In addition to altering the course,
Teasley announced changes in payment of the $100,000 purse.
“The purse remains at $100,000.
However, $50,000 will be split top 15 overall winners and, new this year,
$50,000 will be split among the eight days for the day money. This allows
teams who may not have a shot at the overall lead to take home prize money
if they have an excellent day,” Teasley said.
Now in its eighth year, the
2003 race begins in Jackson Hole, and travels through Dubois, Lander,
Evanston, Mountain View, Lyman, Kemmerer/Diamondville, Alpine, and Pinedale
before finishing at Teton Village in Jackson Hole.
With its unique “Stage Stop”
racing format, the race stops in a different Wyoming community each night.
Towns host festivities for mushers and spectators ranging from junior dog
sled races for children, dog parades, ice sculpture contests, banquets,
carnivals and fishing derbies.
The IPSSSDR is limited to 30
teams. Previous IPSSSDR champions include Rick Swenson, Alaska, 1996; Hans
Gatt, Austria, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2001; Jeff King, Alaska, 1999; and
Melanie Shirilla, Montana, 2002. Shirilla, the first woman to win the race,
will return in 2003 as the defending champion.
Pedigree Food for Dogs is
the title sponsor of the IPSSSDR. The Pedigree brand actively supports a
wide range of programs that promote responsible pet ownership and highlight
the contributions dogs make to society. Such programs include Homeward
Bound, a national pet adoption support program to encourage adoption of the
nation’s 12 million homeless animals; the National Association for Search
and Rescue; police canine units; and non-profit organizations that train and
place service dogs for hearing and visually impaired people. During the
2003 IPSSSDR, Pedigree will host a daily web cast on its web site,
mypetstop.com, that will feature video footage of the race. Through Homeward
Bound, 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. For more information, visit the race Website at
www.wyomingstagestop.org,
contact the race via e-mail at
wystagestop@blissnet.com or call (307) 734-1163, or visit
www.pedigree.com.
January 24, 2003
Jackson Hole, Vet Check
January 25, 2003
Jackson Hole, Stage One
January 26, 2003
Dubois, Stage Two
January 27, 2003
Lander, Stage Three
January 28, 2003
Evanston/Mtn View/Lyman, Stage Four
January 29, 2003
Kemmerer, Stage Five
January 30, 2003
Alpine, Stage Six
January 31, 2003
Pinedale, Stage Seven
February 1,
2003 Teton Village, Stage Eight
