Tara Wheatland of GCI Holds Mukluk for Bib Draw in 2020 (Photo by: Terrie Hanke)

Thursday night of race week is the Musher Meet and Greet  then Banquet and Bib Draw at the Dena’ina Center in downtown Anchorage.  Mushers, sponsors, family, friends and race fans will gather to chat with a favorite musher, collect autographs and celebrate the start of Iditarod LII.  It’s a gala event with a fine meal that’s followed by the much awaited bib draw to determine start order.  Bib numbers will be posted on Friday.  Most years, mushers draw from a mukluk.  Last year it was the 2023 cap.  Will they return to the traditional mukluk this year?  Time will tell on that.  Now let’s meet four more rookies in the Class of 2024.

Lara Kittelson was the most recent musher to join the upcoming Iditarod.  Lara completed her qualifiers and is now eligible to race Iditarod.  She grew up in the Pacific Northwest but now resides in Seward working as a guide for Seavey’s Ididaride.  Right after high school she boarded a plane, leaving Battle Ground, WA behind for the Last Frontier.  She took a job a Mitch Seavey’s kennel as the yearling trainer.  Lara says, “I learned right alongside them as they grew up.”  After a few years of training and qualifying, the opportunity to race has arrived for Lara.  She’ll be living her dream as she explores the Iditarod Trail with dogs she’s known since they were little “tater tots.”  Hearing stories about Alaska as a child from her father, planted the seed that brought Lara to Alaska.  Kittelson participated in the Copper Basin 300 and the Knik 200 earlier this year. 

Connor McMahon lives in Carcross, Yukon Territory and operates Feral Racing Dog Sled Tours.  Connor grew up in southern Ontario and was introduced to working dogs at the age of 15.  While managing a kennel of security dogs he learned the importance of proper training and happy dogs.  Early on  he learned how to instill confidence in dogs through positive reinforcement.  He says, “Through carefully observing the dogs in their environment, I was able to see the world through their eyes and learn how they relate to their surroundings.”  After acquiring a Malamute, Connor built a sled out of skies and scrap wood.  The Malamute, Chumie was his lead and only dog.  From their very first run, Chumie and Connor were hooked on sledding.  His kennel has expanded to twenty-two dog and he’s been racing 5 years – Yukon Quest, Percy DeWolfe Memorial Mail Run, Canadian Challenge and Caledonia Classic.   McMahon has handled for Canadian musher Aaron Peck and appreciates his mentorship.

Bryce Mumford watched a television series about the Iditarod back in 2009.  He thought he’d like to try mushing.  Living in Preston, Idaho he was able to connect with an Iditarod veteran, Sus Morgan.  After one ride, he was hooked.  He began to acquire sled dogs and mushing became a three generation family affair – Bryce’s daughter and his father have all taken to the runners, help in training and compete.  Mumford is a veteran of multiple races including the Eagle Cap Extreme 200, Race to the Sky 300 and the 100 and 300 mile Idaho Sled Dog Challenge.  Bryce works as a full time mailman for the United States Postal Service.   There is a well-documented connection between mushing and mail delivery that spans many decades.  Iditarod mushers carry trail mail to commemorate mail delivery to the gold mining towns as well as remote Alaska villages by sled dogs. In Minnesota, the famed Beargrease Sled Dog Marathon is named after John Beargrease – a mushing mail carrier.  Of course we can’t forget the relay of mail carriers who transported the serum back in 1925. 

Will Rhodes and his wife Brenda Mackey own and operate Mackey’s Distance Dogs located in Two Rivers, Alaska.  When he first arrived in Alaska from northwest California in 1998, Will was introduced to dog mushing while working for Iditarod champion, Joe May.  During the summer of 2000, Will met Brenda while they worked as sled dog tour guides on the Juneau Icefield.  They attended UAF and raised their daughter Isabel before establishing their own kennel in 2012.  In high school Will excelled in wrestling and football.  He holds a BS degree in geology and a Master’s degree in Environmental Engineering from UAF.  Rhodes began racing in 2013 focusing mainly on mid-distance events.  Brenda attempted Iditarod in 2021, scratching in Nicolai.  She comes from a long line of Iditarod Champions – grandfather Dick, father Rick and uncle Rick.  Will says, “Breeding, training and racing sled dogs is an extremely rewarding experience, second to none.”  Rhodes looks forward to experiencing the Iditarod trail with a young talented dog team.

Come back tomorrow for bib numbers, other race information and to meet the last of the 2024 rookies.