Mushers Speed through Jackson in International Pedigree Stage Stop Sled Dog Race Kick-Off
Eight-day event features 22 teams, 10 towns, two states, and nearly 300 dogs
Jackson, Wyoming—January
27, 2006—Beneath the antler arches of
Jackson’s
Town Square, 22 teams left the
starting line in two-minute intervals during Stage One of
the International Pedigree Stage Stop Sled Dog Race (IPSSSDR).
The
highly competitive field of teams—which included last year's
second-place winner Jacques Philip, fresh from a win at
Europe's 2006 Grand Odysee, and first woman IPSSSDR winner
(2002), Melanie Shirilla—raced through the crowd-lined
streets on the three-mile course to Snow King Resort where
the Jackson Hole Winter Carnival staged a celebration
complete with torchlight parade, dancing, and fireworks.
Following
the
Jackson
stage, teams will continue to Lander, Pinedale, Alpine,
Kemmerer/Diamondville,
Evanston,
and Lyman/Mountain View before arriving in
Park
City,
Utah, for
the final stage and awards ceremony on February 4.
With its unique “stage stop” racing format, the IPSSSDR
stops in a different community each night, allowing
Wyoming’s
host towns to show their hospitality: Festivities on offer
for mushers and spectators alike include pancake feeds, dog
parades, banquets, carnivals, and snowshoe softball.
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.
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 a
complete schedule, visit the race Website at
www.wyomingstagestop.org,
contact the race via e-mail at
wystagestop@blissnet.com, or telephone at (307)
734-1163.
