Veteran musher Jessie Holmes (bib #9), of Brushkana, Alaska, is  the first musher to reach the Unalakleet checkpoint at 12:33 p.m. with 11 dogs in harness, making him the recipient of the Ryan Air Gold Coast Award.

This award was first presented in 1987 and will be presented this year by Cheryl Johnson, Human Resources Director for Ryan Air.  Sponsored by Ryan Air since 2019, the award consists of one ounce of gold nuggets (valued over $1,500) from the Bering Straits region as well as a beautiful wood carved loon

The company was founded in Unalakleet and its core business is serving the people who live  along the Bering Sea coast and throughout western Alaska. Mushing has long been a way of life for the Ryan family. The company’s founder drove mail by dog team between Unalakleet and Kaltag in the early 1900s and other Ryan family members also mushed dogs in the territorial guard with Muktuk Marston.  

The Ryan Air Gold Coast Award will be presented again to Holmes on Sunday, March 17 at the finisher’s banquet in Nome.