Contact: Darla Worden, Media Relations, 307-752-4026, dworden@dimensional.com

For Immediate Release

Shirilla Wins Stage Seven of International Pedigree Stage Stop Sled Dog Race, Leads Overall

Lander, Wyoming—February 1, 2002—Melanie Shirilla from Lincoln, Montana, posted the fastest time in stage seven of the International Pedigree Stage Stop Sled Dog Race (IPSSSDR) with a time of 2:06:58. Doug Swingley from Lincoln, Montana, was second with 2:09:50; followed by Ken Anderson from Fairbanks, Alaska, with 2:11:06.

Jacques Philip from Nenana, Alaska, was fourth with 2:11:14; Sam Perrino was fifth with 2:13:55.

In overall times, Shirilla leads with 20:29:39; followed by Swingley in second with 21:16:59 and Anderson in third with 21:30:13.

Teams left at 9:00 a.m. on the 34-mile run from Bruce’s Landing to Lake Louise parking lot on Hwy 28. Immediately following the stage seven, teams drove to Evanston where they will spend the night before departing on stage eight tomorrow, Saturday, February 2, at 9:00 a.m. The official starting line is 30 miles south of Evanston, at Bear River Ranger Station.

With its unique stage stop racing format, the IPSSSDR stops in a different Wyoming community each night. The 2002 race, which began on January 26, will travel through Evanston, Mountain View, Lyman, Kemmerer/Diamondville and Alpine before returning to Jackson Hole on February 6.

During the 12-day race, Pedigree will host a daily web cast on www.pedigree.com, that will feature video footage of the race. Through Homeward Bound, a national pet adoption support program, Pedigree will make a donation to animal shelters for each visitor to the site during the race.

The International Pedigree Stage Stop Sled Dog Race was founded in 1996 by Frank Teasley to make sled dog racing more accessible to the public. The event is supported by a number of Wyoming businesses including Union Cellular, Bank of Jackson Hole and JacksonHoleNet.com. For more information, visit the race website at www.wyomingstagestop.org, or contact the race via e-mail at wystagestop@blissnet.com.