We have decided to withdraw Aliy and the Red Team from the YQ300. While there are quite a few canine athletes (and one musher) who are spunky and ready for the event, we have determined that this particular dog team would need to compete at a slower pace than the last few years. This would be fine as far as race experience for the dogs, but it would cause a major scheduling dilemma: Aliy would not finish the YQ300 quick enough to jump in the dog truck and drive the 20+ hour journey to Dawson in order to set up Dawson Dog Camp and greet the Black Team. Since all of us at SP Kennel have been extremely excited to race an incredibly talented and competitive Black Team in the 1,000 Mile Yukon Quest for the last 347 days… if you include today, priorities are set. Aliy will stay in Two Rivers during the “American side” of the Yukon Quest and simulate the mileage of a YQ300 with the Red Team, but will be ready to jump in the truck when the SPK Crew returns from Circle.
Thank you to everyone who Geared Up The Dogs for the Yukon Quest 300.
Lisa Barricella, Marilyn Cozzens, Dorothy Filley, Suzanne and Brown Clodfelter, Dawn Beckwell, Nancy Diersen, Cindi Perdue, Cutter Toth, Molly Swenson, Waylon and Torch Cornforth.
We will be contacting each of you individually about what you would like done with your contribution. There are more races to support!
I luv your sense of teamwork and concern for all, people and dogs at SPKennels. I am really looking forward for the Black Team at the YQ1000!
Sorry to hear about the withdrawal Aliy. We’ll double our cheering effort for Allen and his great team. Go Black team!!
I totally can see your situation and having driven the total road during the summer
of 2016 it is a long way around and the only way. Of course, I love to see you race
Aliy but understand. Iditarod is just around the corner and I will be cheering Allen
all the way!! Go SPK!
Darn the logistics of trying to run two teams!
Hats off the the musher who is still spunky enough to run the team the 300 miles near home, even though it won’t be “racing.”
I hope all your “drop bags” are right at SPK, where you’ll need them.
Stay happy and healthy.
We’ll all focus on the Black Team’s tracker.
Frankly, this is the best thing for setting up… a magnificent two-team assault on the…IDITAROD just a bit more than a month from now!!!
GO BLACK TEAM for the win in the YQ1000!!!
GO READ TEAM for your own personal YQ300 – such a cool plan.
And the doggies will enjoy a YQ300 of their very own!!! (Please take some video if possible).
Good teamwork! But go Allen and SPK dogs!
Aliy Best of Luck in Your Road Time to Meet Allen the Black Team,I know it was hard for you not to run the YQ 300 this year
but we stand by your wise decide not to . We Love all you do for the Mushing Public and the way it’s always Dogs First’
Looking Forward to Meeting You and Allen Next Thursday Night and Allen I Really Like keeping up with you in the Past Yukon Quest.
Aily have fun and rest when you can . Looking forward to the Iditarod just around the corner.
The only constant in life is change, I reckon. It reminds me that life has a way of making its own course, despite our plans, and we best flow in the new channel than push against it to go the way we had intended.
Whatever the reason, I appreciate the flexibility I see in the SPK approach. There are several youngsters in the yard – more than I remember in past years. Hopefully the several youngsters ready for 1000 miles will be able to make that long journey with Allen in March.
Can’t blame you there…..it was the right decision to make! Ditto to all the comments above, the Black Team will have our FULL attention during the race…..go Allen and the Black Team!!!
Aliy, I am sure that it is tough to sit this one out, but your dogs first attitude is the right thing to do. You know your teams better than anyone . Go Black Team. We will see you in first place at the finish line.
Have to admit, it will be weird only watching one tracker on the Quest page. It amazes me still, that you know your dogs and run-rest schedules to the minute, and what will work best for everyone involved. Enjoy your personal 300 Aliy and GO ALLEN GO!
Good Dawgs!
I can’t wait to see Allen and the Black Team race, but I am sorry to hear about Aliy and the Red Team’s withdrawal.
I am looking forward to watching both teams in the Iditarod, which is just around the corner!
GO SPK!!
Aliy and Allen having such thorough and complete knowledge their dogs and how to run them within their capabilities is why I follow SPK. Sure it’s a minor disappointment not have 2 teams to follow during the YQ. But look at it this way, now the fans only have Allen’s tracker to super zoom in on and telepathically “push” up and over the steep elevations of Rosebud and Eagle summits. Our mental energy will be super concentrated to ensure they just trot right on up and over. Everyone who follows the kennel knows how challenging the “road race” for the handlers can be. Plan out a great local 300 mile training run and then get a cozy camp ready to greet the Black Team in Dawson City. Go Allen! Go Dogs!
Yes, as Linda said, plans change. What you plan doesn’t always work out. I hope Aliy can take one or two pictures/videos of the dogs on their 300 mile journey.
Go Black team. I’m ready to watch the tracker. So exciting!
Watching any SPK team in any race is exciting. Watching Allen for the entire Quest is going to be fun – a change. All of the computer time devoted to one team. Although, Aliy, I will miss watching you race, you have to do what’s best for everyone – dogs and people – and the logistics involved in such vast undertakings. Ditto to all the thoughts above. GO SPK – I will be cheering you on.