This evening at the Nome Convention Centre, the Iditarod celebrated amazing dogs and their humans at the Finish Banquet and Prizegiving. First, we all enjoyed a prime rib dinner and famous chocolate dipped strawberries by the Lakefront Hotel and served by an army of volunteers.
During the evening we were treated to many stories of sportsmanship, incredible dogs, and endurance through challenging conditions. Congratulations to all the mushers that even made the start line!
First up were the ‘special awards’ – many of which were already presented on the trail.
Aliy re-accepted the GCI Dorothy G Page Halfway Award for being the first musher into Iditarod. In her speech Aliy thanked GCI for enabling communications up and down the trail, and for being a long-time enthusiastic sponsor of the race. Aliy won this beautiful trophy plus $3,000 of gold.
Aliy was then rather stunned to be awarded the Leonhard Seppala Humanitarian Award for exemplary dog care. In her acceptance speech she acknowledged Jessie Royer, Jeff King and Martin Buser for what she has learned from them this year and through out her career. This is the fifth time Aliy has received this award and those of us around her feel so privileged and lucky she is the one who has taught us about dog care.
Each musher then got the opportunity to tell stories, thank sponsors and acknowledge their dogs. Aliy told the story of the best mush-though meal when she arrived in the village of Golovin. She and the dogs were excited to be there and she was presented with a take-away package of moose stew, cookies and the best cup of coffee ever!
Listen to Aliy’s speech here
It was a special moment to celebrate the new Iditarod Champion Pete Kaiser. You are worthy champ and the race is in good hands with you as the new face. Congratulations!
More information on prize winners on the Iditarod website here, from ADN here and KTUU here.
I was surprised and pleased and grateful to see Aliy honored again for her dog care. I feel humbled to have had the privilege of contributing to the kennel. Thank you, SPK.
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By surprised I mean to say I assumed her care of the dogs would be exemplary, but did not expect that they would single her out once again. I am glad they did and there is no such things as getting that award too many times.
Linda
Congrats to all the winners….especially Aliy on her 5th Humanitarian award! Wow! Loved Aliys speech about Golovin….a meal like that “to go”is certainly a treat!
Awesome ; 4th place…congrats to Aliy and her team!!! from Lawrence; Kansas
Congratulations Aliy for getting those wonderful trophies! You definitely deserved them. I am very happy to see that Aliy won the Humanitarian Award again this year. Aliy is the best musher ever!
I’m with Linda. Surprised yet not. When we see how tired Aliy looks as she moves on down the trail, we know it’s because she is taking care of the dogs before herself. Congrats on a well run race, well deserved rest and dinner!
Thanks Aliy honoured again for Your Dog care.
Great race, finish # 4. Hi, from Florida Brita.
OMG! You did it AGAIN. Congratulations, Aliy, congratulations SPK. I think the Leonhard Seppala Humanitarian Award is the highest honor of all. The fact that you are once again recognized for your exemplary dog care while still finishing in the top 5 …. it’s not shocking, as we all know how well SPK 2-leggeds put dog care first no matter what. But to be recognized for it AGAIN. This is amazing. I’m assuming this means all the work taking care of the dogs’ needs and all the rest in your run/rest schedule was perfectly timed to keeping the dogs healthy and happy and it must have really showed once they went trotting up under the burled arch. ….people take notice….and the vets took notice all along the race, I’m sure.
Dogs first. Way to go. Congratulations! I am so proud to be a SPK fan. Anyone would be lucky to learn dog care from Aliy and Allen but the work that goes into that care is exhausting all year and never more so as during a race. SPK’s ongoing success in long distance races shows the results of all that work. This is SOOOOOO wonderful!
Congratulations, Aliy, on your 4th place finish AND on winning the Humanitarian Award. When you took off for Iditarod, I thought, what a ballsy move. When it took so long to reach Iditarod, I thought, no way is she going to be in the top 10. And then you did it. What a great finish. If the trail had been fantastic, you had a good chance on winning.
I know you’d rather be number one, but 4th place after that hard run, amazing. Aliy, I hope one day you will be number 1. You talked about the speed of other dog teams in an interview, the strategy of being in the top of the pack by Nicolai. I would agree, and how you needed to change things up this year. Although it didn’t work out quite as you expected, as you said in your interview you had to try. I think this is what makes you as a racer not only so exciting but so competitive. I really like your and Allen’s competitive spirit.
It was fun watching you on the Insider — lots of great videos of you this year on the Insider and KTUU. Thank you Moira for a great job – the best coverage ever. As you said in your acceptance speech, the website is what makes following SPK so enjoyable. Love your coverage during the off season too. It’s always so nice to see what’s happening around the kennel.
I hope one day to be able to meet you and your dogs. Here’s to next year…
“Dogs First” for SP Kennel is the one thing neither musher every wavers from – which is why we love SP Kennel so much!!!
WOOF WOOF WOOF
Congratulations Aliy! The GCI trophy is beautiful! And….drive-thru food on the trail. Very cool! Safe travels back to Two Rivers and wherever you all may be heading to. Is the race season really over ?!?! I’m a little sad about that :0(
Huge congratulations on both awards, but especially for your wonderful care of your dogs. Aliy, I love seeing pictures of your interactions with them and of them joyfully running.
Again I’m so proud of Aliy for earning the Leonhard Seppala Humanitarian Award. 🙂
I know Violet and the entire kennel appreciate the LOVE.
I note here, like most places you say Aliy was awarded $3000 in gold for earning the GCI Dorothy G Page Halfway Award. The Iditarod site says 3K and I couldn’t understand why in the Iditarod video at presentation they kept saying 2K. I hope it is 3K!!! 🙂
I love Aliy’s speech, caribou stew, homemade cookies and coffee, sounds like a bit of heaven on the trail. Shout out to Golovin!!! Thanks for the love.
Thank you Matson, Allen, Doug, Linda and Moira!
Congrats Aliy for the 4th place finish and especially for the Humanitarian Award again this
year. We fans know how important dog care is to you and SPK. With such a challenging year
this is a Great Honor to you I’m sure!!!! Hugs & Kisses to all Dogs at SPK!!!! Fantastic Year!!!
Aliy, I’ve left several messages as I followed the Iditarod during presurgery and postsurgery for a new knee, Mar 11. I hope to meet you some day but at 76 not sure if that will happen. My hubby and I went to Alaska and met Jeff King at Homestead Huskies. Because of that great experience, I started following the race. That year was the tragic loss of Jeff’s dog and the terror you experienced from the drunk. Since then, I’ve followed both you and Jeff… thoroughly impressed with your fortatude and AND care, bond and love you have for your dog team. I even had a wonderful dream last night about you and your dogs. As a retired chemistry teacher, I am always a champion to female efforts in this man’s world. I’ve posted your progress during the race and my Facebook friends are becoming Aliy advocates. My hat is off to you….. keeponkeepingon!
Anna, congratulation on one week post new-knee. I hope your knee grows strong for you. Don’t be shy on your exercises. The replacements are amazing. I had my hip replaced December 2017, after visiting SPK (post a repair in 2016 that did not give a good result). I feel like I’m back now. I hope that happens for you too.
I cried so much in 2016, what Jeff and Aliy went through was horrendous.
I believe this year was a fantastic year of healing and overcoming for Aliy and she will be ready to take on that northern trail in 2020.
Ditto to all above comments. A huge congratulation to ALIY, you are truly & inspiration & so glad you won the humanitarian award. Your dog care has always been exemplary as well as top notch. Congratulations on such beautiful trophies & the GOLD(be sure to show Gold your pouch when you get back to Two Rivers.)
Thanks Moira for all your posts.