SPK Dog Log

What an incredibly difficult decision it turned out to be for both Allen and Aliy to narrow their teams down to 14 and 12 respectively. Of course, it’s a nice “problem” to have but it wasn’t easy!

Allen’s team will be Scout, Chipper, Clyde, Commando, Dutch, Felix, Izzy, Kodiak, Mac, Mismo, Willie, Schmoe, Scruggs and Waylon.

He has several Yukon Quest 1000 rookies on the team continuing the “changing of the guard” theme of this season. Chipper, Commando, Dutch, Felix, Mismo and Kodiak have not competed in this race, although all have had 1000 mile experience in the Iditarod. It is a big deal of Allen to have a two year old in Commando with him in the ‘A’ team so we are excited for Commando! Allen’s most experienced team mate is Scout, having raced the YQ1000 all five times with him and is a two-time Quest Champion!

Allen’s oldest and youngest team mates, Scout and Commando

Click here for more information about the Black Team athletes.

Aliy has Lester, Boondocks, Chena, Daisy, Spark, Amber, Violet, Driver, Iron, Champ, Sandy and Chemo with her on the 300 mile race. She has a team stacked with Yukon Quest 300 rookies with only Lester, Boondocks, Chemo and Sandy having raced it before.

Brothers Iron and Driver race today!

Click here for more information about the Red Team athletes.

There are a number of talented athletes left at the kennel. If they weren’t 100% fit they were not considered for either team so that they have a better chance to make an Iditarod team. Some will need some time off to fully recover from any slight injuries and a big bunch of them will continue training on the trails of Two Rivers to keep their fitness up ready for March. There are a few of our “more mature” team members who have been tagged as very important for the Iditarod so will sit this one out as they have nothing to prove. You will notice some big names missing from the two line-ups.

We know that sponsors and fans of the dogs left behind will be disappointed but just because they aren’t racing this week doesn’t mean they aren’t just as important as those that are. They will be well looked after at home and will get lots of love and a few extra treats!

It was a day of meetings for Aliy with the vet checks for her YQ300 team mates followed by musher and handler meetings and the bib draw.

Aliy, Chris and kennel friend Linda Steiner took 14 dogs to the veterinarian checks this morning. Aliy has the same issue as Allen, she now has to narrow down her team to 12 dogs and she is really struggling to do so. They all want and deserve to go!!

Later she, Wes and Wendy heard from the officials about the trails and received procedural information, then Aliy drew bib number 1! She and the Red Team will leave the start chute at 3.00pm sharp on Saturday.

Dog tag #1; Two Rivers mushers: (back) Chase Tingle, Ryne Olson, Maliko Ubl, Shaynee Traska, Stephanie Ehlenfeldt, (front) Aliy, Joanna Jagow, Lia Amundsen

Tonight will be very quiet and low-key as the dogs will have their dinner and sleep peacefully. Both Aliy and Allen will do their final preparations, double check everything, pack their sleds and get some sleep before their races start tomorrow. The handler crews will be doing the same as they embark on their own epic journeys!

We’ll let you know team line-ups in the morning. We’re not sure of them ourselves yet!

Allen and the Black Team will wear bib #4 down the trail during the Yukon Quest and will leave the starting chute at 11.06am on Saturday morning.

Last night was the Starting Banquet and Bib Draw at the Westmark Hotel in downtown Fairbanks and it was a sell out! It’s so exciting to see so many people supporting the race!

The program included fabulous music by Ukulele Russ before the Alaska Native Veterans Association presented the Colors. Dave Wilcoxson sang powerful Canadian and US anthems followed by the Chaplain of the Fairbanks Memorial Hospital, Steve Reed, who gave the invocation. Both mayors of the Fairbanks North Star Borough and City of Fairbanks officially welcomed everyone then we had dinner. You might wonder how with such a big crowd gets in line for a buffet dinner? The organisers had split the tables into Yukon Quest checkpoints and let us all go in 10 minute intervals so it was well organised.

Marty Steury, the Executive Director for the “Alaska side”, told us that last year’s final leg battle between Allen and Brent crashed the Trackleaders (spot trackers) website and we were the first sporting event to do so. Track leaders covers events all around the world and that battle created hundred of thousands of hits during the day. Marty also thanked the very many sponsors of the race (below).

After dinner we were introduced to all the Veterinarians and Vet Techs from USA, Canada, Spain and Australia and race officials for the YQ300 and 1000 mile races.

Head Veterinarian Dr Cristine “Nina” Hansen introduces her vet team; Doug Grilliot, Race Marshall, introduces his team of officials

Each musher then came up, in order of sign-up, to draw their bib number out of a “bunny boot” and say their thank yous.

Allen was very happy to draw bib #4 and he spoke about how this year will be a little different in that it is a rebuilding period for us. Nearly half his team will be Yukon Quest 1000 rookies (as well as half his handler team!) This will be Allen’s sixth Yukon Quest and there is one dog that will have been on all six with him – Scout! He’s excited to see what this year will bring.

He also told a story from last night’s “Meet the Mushers” how he had Yuka Honda on one side of him and Tore Albrigtsen from Norway on the other and he, with his southern accent, trying to speak to them both in English. He said much fun was had by all!

