Eye on the Jr: Banquet Honors Record and Achievements

Recognition, stories, prizes and records were all a part of the Sunday evening Jr. Iditarod Awards Banquet. Family, friends and supporters of the Jr. Iditarod gathered at Tolsona Lake Lodge to enjoy dinner and camaraderie while highlighting the accomplishments of the fourteen 2025 mushers.  Barb Redington served as the MC for the evening and David Pike who supports dog mushing and promotes canine wellness was the featured speaker.

Emily Robinson, age 17, wearing bib 10, has become the only musher in the 48 year history of the Jr. Iditarod to claim four championships.  She crossed the finish line at 08:59, having completed the 143 mile race route with a run time of 12 hours and 31 minutes.  As champion of the 2024 race, Emily tied Tim Osmar’s three victories.  Osmar accomplished his three championships in 1982, ’83 and ’84.  Now she stand alone in the record books as Jr. Iditarod’s only four time champion.

Isaac Redington finished nine minutes behind Robinson for his best Jr. Iditarod finish of 2nd place in 12 hours and 39 minutes.  Nelson Wappett earned third place with a time of 13hours and  7 mins, improving 10 places over his previous Jr Iditarod finish in 2023.  Nelson in bib #2, led mushers onto the trail but over the 71 mile trail to Lake Louise, he was passed by both Robinson in bib #10 and Redington in bib #4. 

Robinson led the trio into Lake Louise checkpoint and was the first to depart on Sunday morning at 02:31 followed by Redington at 02:48 and Wappett at 02:51.  McKena Hanson departed at 03:02 followed by Addie Ann Randall at 03:04.  Arien Sanderson and Bristol Huffman departed before 03:31.  Makenna Vanderhoof, Keira Irish, Addy Pederson, Leif Anderson and Teitje Paveglio began their return trip to Tolsona during the 0400 hour.  Alex Floor and Hazel Sutton were the final teams to depart Lake Louise at 05:09 and 05:39 respectively.

Finish times were within six hours from first to thirteenth place.  Robinson arrived at 08:59 and Red Lantern musher Leif Anderson crossed the finish line a 14:48.  It might have been a bit crowded at the finish line with there being only 8 minutes separating Emily Robinson and Isaac Redington.  Only 6 minutes separated McKenna Hanson and AddieAnn Randal in 4th and 5th place.  

Each year the prize committee gathers amazing donations and prizes donations for the Jr. Iditarod so each musher goes home with a plethora of prizes.  Many, many businesses and individuals support the Jr. Iditarod and the young mushers.

Scholarships are awarded to each musher thanks to the Jr. Iditarod Trail Committee and Jr. Iditarod Scholarship Committee.  Scholarships can be applied to higher education or special training.  The Jr. Iditarod Board of Directors congratulates each musher and extends sincere gratitude to volunteers and race sponsors for their unwavering support.

Scholarships

1^st Place – $6,000

2^nd Place – $4,000

3^rd Place – $2,500

4^th Place – $2,500

5^th Place – $1,500

All other finishers – $500

Special Awards

Sportsmanship Award – Leif Anderson – $2,000 – Peers select a musher who was helpful on the trail and when camped

Humanitarian Award – Keira Irish – $2,000 – Veterinarians select a musher who stands out in dog care

Blue Harness Award – Isaac Redington’s  Andy – Redington saysAndy is always jumping, lunging and ready to go

Champion’s Sled – Emily Robinson – Made by Sled Dog Systems and the Schlosser Family; Sponsored by Northrim Bank

Rookie of the Year – Hazel Sutton

Red Lantern – Leif Anderson – Red Lantern and mushing themed wall hanging

Honorary Musher – Barry Munsell – Respected for his support of the race, his work on the trails and his support of the Knik’s mushing community

Recently Passed and Fondly Remembered – Terry Langholz – Groomed, marked and broke trails, perennial Jr. Iditarod starter/timer, Knik’s Iditarod checker

2025 Mushers in Order of Finish

1^st Emily Robinson* – 17, Nenana, AK, **AMS 11.3, 4 time race champion

2^nd Isaac Redington – 16, Wasilla, AK, AMS 11.2, 3 year veteran,

3^rd Nelson Wappett* – 17, Fairbanks, AK, AMS 10.9, 2 year veteran

4^th Mckena Hanson – 15, Anchorage, AMS 10.7, 2 year veteran

5^th AddieAnn Randall – 15, Willow, AK, AMS 10.5, 2 year veteran

6^th Arien Sanderson – 15, Palmer, AK, AMS 9.9, 2 year veteran

7^th Bristol Huffman* – 17, Kotzebue, AK, AMS 9.8, 4 year veteran

8^th Keira Irish – 16, Fairbanks, AK, AMS 9.1, 3 year veteran

9^th Makenna Venderhoof* – 17, Willow, AK & Shell Lake, WI, AMS 8.9, 3 year veteran

10^th Addy Pederson – 15, Homer, AK, AMS 8.7, 2 year veteran

11^th – Hazel Sutton – 14, Fairbanks, AK, AMS 8.5, 1 year veteran, Rookie of the Year

12^th Alex Floor – 14, Talkeetna, AK, AMS 8.4, 1 year veteran

13^th Leif Anderson – 16, Fairbanks, AK, AMS 7.8, 2 year veteran, Red Lantern

 Tietje Paveglio* – 17, Eagle River, AK, 2 year veteran, Scratched

**Average Moving Speed in miles per hour

*Wishing Emily Robinson, Nelson Wappett, Bristol Huffman, Mckenna Venderhoof and Tietja Paveglio happy trails as they graduate from Jr. Iditarod and mush into the future!