On Thursday 15 October the second annual ‘Legends of Iditarod’ gala took place in Anchorage, at the Alaska Aviation Museum. It was an event to celebrate the poeple, dogs and volunteers who built the Last Great Race, and to raise funds for the future of the race. Five different classes were honoured including Founders, Volunteers, Conributors, Dogs and Mushers.
This year Aliy was one of just three mushers to be inducted into the Hall of Fame, alongside DeeDee Jonrowe and Doug Swingly. Iditarod Press Release. Aliy was honoured not only for her multiple top ten finishes, but also the six Humantiarian awards she won for exemplary dog care during the race. They joined Rick Swenson, Libby Riddles, Susan Butcher, Martin Buser, Jeff King and Lance Mackey who were inducted during the inaugural event last year.
It was a fantastic event kicking off with the Founders telling incredible stories of the early years of the Iditarod. Dick Mackey had some wonderful memories to share, as did John Norman and Leo Rasmussen. Dick Tozier’s family were also able to able to share some recollections. Those first few years of the race needed some audacious ambitions to enable it to still be in existence 50 years later!
Volunteer administrator Cheryl Zachary and veternarian Bob Sept were also honoured, and Bob was able to induct Susan Butcher’s Grantite and Rick Swenson’s Andy into the canine class. We were then treated to a fantastic slideshow and history of the Iditarod Air Force as they were honoured in the Contributor Class. Link to ADN article
During her acceptance speech, Aliy said there were just too many people to thank individually for supporting her through her mushng career, but she took the opportunity to appreciate her father Doug who had encouraged and supported her since she first hooked up a dog to her skateboard in Puerto Rico when she was 8 years old.
To coincide with the festivities, and because several people travelled to Alaska for the event, we organised somewhat of a mini SP Kennel ‘reunion’ the following morning where we enjoyed talking about the ‘good old days’. We also enjoyed an ‘Aliy and Allen’ slideshow of incredible photos taken by Jeff Schultz over the years out on the Iditarod trail, and we were able to relive some precious memories.
The crew had fun during the few days in Anchorage, playing tourist and enjoying the sights.
Congratulations Aliy – well deserved induction. You have inspired so many others. Your incredible dog care and joy to do your best is so appreciated.
Beyond superb, the word I would use about the musher, her dogs and the entire event of honor. What I would have given to have been able to be there. I ran dogs on Ogden Mountain with Dick Mackey and John Barron to qualify to run Iditarod. Aliy, my hero! Forever and always.
Congratulations Aliy! One of our best memories of Alaska was meeting you and Allen and talking with you on your front porch! Prayers for your continued success in all you do!
Congratulations Aliy!! You are very deserving of this award! I have watched you for years as well as donated booties for the dogs and of course entered into the dog drawings every year from my Florida home. Best of luck to you and Alan in the future. Thank you for showing the world just how caring musher’s are to their dogs.
Well deserved so proud of you and them dogs. Always loved watching your relationship between and animals. So very refreshing. Congratulations and the best award ever.
Congratulations Aliy! Highly deserved!! You were an absolute joy to watch and cheerlead for! Miss seeing you race. Thanks for your joy on the trail!
Congratulations Aliy! Highly deserved!! You were an absolute joy to watch and cheerlead for! Miss seeing you and the dogs race. Thanks for your joy on the trail!
Thank you for sharing! This is so deserved by Aliy, Allen and Sp Kennel. Congratulations!!! <3
Lot's of LOVE from VIOLET, Rowan and Becky. <3 <3 <3
Aliy,
Congratulations for the special recognition that you so deserve. We have great memories of your adventures and challenges with our sponsored Olivia and her 13 babies. Thank you for those memories. Lots of love!
Tonia & Herb Hughes…in Green Valley, near Fairfield, California
Aliy,
Congratulations for the special recognition that you so deserve. We have great memories of your adventures and challenges with our sponsored Olivia and her 13 babies. Thank you for those memories. Lots of love!
Tonia & Herb Hughes…in Green Valley, near Fairfield, California
Congratulations. You truly deserved this. You were the reason I started following the Iditarod. Good luck & hope you & Allen are enjoying retirement. Missing you from Vt.
Can’t think of a more deserving person for this honor! So great to see the SPK team members and family all there!
Congratulations to you Aliy! You have always been my FAVORITE Musher! I was fortunate enough to be in Nome in 2017 to get to see both you, Allan and sweet DeeDee Jonroe come in! What a thrill for me as I have followed you for a long time! I got to meet you in person and have pictures together! I SO admire your kindness to ALL and your excellence with your doggies! I was ALWAYS rooting for you each and every race! I voted for you to be added to this honor and am THRILLED that you got it! YAY SP Kennels! Much love and happiness and blessings to you and your super Musher Hubby Allan, who did SO well in the Yukon Quests! SO great to see the whole SP Kennel reunion picture as well as I was a supporter for some time. You look terrific, and cool to see you with your Dad as well!