Dear Girls and Boys,

The 2020 Iditarod mushers are on the trail now with their dog teams!  Who are they?  Look at the pattern of numbers!  (Thanks to Eye on the Trail reporter, Terrie Hanke, for this interesting  info!)

12 rookies (never run the Iditarod before) and 45 veterans (have run at least once)

12 women mushers and 45 men mushers (although Zoya DeNure and her husband switched spots at the last minute due to her health so there goes that fun number)

3 physicians

1 veterinarian

Isn’t that amazing?

The ages of the mushers make a wide spread or range.  Jim Lanier, #55, is 79 years old!  He still loves to race his dogs.  Laura Neese, #11, is the youngest musher this year at age 23.  This is her second Iditarod.  How many years apart are Jim and Laura?

The Iditarod is one of the few races in which men and women have no different rules. It’s just as tough for Aliy Zirkle as for Martin Buser. Experience can help, but a well-practice rookie musher can run just as well as a veteran.  They all love their dogs and enjoy spending time with us!

Here we go!

Let’s cheer for the mushers and their dogs throughout the race!  Follow them on iditarod.com, Race Center, Race Standings.

Until next time, this is your canine reporter,

Gypsy