Alexandra moved from her native Switzerland to the Yukon in 2008 and started her kennel the following year. She has enjoyed racing many competitions including the Percy Jr. (2010, 2011, 2017), Percy DeWolfe Memorial Race (2015, 2016, 2018), Yukon Quest 300 (2015), as well as both the Tustumena 100 and Two Rivers 100 races last year. “I’m looking forward to expanding my horizon by traveling to Wyoming for the first time and running the Stage Stop Race.”

Justin started mushing at the age of 12 and says he “immediately fell in love with this life style.” He first enjoyed shorter ten-mile sprint races, and raced in the Québec circuit for several years. In 2015, Justin decided to try something new, loaded up 24 dogs, and traveled over 2,000 miles to race The Pas World Championship and the Cross Lake Trappers Festival Race in Manitoba. Somewhere along the way he met Fanny Houle at a sled dog race and says, “we’re now waiting for a lil’ musher to be born in December. We always wanted to come to Wyoming to visit and can’t wait to race there.”

Linda started running dogs with two dogs for a skijor team after she retired from a 28-year career in law enforcement. Her kennel has grown to 18 dogs and includes 15 Alaskan Huskies and three Hound Cross team members. Linda lives in Okanogan, Washington with her husband, a ranch dog, sled dogs and two mules, and trains out of Seeley Lake, Montana. Linda raced the 2018 Eukanuba 8-Dog Classic which inspired her to compete in this year’s Stage Stop Race. “I look forward to the beautiful scenery, the challenge of the race and meeting friends new and old.”

Dan started his dog sledding career in 1999. He worked as a handler for an Iditarod team from 2000 until 2005. In 2005, he started an expedition company taking groups into Idaho’s Selkirk Wilderness. Dan and his family own and operate a large touring kennel in Colorado where they’ve been training and raising a healthy and energetic group of young dogs specifically bred for the fast pace of the Stage Stop Race. “I’m excited to compete with these amazing dogs and especially to be racing my own bloodlines.”

Alix and husband Sam own and operate Sleeping Indian Outfitters in Bondurant, Wyoming where they guide horseback, fishing, and hunting trips. Alix runs the team for Jackson Hole Iditarod Sled Dogs. Last year Alix ran the Pinedale Sled Dog Classic, Ashton Dog Derby, Open North American Championship, Cross Lake Trappers Festival Race in Manitoba as well as the 2018 Pedigree Stage Stop Race where she placed fourth. Alix placed second in the 2016 Pedigree (now Eukanuba) 8-Dog Classic, eighth in the 2017 IPSSSDR, and sixth in the 2014 IPSSSDR. “This race is our big goal for the year and we look forward to traveling and competing with our stage stop family every year!”

Austin lives and trains at 10,152 ft. in Leadville, Colorado where he’s the Kennel Manager for Alpine Adventures Dogsledding. He thanks his wife, his family, and everyone at Alpine Adventures Dogsledding for their continued love and support. Austin says he’s “excited to race another year in Wyoming with his friends and family of the Pedigree Stage Stop Race.” This marks Austin’s fourth consecutive year at the Stage Stop. “See you in Jackson!”

“When Clayton Perry starts hooking his sled dogs into their harnesses, they know it’s time to run,” Dillon Kato reported in the Missoulian. A civil engineer and home-center owner, Clayton operates T.S.A. Kennels and says that he can’t wait to start running them this year. He’s a member of the Montana Mountain Mushers, a statewide sled dog group; their training rides begin every year at the group’s fall meeting. “Every race has been an adventure with a learning curve; I plan on enjoying this sport for as long as I’m able,” he states. “I’m looking forward to mushing again in this year’s 8-Dog Classic with great friends in this great sport.”

8-DOG CLASSIC LINEUP #9 — Liz Roberts from SLC , Utah

Liz Roberts, from Salt Lake City Utah. I’m 26. I started running dogs with a tour team in park city. I’ve since ran dogs for Streeper kennels and now for sky rider ranch, A young living farm based in Tabiona, Utah. I’ve ran this race twice. I love the format and I’m excited to run it again.

MEET THE 2018 EUKANUBA 8-DOG CLASSIC COMPETITORS:
Rusty Wilsey from Pinedale, Wyoming.

Rusty grew up in southwestern Washington running the family hunting hounds. Three years ago he handled dogs for his girlfriend during the 8-dog and fell in love with the sport. He began running dogs, and has raced in west Yellowstone, Ashton, and his hometown race in Pinedale. This will be his first experience running the Eukanuba 8-Dog Classic.

