Posts Categorized: Stage Stop Racers

18 — Rachel Courtney from Manitoba, Canada. Age 30. When she was ten years old in Mainburg, Germany, Rachel started mushing with her pet Siberian Husky, and was “immediately hooked on mushing.” Four years later she began bikejoring, riding a bike with a dog pulling. At 18, she came to Canada to learn more about the… Read more »

17 — Liz Thompson from Saint Anthony, Idaho. Age 32. Born and raised in Salt Lake City, Utah, Liz started mushing in 2011 with Luna Lobos Dog Sled Tours, then became a handler with Buddy and Terry Streeper for three seasons. “Although I’ve never had my own dogs, I’ve been lucky enough to learn from… Read more »

16 — Cathy Rivest from St-Paul-de-Joliette, Quebec, Canada. Age 46. Cathy began sledding as a twelve-year-old helping to run the family sled dog tour business. That tourist business quickly turned to competition — competitive sled dog racing. Cathy has raced sprint class, 4-dog and 6-dogs, and dryland. She’s been an active part of Quebec’s Provincial… Read more »

15 — Sarah Tarlton from Mountain, Wisconsin. Age 43. Sarah grew up in Mount Pleasant, Michigan and at 19, moved to Wisconsin where she now lives. Ryan Beaber and his daughters introduced Sarah to running sled dogs six years ago. She says that she’s been “deeply involved ever since. My time with the dogs is… Read more »

14 — Anny Malo from St-Zenon, Quebec, Canada. Age 52. Not only has Anny competed in the Stage Stop the last four years (2019 – 2022), she’s won every single time. She’s a biologist, Executive Director, and owner of Bio-Forest Management Rivest with her husband, Marco. “I began mushing in 1995 when I met Marco…. Read more »

13 — Alix Crittenden from Bondurant, Wyoming. Age 35.  Alix began mushing in 2009 as a guide for Frank Teasley’s JHI Sled Dog Tours. She has since raced all over North America for several different kennels. She and her husband own and operate Sleeping Indian Outfitters in Bondurant, Wyoming which offers horseback riding and hunting… Read more »

12 — Donny Poulin from The Pas, Manitoba, Canada. Age 48. This is Donny’s first time at the Stage Stop. It’s not surprising that Donny began mushing when he was four years old. His dad, Brian, started running dogs in the early 70s, his mother, Jackie, grew up with sled dogs, in fact, the 6-dog… Read more »

11 — Chris Adkins from Sand Coulee, Montana. Age 54. Chris grew up running dogs, and attempted his first distance race, the Race To The Sky 500, at 21. He entered the stage race in 2010 as a training run for Iditarod and fell in love with the trails of Wyoming. Chris has raced in… Read more »

10— Mike Bestgen from St. Cloud, Minnesota. Age 64. After running long and mid distance races the last 23 years, Mike decided to take on the Stage Stop this year. “It has always been a goal to race this amazing race,” he wrote in his online application. Mike has worked for Miller Chevrolet in Rogers,… Read more »

9 — Michael Tetzner from Burg, Germany. Age 57. Michael began mushing in 1987 after watching a sled dog race in Germany. He started running Siberian Huskies and has been racing dogs all over the world. He’s an IFFS (International Federation of Sleddog Sports) world champion. Michael has traveled to Alaska for years to participate in… Read more »

8 — Austin Forney from Leadville, Colorado. Age 41. Austin has run the Stage Stop the last seven years. Born and raised on a cattle ranch in western Nebraska, he now lives and trains at 10,152 feet in Leadville, Colorado. Fifteen years ago, Austin switched his allegiance from cattle and horses to sled dogs and… Read more »

7 — Thad McCracken from Mosier, Oregon. Age 49. During the 15 years that Thad has raced sled dogs he has steadily worked his way from 6-dog and 8-dog races to “open class”. He’s competed all over the lower 48 states, Alaska, and Canada. He’s run the Wyoming Stage Stop, Fur Rony, and “The Pas” World… Read more »

6 — Christina Gibson from Carlton, Washington. Age 20. At age 12, Christina ran a dog for the very first time, then started building her own team a year later. She now owns Whiteout Racing Kennel, a professional race team, in Methow Valley, Washington. Christina is a professional dog trainer and social media marketer living in… Read more »

5 — Tim Thiessen from Leadville, Colorado. Age 39. Tim has run the Stage Stop every year since 2019. His passion for dog sledding began in 2003 when he began working for a Breckenridge, Colorado dog sled tour company. He soon began competing in his local race circuit with his own team. Tim and his… Read more »

4— Bruce Magnusson from Newberry, Michigan. Age 59. 2023 marks Bruce’s eighteenth consecutive year running the Stage Stop Race — more than any other competitor in our 28-year history — and his twentieth year of mushing. He lives and trains in Newberry, in the upper peninsula of Michigan. “The Stage Stop is always the primary focus of… Read more »

3 — Dennis LaBoda from Grand Marais, Minnesota. Age 64. Sled dogs were a neighborhood activity when Dennis was growing up in Minnesota. His older brother, Dale, started mushing as a teenager, and raced the IPSSSDR in the early years of our event. Following his brother’s “footsteps in the snow” Dennis started mushing as a… Read more »

2 — Al Borak from Newberry, Michigan. Age 63. Al is a detail man who’s learned to read dogs, and how to take care of them. His special talent is preparing young dogs to be world-class racers, something he plans to do this year with a talented group of youngsters from Magnusson’s kennel. “Any dog… Read more »

1 — Randy DeKuiper from Hesparia, Michigan. Age 75. Randy is a proud native of Michigan, and, in his spare time, he’s grandfather to 13. He’s raced dogs for 53 years — New Hampshire, New York, Wyoming, Alaska, Minnesota, Michigan, Wisconsin, Ohio. And let’s not forget Canada—Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Ontario, and Quebec. “I look forward to… Read more »