Junior Iditarod musher, Ashley Guernsey, crossed the finish line in 7th place. When she was just a little girl, Ashley watched Season of the Sled Dog a video created by Mary Shields. Shields, the first woman to finish Iditarod inspired Ashley to run dogs. As a special surprise, Ashley received a gift from Mary Shields at the banquet.

Ashley was selected to receive the Blue Harness award honoring one of the great lead dogs in the race. The Blue Harness award sometimes goes to a leader of the winning team. This time however the guy who won the Junior, Conway Seavey, nominated Ashley’s lead dog, Cletus. Ashley dropped her best and most dependable leader at Yentna Station. Before departing she looked down her line of dogs and wasn’t at all certain about who to put in lead. She finally decided on one of the wheel dogs, lovable and friendly Cletus.

Cletus had NEVER run a step of lead in his whole live let alone 62 miles of a race. His specialty as a wheel dog was pulling the sled out and around tight corners. Cletus apparently liked the changing view from the front of the team and was very comfortable in his new job. Cletus was not intimidated by the overflow the mushers encountered on the trail. He was quite willing and game to follow Ashley and take the rest of the team through the water.

Cletus is a Seavey dog so Conway knows what he’s been doing all his life. When he saw Ashley guide her team under the finish banner, he was amazed at seeing Cletus in lead. There’s a lesson here – never let perception limit potential. Cletus obviously has the potential to be a great leader even though, for his whole life, he’s been perceived as a talented wheel dog.

Born to Run,

Sanka