About Allen
Competitive and Adventurous are traits that define the highest caliber participants in extreme sports.
For Allen, in the past 25 years, dog mushing has grown from a fun family pastime into an all consuming, race focused, sled dog centered way of life. His rare inner determination combined with a modest character makes him extremely successful.
LEARNING TO MUSH
EDUCATION
COMMUNITY SERVICE
FAMILY AND CHILDHOOD
Allen races SP Kennel’s Black Team. He is a three time champion (2013, 2014 and 2018) and dominant competitor in the Yukon Quest International Sled Dog Race since 2011. Allen also competes in mid-distances races throughout the season. One of his favorite races is the “Toughest 300 Miles” Copper Basin Sled Dog Race of which he is a six time champion.
Allen raced the Yukon Quest for the first time in 2011. That year was incredibly challenging, with over one-third of the entrants withdrawing from the race, as well as the two leading teams failing to make it over the infamous mountains only 100 miles from the finish line. This was a grueling race for a rookie with temperatures down to -60 F and overflow water deep enough to swim across. However, Allen finished the race with a grin and placed 6th.
For many years, Allen raced SPK’s JV young dog team on the Iditarod only one month after the Quest start. This back-to-back 1,000 mile race schedule is grueling unto itself. There is an elite, tough and dedicated group of mushers who compete in both long distance adventure races in the same season. Races over 2,000 miles by dog sled in a very short period of time!
Allen has a rare talent for teaching a young dog to find his or her individual potential as an Iditarod racer. Although the race is always challenging, Allen has the ability to ‘make the race fun’ for these youngsters. This is critical because the following mushing season these same dogs will be racing on the varsity squad and going for the win!
Allen is known as a musher’s musher. He has been awarded the Sportsmanship Trophy multiple times in the Iditarod and Yukon Quest. He has both rescued and aided competitors all while remaining competitive.
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Learning to Mush
Allen was living in Arkansas and wanted to move as far away from the summer heat as possible. Alaska became his destination. He moved to Alaska over 25 years ago.
When Allen arrived in Alaska he moved to Fairbanks. There is a sled dog track in town that was very popular. On weekends families with children – young and old – would bring their dogs to the track to compete in short races. As a father of two active girls he found himself at the sled dog track often. The girls started in the one-dog sprint class and over the years moved up in classes to larger and larger number of dogs. As a supportive dad, Allen’s soon became both the dog trainer and the children’s coach. He soon found the family house and yard full of Alaskan Huskies. Sprint mushing became important to the whole family. As the girls grew older, their hobbies changed, but Allen always kept the sled dogs. He was hooked for life.
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Education
Allen went to college at Arkansas State University. He studied mainly sciences and biology and earned a degree in Wildlife Management. Allen played point guard in basketball throughout his college years. He has always been a competitive athlete; playing football, basketball and running track while growing up.
While Allen lived and studied in Arkansas, his dream was to move to Alaska. His mother had moved the family to Alaska when he was six years old and he attended first grade in Anchorage. Allen kept those young memories of wildlife, adventure and cool weather at the forefront of his mind. He knew that he would return someday.
Allen’s passion these days is fitness. He has dedicated himself to a daily workout routine. Most mornings you will find him in the kennel’s “work out room” – a small area with a treadmill, an elliptical, a Bowflex and a pull up bar. Allen has now convinced Aliy that the fitness of the dogs is not the only condition to worry about. The fitness of the musher is just as important.
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Community Service
Over the years, Aliy and Allen have donated their time, money and efforts to try and improve the community in which they live. Alaska is a vast country of compassionate and hard working people who face their share of modern social issues and problems.
Allen likes to give back to the people that have been so good to him. The Yukon Quest International Sled Dog Race is an amazing event that is primarily staffed by local volunteers. Allen feels that it is tremendously important to give back to those people. The Copper Basin 300 is similar. The small Alaskan town of Glennallen hosts the annual sled dog race. Allen and Aliy spoke at the Community College, to both children and adults, telling mushing stories – some good and some bad – but all entertaining.
SP Kennel is fortunate to be associated with individuals and companies who have similar community service missions. In the past, we have partnered in fundraising events for the Covenant House in Anchorage and visited recovering fans who are patients at Providence Alaska Hospital. The American Heart Association annually raises awareness and funding in Alaska with their Anchorage Heart Walk. Allen, Aliy and a small dog team have given annually to this amazing event.
The Land of the North is large with many small communities. It is important that Allen and Aliy continue their personal outreach as far and wide as they can. They have to traveled as far south as Dutch Harbor, Alaska – aboard the Kodiak D7 Class Containership – to speak at a community event. They have traveled as far north as ExxonMobil’s Pt. Thomson Alaska reservoir along the Beaufort Sea to speak at Safety Seminars. To the west, Aliy has taught Leadership Lessons on the villages of Elim, White Mountain and Golovin. To the east, Allen annually speaks at the Whitehorse, Yukon Territory, Canada QuestFest weeklong festival. Good people, good causes.
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Family and Childhood
Allen is a born and raised Arkansas native. His hometown is in the northeast corner of the state; a town called Manila. His mother’s family is originally from the Ozarks. The family still has a homestead in “56”, Arkansas. Allen’s Momma, Donnie, is his biggest fan and has traveled to Alaska over 30 times. She has stood on many finish lines greeting her son with a big smile (and a few tears.)
Allen and Aliy met over 20 years ago. They were married in 2004. SP Kennel is a joint effort that could not function without both Allen and Aliy’s complete focus, energy, and commitment.
Allen enjoys family and fishing – often the two go hand in hand. Allen’s adult daughters, Bridgett and Jennifer, now have families of their own. They all live in Alaska and are often part of SP Kennel events, gatherings, and races.
LEARNING TO MUSH EDUCATION COMMUNITY SERVICE FAMILY AND CHILDHOOD