Wow! What a night that turned out to be.
We are so proud of Aliy who was awarded the Leonhard Seppala Humanitarian Award for outstanding dog care. This is voted on by vets down the trail and from the scores tabulated at the post-race vet checks. This is the fourth time Aliy as won this award and it comes right of the back of Allen winning the vet choice award in the Yukon Quest. We always strive to be a “dog first” kennel and our reward is happy, healthy dogs, but to have it be noticed and appreciated by others, especially the vet teams, is truly an honor.
The evening was a great celebration of this year’s race. The overall word for the evening was “challenge”. In fact one table made a game out of it, they would take a sip every time someone said “blow hole”, “drift”, “break trail” and a few other key phrases. They enjoyed their evening!
Each musher that came up had stories to tell and people to thank. It is the best part of the evening as they speak about the comraderie with other mushers, especially during the many storms, about the fun and the personal challenges that were overcome. Someone mentioned the saying “there’s no traffic jam on the extra mile” which I thought was appropriate for all the mushers.
Aliy thanked all the villages for allowing the race to come through their land and mushers voted Shaktoolik for the Golden Clipboard award for best checkpoint. Despite many mushers saying the trail to Shaktoolik was horrible, they thought the checkpoint itself was a haven.
Congratulations to the other special prize winners, all the finishers and all the mushers and teams that, although didn’t make it as far as they had hoped, are still winners. You will find a full list of prize winners on the Iditarod website and Insiders can rewatch the live stream. Julien was there to take some pictures also so keep an eye out for them on the Iditarod Facebook page.
We learned some proper pronunciation of our new champion’s name from Lars Monson – he said if you just say “you’re awesome” that will do!
DOG UPDATE
All Allen’s dogs are now off the trail and back in Two Rivers! They arrived back from Unalakleet this afternoon, after being weathered in for a while. Jeff drove them home to the kennel and they were happy to be home.
We ship Aliy’s dogs tomorrow from Nome and they will make the road trip north tomorrow afternoon. Thanks to all the volunteers and vets who have cared for our dogs along the trail, from HQ in Anchorage, all the checkpoints along the way and the wonderful Nome Dog Lot volunteers.
While there might not be any money associated with Aliy’s award, and even if there is, this is the award of a true champion in this sport. It once again proves that SPK doesn’t just espouse to put dogs first, they absolutely put dogs first and, over and over again, prove it and are recognized for it. Congratulations is a simple, perhaps over-used word, but it’s all I have to convey my heartfelt admiration in the fact that you have now both been honored with this. The Straw Ladies are so proud of you! Much love!
Congratulations Aliy for those wonderful prizes! 😃 You definitely deserved to win the Leonhard Seppala Humanitarian Award for taking superb care of your doggies! 🐕🐕
You are an amazing musher!
Congratulations Aliy!!! 😀
We were so excited to see Aliy once again get the award for outstanding dog care! Fourth time….wow! Extra special that both 1,000 mile races recognized SPK for best dog care…that is quite the statement! Love seeing the dogs on their trek home….they ALL done good!
Thanks ever so much for letting us know about the condition of the Black Team in pictures.
On another note – AWESOME!!! The award that means the most to me, dog care, to RED TEAM leader – who puts as does the Black Team leader, their 4-legged teammates first and foremost in the game plan.
So proud of you.
I was watching live when Aliy got the Humanitarian Award–So Proud! That’s what SP Kennel
is noted for is dogs first! Great job in such a tough race on the trail this year!
So happy to see that the Black Team is in Jeff’s hands today. I know that they are well taken
care of in the checkpoints but they know Jeff and glad to be home with there kennel friends.
Good job Allen even tho you scratched–the dogs come first. You can proudly share it with Aliy!
Go SPK!! Another successful year!
Wedgy and I were listening to the live stream while out for our evening walk. We let out a big whoop and woo when we heard Aliy’s name called for the Seppala humanitarian award. Congratulations!
And I am so relieved to hear Allen’s team is back home safe.
Congratulations, Aliy, for winning the Leonhard Seppala Humanitarian Award! SP Kennel’s love and care for the dogs shines through every day in the DogLog posts.
For both Aliy and Allen to win the veterinarian-based award for superb dog care in the same year and from both the Iditarod and Yukon Quest is truly a wonderful accomplishment! In always putting “dogs first”, SPK continues to show that they are true champions and great ambassadors for the sport.
Congratulations SP Kennel!!!!
Congrats Aliy on the award and congrats to all the mushers and teams. At the end every 1000 mile race I’m always in awe of the accomplishment – whoosh!! Spring is coming, rest, relax and reload.
So happy to be able to go back and watch the live video of the event. The humanitarian award – starts with human. That individual taking care of those sled doggies better than most people take care of their home doggies, probably. When I see this, I’m reminded of why I follow THIS particular kennel. Great job again Aliy.
I’ve been wearing my Decaf shirt all week while ranch sitting at an alpaca farm. Yesterday, we had a crazy blizzard-like storm. I could not see the gate to the pen as I fought the wind to get into the barn. I wondered how the mushers could do anything in crazy winds, especially at night! My “blowhole” was probably more like the what Aliy and Jessie held conversation thru but still. I could barely walk, dragging hay bales on a toboggan sled, and realized just how difficult this race may be. We get to see the photos, the camera interviews, the goings-on in the villages, but the race is run on the trail.
Congrats to everyone. By the time this posts, all should be home and safe. Thanks for another great season to follow.
Decaf – Nome 2019!
Wow! “Congratulations” doesn’t seem to be a ‘good enough’ word for it, does it? Charlene said the same thing. I want to yell ‘ALL RIGHT!!!’ or ‘GOOD JOB!!!’ or ‘WAY TO GO!’. It’s such an honor to be honored AGAIN for best dog care in a race. I KNEW that the Red Team looked spiffy arriving in Nome. They didn’t look that good from BAD care, that’s for sure. And the same with Allen’s Yukon Quest Black Team. Dogs first. Bottom line. Always dogs first. One of the many reasons I am a big fan. Thanks for sharing with all of us out here. And I’m relieved, too, that the Black team is back home. Thanks, Jeff! And thanks again to Moira and all of the dog log helpers who show us those handsome SPK doggies and share the stories with us. Sigh. Safe travels to home!
Big congrats on the doggie care award!!! Good for u and Allen!!!!! SPK rocks!
I am very proud to be an SPK supporter. Thank you for making our sponsorship an honor.
Thank you to Jeff and everyone else who helped get the Black team home!
What an awesome night. Thank you for sharing the photos.
I am so happy Aliy was honored with the Leonhard Seppala Humanitarian Award for outstanding dog care. Well deserved.
Lol, Cute: “you’re awesome” True, he is. Congratulations Olive and Russerren.
I’m looking forward to Aliy’s videos.
Thank you for keeping us so well informed.
<3 🙂
Love this post – thanks so much for all of the great stories, pictures and updates along the way! Way to go to SP Kennel!!