For several years he worked as a driller which he describes as long days, exhausting work, and at the end of the week you know you deserved your pay check. The thrill of operating heavy equipment is awesome, he says, but can be very dangerous at the same time. Now he installs windshields, garage doors, house windows, and glass showers for Pinedale Glass, and the excitement in his life is from sports.

“I’ll never let anything come between me and my love for the outdoors,” Rusty says. “Rock climbing, 4x4ing, fishing, rafting, horseback riding, and all the other fun weekend experiences may be a lot of work, but it’s always worth it in the end.”

A professional dog trainer, Jane moved to Bend, Oregon over ten years ago. In addition to being a certified Pet Dog Trainer, she writes environmental books for children. Jane has spent many years rescuing Siberian Huskies and has attended Mushing Boot Camp with Anne Stead and Jaimie Nelson. She enters all her dogs in agility competitions and enjoys an active lifestyle that includes hiking, kayaking, cross-country skiing and music. “Dogs have so much to teach us, and make us better people,” she says with enthusiasm. Please welcome Jane to the 2018 EUKANUBA 8-Dog Classic.

Jenny is a Montana State University student from Bozeman, and a second-generation musher who has competed in stage, mid-distance, and distance races across the lower 48 and Alaska. She and her husband, Mike, live in a cabin they built themselves with their 13 huskies. They enjoy backcountry winter camping trips with their team when they aren’t at the races. This will be Jenny’s fourth Stage Stop — two years ago she placed third in the 8-Dog Classic and clocked the fastest time for the Alpine Stage. “I’m excited to be returning to this race and look forward to meeting some old friends and making some new ones,” she adds.

Jordan began mushing with Chirs Adkins’ Montana Dawg Company in 2013, operating tours in Park City, Utah. Under Chris’ guidance, Jordan ran the 2015 Race to the Sky 100 and says, “I was hooked and slowly worked towards building my own dog team, while continuing to run under Chris’s Kennel.” During the summer he’s a wildland fire fighter and during the winter he’s a sales rep and handler for Chris. Jordan moved back to his home town of Minersville, UT and now has his own sled dog team. “I have 11 dogs thanks to Austin Forney and this will be our first season racing as Desert Dog Sledding of Minersville, Utah.”

​Tim’s passion for dog sledding began in 2003 when he was hired to work at a local dog yard. His desire to train his own team grew while working for another musher, and when given the opportunity to rescue several Alaskan Huskies, Tim’s dreams soon turned in to a reality. Training is usually on National Forest roads that surround his off-grid property at 11,000′ elevation in central Colorado which gives his team the advantage of high altitude training with constantly varying conditions. “This event is a culmination of many years of training, and I look forward to participating in this esteemed stage race.

As a teenager, Gabe started her mushing career with a single puppy from the local dog pound in Valdez, Alaska. She moved to Willow, Alaska for 8 years where she where she fell in love mushing and long distance racing. In 2011, Gabe relocated to Bend, Oregon where she and her husband, Wayne, keep a small kennel of 8 to12 race dogs, puppies and geriatrics, a mascot golden retriever and get to train in the “gorgeous Cascades mountains.” “My team and I are excited to be returning to this year’s EUKANUBA 8-Dog Classic. We always look forward to racing in Wyoming” she says with enthusiasm.

“I’ve been racing sled dogs since I was a kid,” Fernando states on his race application. He and his wife Dana have 40 sled dogs and have owned a touring company for the last nine years at their Ranch, Rancho Luna Lobos in Peoa, Utah. Fernando’s goal is to take his racing career to the next level in addition to the dog tours. In the summer months they offer kids’ camps and cart tours. Their oldest son, Gabriel, is running two dogs currently and also looking to race this winter. Having to withdraw from the race last year, Fernando adds “I’m really looking forward to competing in this year’s EUKANUBA 8-Dog Classic!”

Linda began running dogs in 2011 after retiring from a successful career in law enforcement. She started out skijoring with two dogs and now has a kennel of 15 dogs which include Alaskan Huskies and Hound Cross team members. Linda lives with her husband, two mules and 16 dogs in Okanogan, Washington. She has committed to living and training in Seeley Lake, Montana for the 2018 season. The 8-Dog Classic is a key milestone in Linda’s racing career. “I look forward to the challenging trails, welcoming community and keen competition offered by this race,” states an enthusiastic Linda.