How to create a charitable bequest to the Iditarod

  A bequest is made through your will or trust, and can be changed or modified at any time, and can be designated for an unrestricted or for a specific purpose. Your estate planning professional can help you determine how your charitable bequest are exempt from federal estate taxes, and how the estate tax charitable …

Announcing the 2021 Summer Raffle Drawing winners!

The 2021 Iditarod Summer Raffle drawing was conducted at 5 p.m. Monday, September 6 at the Iditarod’s Alaska State Fair booth and broadcast on The Iditarod Facebook Live. Thirty lucky raffle ticket holders now share approximately $147,050 in prizes, which includes one (1) $100,050 grand prize, two (2) $10,000 prizes, and twenty-seven (27) $1,000 prizes.  …

Memories of Susan Smith, Principal/Teacher of Takotna

The Iditarod and the education community lost a most enthusiastic and energetic supporter when Susan Smith, principal/teacher in the village of Takotna, AK, passed away on August 11, 2021. Susan took her Iditarod passion to its maximum when she accepted that position and lived one of her dreams of teaching on the trail. Every chance …

What kind of vaccinations are needed for dogs to race? Are these vaccinations widely recommended for non-working dogs?

By Greg Closter DVM, Alaska SPCA Specific vaccination requirements have been established for all dogs racing in the Iditarod.  As stated in Rule 40: All dogs entered in the race must be current on their vaccinations for distemper/hepatitis/lepto/parvo/parainfluenza (DHLPP), rabies, and injectable, nasal, or oral bordetella. Bordetella is often referred to as “kennel cough”.  While …

Jr Iditarod: Building opportunities for young mushers

Article by Emily Dinges   Have you ever wondered about opportunities for younger mushers? Let’s talk about the Jr. Iditarod! The Jr. Iditarod is for mushers 14 – 17 years old and stretches 150 miles. Typically, the race starts in Knik and winds its way up through the Alaskan wilderness, where mushers stop in Yentna …

Faces of the Iditarod, read their stories and hear their voices

  On Iditarod in July day 8, we are pleased to feature Faces of the Iditarod. Famed Iditarod photographer, Jeff Schultz has produced a magical multi-media “living” exhibit that captures the soul and essence of the Iditarod by profiling a growing list of 565 mushers, volunteers, spectators, village residents, and of course the canine athletes. …

The History of the Early Iditarod Air Force

Article by Rob Stapleton Excerpt from the book Iditarod: The First 10 Years, an anthology compiled by The Old Iditarod Gang.   While the dogs are the athletes of the Iditarod, aircraft and the people who pilot them are the workhorses of the 1,049-mile race. With no road access available past the Anchorage ceremonial start …

Building the Dream: The Iditarod Early Years

Article by Walt and Gail Phillips  Excerpt from the book Iditarod: The First 10 Years, an anthology compiled by The Old Iditarod Gang.   When the Iditarod Race was first under consideration, the organizers included members of the Wasilla–Knik Centennial Race Committee (organizers of the 1967 race along the southern portion of the Iditarod Trail), …

Guardians of the Race: Iditarod vets of the first ten years

Article by Frank Gerjevic Excerpt from the book Iditarod: The First 10 Years, an anthology compiled by The Old Iditarod Gang.   For all of their skill, savvy, and dog sense, the early Iditarod mushers didn’t know what they were doing. Nobody did, because nobody had run a sled-dog race from Anchorage to Nome before. …

Iditarod, leaders in dog care

      In your next life wouldn’t it be great to come back as an Iditarod dog. You get extraordinary preventative and thought leading health care. Your life expectancy is very high and you will have much lower incidences of cancer, orthopedic, and metabolic diseases compared to the general dog population. Not only will …