hungry, angry and aggressive moose are challenges facing this year's race.
Among the mushers racing this year:
Reigning champion Dallas Seavey is competing to become the Iditarod’s winningest musher before he takes a break from the race.
Mille Porsild has burst on to the scene in the Iditarod. Rookie of the year in 2020 and then a top 5 finish in 2021 and the winner of the prestigious Humanitarian Award.
Four time winner Jeff King wasn't planning to run this year but when Nic Petit called him on 1 March to say he had to drop out of the race due to a covid diagnosis, King jumped in to take the Frenchman's team to Nome. King's own dogs are racing with Amanda Otto who is running her first Iditarod.
Apayauq Reitan, who has been mushing since she was four years old, is one of four Alaska Native mushers in this year's Iditarod. She is the first openly trans woman to compete in Iditarod [Guardian link - article is not transphobic]. It’s the third consecutive year in which a transgender athlete has competed in the Iditarod.
Martin Buser is competing in his 39th Iditarod, having finished the race all 38 times he has competed since 1980.
Lisbet Norris continues her quest to show that siberian huskies can race long distance just as well as the alaskan huskies.
Of course the real superstars run on four legs.
Iditarod previously on Mefi.
Among the mushers racing this year:
Reigning champion Dallas Seavey is competing to become the Iditarod’s winningest musher before he takes a break from the race.
Mille Porsild has burst on to the scene in the Iditarod. Rookie of the year in 2020 and then a top 5 finish in 2021 and the winner of the prestigious Humanitarian Award.
Four time winner Jeff King wasn't planning to run this year but when Nic Petit called him on 1 March to say he had to drop out of the race due to a covid diagnosis, King jumped in to take the Frenchman's team to Nome. King's own dogs are racing with Amanda Otto who is running her first Iditarod.
Apayauq Reitan, who has been mushing since she was four years old, is one of four Alaska Native mushers in this year's Iditarod. She is the first openly trans woman to compete in Iditarod [Guardian link - article is not transphobic]. It’s the third consecutive year in which a transgender athlete has competed in the Iditarod.
Martin Buser is competing in his 39th Iditarod, having finished the race all 38 times he has competed since 1980.
Lisbet Norris continues her quest to show that siberian huskies can race long distance just as well as the alaskan huskies.
Of course the real superstars run on four legs.
Iditarod previously on Mefi.
And lets not forget the 4th annual #igivearod, a fundraising effort by the #uglydogs (fans of mushers Blair Braverman and Quince Mountain, and others) that aims to support rural school kids and native causes and arts along the trail. While the main page for this year isn't yet available, the Donor's Choose is up and worth a look.
posted by jburka at 1:04 PM on March 6, 2022 [4 favorites]
posted by jburka at 1:04 PM on March 6, 2022 [4 favorites]
Of course the real superstars run on four legs.
Some of these dogs are definitely related, lol.
posted by rebent at 2:07 PM on March 6, 2022
Some of these dogs are definitely related, lol.
posted by rebent at 2:07 PM on March 6, 2022
I'm ashamed that I'm ashamed to mention this, but I feel compelled to bring up the darkness of the Iditarod. I'm an epidemiologist, and at risk of being too self-identifying I'm a specialist in the infectious disease sub-field that got the race on its feet in that first serum run. Which means I got invited to do some cerremonial stuff a long time ago and, god alighty, I left horrified. I get invited to a lot of things like this, events where people are so used to the routine that there's not much thought given to how it might look to an eye trained in scrutiny about compliance with veterinary medicine. Sometimes there's so much shock or surprise when I raise an eyebrow that I've learned it's better for me to simply decline to attend rather than be seen as a critical, ungrateful guest. So be it.
I'm not going to link anything. You can find it, but if you don't want to find it know that it exists.
I don't have any expectations of what happens by bringing this up, other than to ask that anytime there's an inspiring story about a sport or competition that uses draft animals to give equal (or unequal, but real) airtime to the critiques that have already been assembled. God knows there will be plenty. Even today I noticed in my inbox this bulletin from the FDA that a horse trainer has been sentenced in a case about doping horses to overperform in races.
THere's no connection between that dude and the people in the Iditarod. I grant that. What the two have in common is the focus on the human experience, and the lack of emphasis on the animals' experiences. That FDA thing doesn't even say the word "horse," for instance. You have to look elsewhere for information on the substance of his crime, on the horse who died under his care, while in training for competition.
