Author: Terrie Hanke (854 posts)


Eye on the Jr: Jeff Schultz Jr. Iditarod Honorary Musher

Jr. Iditarod has chosen photographer Jeff Schultz as their 2024 Honorary Musher.  For the start of the race while taking photos of the mushers, their dogs and all the action on Knik Lake, Schultz will be sporting bib #1 signed by all the mushers. A year or two after Joe Redington, Sr. talked Jeff into …

Eye on the Jr: Meet the Mushers Pt. 4

There’s a tremendous amount of planning and preparation that goes into any sled dog race.  Race organizers have been putting in many hours to make the Jr. Iditarod the race kids beg their parents to run.  Richard Plack and his trail crew are guaranteed to have the trail marked and in the great condition for …

 Eye on the Jr: Meet the Mushers Pt. 4

There’s a tremendous amount of planning and preparation that goes into any sled dog race.  Race organizers have been putting in many hours to make the Jr. Iditarod the race kids beg their parents to run.  Yes, there’s some snow in the forecast but Richard Plack and his trail crew are guaranteed to have the …

Eye on the Jr: History and Fun Facts

This February will mark the 47th year of the Jr. Iditarod.  The Junior, just like the Iditarod, began as a dream.  Joe Redington, Sr. dreamed of a long distance race across Alaska to keep the sled dog in Alaska and the old mail routes on the map.  It was Eric Beeman who dreamed of a …

Eye on the Jr: Meet the Mushers Pt. 3

You’ll meet the Jr. Iditarod veterans who are participating in the 2024 race in the next three segments of Meet the Junior Iditarod Mushers.  Kids come to mushing through many different trails.  Sometimes it’s a family affair and other times it’s purely coincidence.  Whatever brought them to dogs, these are dedicated conscientious young people who …

Eye on the Jr: Saying Goodbye to Friends

Two wonderful friends of the Jr. Iditarod have passed away since the 46th race last winter.  Bob Morgan, the 2022 Jr. Iditarod  Honorary Musher and Jr. Iditarod board member passed in September of 2023.  George Murphy, pilot and Jr. Iditarod Board member emeritus passed in December of 2023.  Both men generously gave their time and …

Eye on the Jr: Meet the Mushers Pt. 2

The Jr. Iditarod starts on Saturday February 24th at 10:00 on Knik Lake right across the road from where Joe Redington’s old boat the Nomad sits.  You can follow the race through Eye on the Trail at Iditarod.com, at jriditarod.org or thru the Jr. Iditarod Facebook page. Meet the Jr. Iditarod Mushers, a five part …

Eye on the Jr: Meet the Mushers Pt. 1

The Jr. Iditarod in it’s 47th year looks forward to hosting 21mushers.  You’d have to go all the way back to 2007 to find a race larger in size with 26 mushers.  Great news that the number of participants in the Jr. Iditarod is increasing!  There are 9 rookies and 12 veterans from inside and …

Looking back at the 2006 Iditarod by Terrie Hanke

Being the 2006 Wells Fargo Teacher on the Trail™ was a life changing experience.  The appointment as Teacher on the Trail™ is for one year but it’s an experience that lasts far into the future.  Truly, I was as excited for musher signup this year as I was in the summer of 2005. After being …

Kate Newmyer – 25th Iditarod Teacher on the Trail™

Iditarod EDU welcomes Kate Newmyer as the 25th Iditarod Teacher on the Trail™.  Currently Kate teaches 5th grade language arts and social studies in the Clear Creek ISD, in Texas.  Her teaching experience is broad and includes music education, university art history adjunct professor, home school educator, and museum curator and she holds two master’s …