Allen thanked the crew at the kennel: Chris, Mark, Wes, Wendy and Moira and all the other people who make it possible to run the race. He thanked his family especially his Mom who came up from Arkansas this week to see him. Also our major corporate sponsors… and his beautiful wife.

Dog tags the Black Team will wear as identification; Bib Draw #4!

Also also thanked all the dog sponsors and every one of you – our internet followers and supporters. Thank You!!

Congratulations to Debbi Robinson who has won this week’s draw. Debbi is a fan of WILLIE.

Willie always says “Don’t worry about the little things.” So, we trust him since he seems to be one of our best sled dogs… ever. Willie is still constantly happy and loves human and dog camaraderie. We are sure that he will have another great season!

As tomorrow is the start of the Yukon Quest, Debbi wins a 2016 Yukon Quest poster signed by both Aliy and Allen, along with some other kennel goodies.

We will have a bonus draw next Friday for a signed race annual and Yukon Quest patch!

If you haven’t already won this season or if you are a new member your name will be in the next draw. NOTE: you can win more than once if you are a fan of more than one dog!

Click the button below for instructions on how to join:

Click this button below to take you directly to the Dog Fan Page.

The first public event on the Yukon Quest calendar was the “Fred Meyer Meet the Mushers” held last night at the La Quinta Hotel in Fairbanks.

Hundreds of people turned out to see their favorite mushers and get autographs and pictures. Allen always enjoys this event as it’s a chance to meet friends, supporters and fans in a very relaxed environment.

(Photos: Jennifer Moore-Smith)

Watch as Allen pulls the hook with is Black Team in one of the last pre-Yukon Quest runs

Note: the team is not completely finalized so this line up may change.

The Yukon Quest is almost here with the teams leaving Fairbanks in just a few short days!

There are a few events this week including the annual “Meet the Mushers” tomorrow evening (Wednesday) at 7pm at the La Quinta Hotel (previously known as the Alpine Lodge). If you are in Fairbanks tonight do come by and see us! Thursday evening is the starting banquet and bib draw where we will learn when Allen and the Black Team will leave the starting chute on Saturday.

Friday is taken up with Yukon Quest 300 vet checks and meetings for Aliy and the Red Team, including bib draw; and final preparations for the YQ1000 for Allen and his team.

On Saturday they all pull the hook! At 11am the first teams in the YQ1000 will leave the starting chute on the Chena River then at 3pm the YQ300 teams follow them. The YQ300 teams go all the way to Circle checkpoint, turn around and head back to Central.

2015 Black Team start (photo Mary-Beth Schreck)

The handler crew on the Alaska side for Allen will be Chris, Mark and Moira while Wes and Wendy will be handling for Aliy in the YQ300. The 36 hour layover in Dawson City is different to all other checkpoints in that the handler crew can do everything: we can provide hands-on care for the dogs, the sled and Allen so we have Aliy, Bridgett (Allen’s daughter), Mark and Moira there to do that. Bridgett, Mark and Moira will then be handling for the remaining checkpoints and the finish line while Aliy heads back to Two Rives to complete the Iditarod Drop Bags. Chris will keep the home fires burning while the team is in Canada and will keep the Iditarod tagged dogs training!

As usual, we will be covering the race on the DogLog. We are unashamedly SP Kennel focussed so if you want to learn about what’s going on with other teams you will need to keep an eye on the Yukon Quest website and Facebook page for a “wider view” of the race as a whole, as well as a leaderboard and official checkpoint In and Out times.

GPS trackers will be in use again this year so head to the Yukon Quest website to access them. Have you been training your “refresh finger”?

There will also be several news agencies covering the race, with race sponsors Fairbanks Daily News-Miner and Whitehorse Daily Star providing day to day coverage.

Moira will be at most checkpoints to capture photos, video and stories, and will post when and what she can. Remember we are travelling in sometimes remote Alaskan and Yukon areas so internet and cell coverage is uncertain at this stage but she will do “catch-up” posts when possible.

Magellan will be back on board working with Moira to provide you with stories and information from his perspective and with his usual humour!

Also keep an eye on our Facebook and Instagram pages as we may post directly to them now and again.

We appreciate your patience as we bring you any dropped dog information. We sometimes don’t have this information right away but rest assured we will be trying our best to get this information to you quickly. There are veterinarians at every checkpoint and dog-drop stop so they will be in great hands while they wait for us to bring them home.

Kennel veterinarian and sponsor Dr Tamara Rose from T Rose Veterinary Service came to the kennel last night to carry out the mandatory vet checks on 16 of the Yukon Quest 1000 tagged dogs.

As Allen is a veteran musher he is able to use a Yukon Quest approved vet to complete the vet checks at the kennel.

The vet checks (right) include weight and body condition, temperature and pulse rate as well as a thorough check on feet, teeth, eyes, musculoskeletal checks as well as general health and fitness indicators.

The only problem now is to narrow down 16 to 14! It will be a tough decision as they are all fit, healthy and asking to go!

Waylon’s forelegs are checked for mobility or flexibility issues; Mac has his heart rate checked (and seems to be quite enjoying it)