I'll leave it at that. Sorry for being a wet towel, but happy to get these things off my chest when they come up.
posted by late afternoon dreaming hotel at 10:45 AM on March 8, 2022
I'm not going to link anything. You can find it, but if you don't want to find it know that it exists.
I don't have any expectations of what happens by bringing this up, other than to ask that anytime there's an inspiring story about a sport or competition that uses draft animals to give equal (or unequal, but real) airtime to the critiques that have already been assembled. God knows there will be plenty. Even today I noticed in my inbox this bulletin from the FDA that a horse trainer has been sentenced in a case about doping horses to overperform in races.
THere's no connection between that dude and the people in the Iditarod. I grant that. What the two have in common is the focus on the human experience, and the lack of emphasis on the animals' experiences. That FDA thing doesn't even say the word "horse," for instance. You have to look elsewhere for information on the substance of his crime, on the horse who died under his care, while in training for competition.
I'll leave it at that. Sorry for being a wet towel, but happy to get these things off my chest when they come up.
posted by late afternoon dreaming hotel at 10:45 AM on March 8, 2022
I guess I'd like to know more specifically what you're getting at, late afternoon dreaming hotel.
I don't know much about the Iditarod except for the broad strokes, and have only followed it a few times as a result of the Blair Braverman / team #uglydogs thing on Twitter. She, at least, appears to genuinely care about her animals, and they seem to enjoy doing their thing and hauling ass down the trail.
I am normally very skeptical of animal sports of any kind, but I had hoped that the modern Iditarod was something of an exceptional case. On paper, the rules (IIRC) specify that any negligence leading to injury of a dog is an automatic disqualification, and the sleds have the ability to haul at least 1 injured or non-running dog, plus there's the ability to drop dogs mid-race if they aren't into it. (I think Braverman talked about dropping several dogs during her last Iditarod, because they just didn't seem to be enjoying themselves and didn't want to run, and this is pretty normal—they have far more dogs than are strictly necessary to pull the sled.)
I have concerns about any activity that encourages the addition of more dogs to the world, given that we have a surplus already, and I'd like a lot more transparency about what happens to older/retired dogs on all the participating teams, but it seems on its face like it's a much more benign activity than, say, the Westminster Dog Show.
posted by Kadin2048 at 11:16 AM on March 8, 2022 [1 favorite]
I don't know much about the Iditarod except for the broad strokes, and have only followed it a few times as a result of the Blair Braverman / team #uglydogs thing on Twitter. She, at least, appears to genuinely care about her animals, and they seem to enjoy doing their thing and hauling ass down the trail.
I am normally very skeptical of animal sports of any kind, but I had hoped that the modern Iditarod was something of an exceptional case. On paper, the rules (IIRC) specify that any negligence leading to injury of a dog is an automatic disqualification, and the sleds have the ability to haul at least 1 injured or non-running dog, plus there's the ability to drop dogs mid-race if they aren't into it. (I think Braverman talked about dropping several dogs during her last Iditarod, because they just didn't seem to be enjoying themselves and didn't want to run, and this is pretty normal—they have far more dogs than are strictly necessary to pull the sled.)
I have concerns about any activity that encourages the addition of more dogs to the world, given that we have a surplus already, and I'd like a lot more transparency about what happens to older/retired dogs on all the participating teams, but it seems on its face like it's a much more benign activity than, say, the Westminster Dog Show.
posted by Kadin2048 at 11:16 AM on March 8, 2022 [1 favorite]
It's my understanding that animal safety has become a much stronger element of the race than it was in the past. Still not perfectly safe, given what they're doing, but there are a lot more controls than there used to be.
posted by suelac at 1:09 PM on March 8, 2022
posted by suelac at 1:09 PM on March 8, 2022
I'd like a lot more transparency about what happens to older/retired dogs on all the participating teams
Many, perhaps even most, mushers keep their older / retired dogs around. Firstly because they love them and have long established relationships with them. In addition the older dogs naturally train younger dogs and and the best dog kennels are intergenerational ecosystems.
I feel compelled to bring up the darkness of the Iditarod
I know the content you allude to, I have seen it and I chose not to include it in the post but it's perfectly valid for you to bring it up. Some years ago I worked with sled dogs in a tourism context. I worked in a company with high ethical standards and I'm aware that not all companies have such high standards (although things are constantly improving).
