January 20, 1981

Remembering 40 Years of Iditarod… On January 20, 1981, Joe Redington, Sr., Herbie Nayokpuk, and Col. Norman Vaughan represented Alaska in the inaugural parade for President Ronald Reagan.  The residents of Washington D.C. and everyone at the parade got to see three Alaskan dog teams mushing down Pennsylvania Avenue.  The teams, arranged in a “V” formation with one in the lead trailed by two in tandem, had no problems along the 2.5 mile parade route.

Because the dogs were exposed to sights and sounds they hadn’t heard before, (marching bands, teams of horses) each team had a handler assisted the team by holding the leash that was on the lead dog.  The handlers were a part of the support team.  Those helping with the project included, “Flying Tigers Airlines” and “Hall’s Motor Express.”  The Flying Tigers transported Vaughn and the 1978 Iditarod Champion, Dick Mackey, who was one of the handlers, and the dogs to Philadelphia.  The dogs were then trucked to Washington by Hall’s Motor Express.  Walter Hughes, a Maryland farmer, who had no connection with Alaska, volunteered to put up the dogs on a farm that was 30 minutes drive from Washington.

Vern Hill of Knik, (a sled builder and Iditarod supporter) built the three sleds used in the parade.  The sleds were equipped with wheels and special breaks.  B & J Store in Wasilla donated nine 7 inch wheels for the sleds.  (These sleds were the kind used on wheelbarrows.)  These sleds were then donated to Joe Redington and the Iditarod Trail Committee to be auctioned off at the March 5 Iditarod Banquet in Anchorage.

Lolly Medley made the harnesses for the dogs.   Bill Devine made the hand painted signs that were on the sleds and the signs on the dog boxes.  Dave Olson loaned his dog box to the expedition and trucked it to Anchorage to be loaded.  The State of Alaska paid the expenses for Joe, Vi, and Elizabeth and Herbie Nayokpuk.  Tiger Airlines paid for Vaughan.

On January 18, three of the dogs were stolen from the farm, (Joe’s dogs, Feets and Candy, and Vaughan’s lead dog, Joey) but they were recovered before the parade.

The entire Iditarod delegation dressed in formal attire for the inaugural ball.  They met Alaska’s delegation, Congressman Don Young, Senator Stevens, and Senator Murkowski along with other dignitaries and movie stars.