Ramey Smyth Rounds Out Elite Eight
Ramey Smyth finished his twenty-third Iditarod in 8th place. This makes for Smyth’s 11th top 10 finish. Ramey was runner-up in 2011, 3rd in 2008 and 2012 then 4th in 2004. Smyth’s fastest time to Nome was his 2nd place finish in 2011 – 8 days, 19 hours and 50 minutes. His time for 2019 was 10 days, 8 hours and 13 minutes.
Speaking of fastest time, Ramey Smyth is known for receiving 8 Fastest Time from Safety to Nome Awards over his Iditarod career. His time in 2019 was 3 hours and 40 minutes. As of now, Joar Leifseth Ulsom has the award with 3 hours and 6 minutes. The award goes to a musher in the top 20 so there’s a chance somebody may have a sub three hour run. Stay tuned on that.
Ramey Smyth was born into a mushing family. His father Bud Smyth is a veteran of the inaugural Iditarod. His mother, Lolly Medley ran in the second Iditarod and finished in 24th place just behind Mary Shields who was the first woman to ever finish Iditarod. The City of Nome Lolly Medley Golden Harness Award presented at the finisher’s banquet is named for Smyth’s mother.
Like Ramey, his three children were born into a mushing family. Smyth’s wife Becca Moore is a Yukon Quest Veteran and an Iditarod veteran. Smyth’s oldest daughter has been his tag sled driver in the ceremonial start for a couple of years now. Won’t be long and his kids will be entering the Jr. Iditarod, a race that Smyth has won twice. Ramey began mushing as soon as he could walk. He’s participated in and won many races around the state.
Ramey races to encourage people to donate to cancer research and to a drug and alcohol-free lifestyle. Smyth and his wife Becca operate Smyth Racing Tea-Home-Stretch Kennel, which houses 70 dogs. Smyth praised his dog team saying, :It was an honor for me to be behind this dog team.”