So yes, while certainly parts of the industry have issues , I find suggestions that elite mushers have anything less than than the most meticulous standards of dog care preposterous. There's not a lot of fame or fortune in mushing and most people who do it, including or perhaps especially at the elite level, are driven by love for their dogs. Pretty much the definition of an elite musher is someone who rearranges their life so they can spend as much time as possible alone in the wilderness with their dogs. Read, for example, Winterdance by Gary Paulson and how he speaks about sleeping with his dogs every night to grow their bond before the race.
The strongest mushers have the strongest dogs - no one is going to win Iditarod unless their team is happy, healthy and in peak condition. In fact one would struggle of finish, or even qualify for the race without impeccable dog care. Dallas Seavey, current reigning champion, has revolutionised the sport by centring his dog's health and welfare. His whole race strategy is focussed on maximising rest and recuperation for his dogs. See this video on what Iditarod means by giving a purpose to his life with dogs and his lifetime relationship with the dogs and this video on his thoughts on dog team health as they ran the last 40 miles of Iditarod 2021.
posted by roolya_boolya at 2:47 PM on March 8, 2022 [2 favorites]
Many, perhaps even most, mushers keep their older / retired dogs around. Firstly because they love them and have long established relationships with them. In addition the older dogs naturally train younger dogs and and the best dog kennels are intergenerational ecosystems.
I feel compelled to bring up the darkness of the Iditarod
I know the content you allude to, I have seen it and I chose not to include it in the post but it's perfectly valid for you to bring it up. Some years ago I worked with sled dogs in a tourism context. I worked in a company with high ethical standards and I'm aware that not all companies have such high standards (although things are constantly improving).
So yes, while certainly parts of the industry have issues , I find suggestions that elite mushers have anything less than than the most meticulous standards of dog care preposterous. There's not a lot of fame or fortune in mushing and most people who do it, including or perhaps especially at the elite level, are driven by love for their dogs. Pretty much the definition of an elite musher is someone who rearranges their life so they can spend as much time as possible alone in the wilderness with their dogs. Read, for example, Winterdance by Gary Paulson and how he speaks about sleeping with his dogs every night to grow their bond before the race.
The strongest mushers have the strongest dogs - no one is going to win Iditarod unless their team is happy, healthy and in peak condition. In fact one would struggle of finish, or even qualify for the race without impeccable dog care. Dallas Seavey, current reigning champion, has revolutionised the sport by centring his dog's health and welfare. His whole race strategy is focussed on maximising rest and recuperation for his dogs. See this video on what Iditarod means by giving a purpose to his life with dogs and his lifetime relationship with the dogs and this video on his thoughts on dog team health as they ran the last 40 miles of Iditarod 2021.
posted by roolya_boolya at 2:47 PM on March 8, 2022 [2 favorites]
Brent Sass holds off Dallas Seavey to seize his first Iditarod victory
The 42-year-old, originally from Minnesota, had 11 dogs in harness when he crossed under the burled arch to cheers, whoops and whistles from the spectators lining the finish chute under a still-dark sky.
“It’s awesome,” Sass said when asked about his first win. “It’s a dream come true.”
He fed his dogs snacks and petted and congratulated them. He said he was “super, super, super proud” of his team: “It’s all on them. They did an excellent job the whole race.”
“Every one of these dogs I’ve raised from puppies, and we’ve been working towards this goal the whole time, and we’re here,” he said, his voice cracking. “It’s crazy.”
His leaders, Slater and Morello, come from litters named for characters from the 1993 Richard Linklater film “Dazed and Confused” and the Netflix show “Orange is the New Black,” respectively.
posted by roolya_boolya at 2:28 PM on March 15, 2022 [1 favorite]
The 42-year-old, originally from Minnesota, had 11 dogs in harness when he crossed under the burled arch to cheers, whoops and whistles from the spectators lining the finish chute under a still-dark sky.
“It’s awesome,” Sass said when asked about his first win. “It’s a dream come true.”
He fed his dogs snacks and petted and congratulated them. He said he was “super, super, super proud” of his team: “It’s all on them. They did an excellent job the whole race.”
“Every one of these dogs I’ve raised from puppies, and we’ve been working towards this goal the whole time, and we’re here,” he said, his voice cracking. “It’s crazy.”
His leaders, Slater and Morello, come from litters named for characters from the 1993 Richard Linklater film “Dazed and Confused” and the Netflix show “Orange is the New Black,” respectively.
posted by roolya_boolya at 2:28 PM on March 15, 2022 [1 favorite]
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posted by acantha at 4:28 PM on March 5, 2022 [2 favorites]