Troy Holgate from Big Piney, Age 9 – 3rd Grade.
Troy volunteered at the Southwest Sublette County Pioneers Senior Center.
Troy Holgate
Tawny Albins
Tawny Albins from Kemmerer, Age 10 – 5th.
Tawny volunteered with Kemmerer/Diamondville interfaith during the live Nativity. She also helped the Catholic Church decorate for the Christmas Season, and has been volunteering with Western Veterinary Service doing clinic chores.
Landon Harris
Landon Harris from Dubois, Age 10 – 5th grade.
Landon completed his community service hours helping at the National Museum of Military Vehicles.
He’s excited to learn about how the dogs are trained and most of all getting to experience the thrill of the race.
Kylie Morgante
Kylie Morgante from Big Piney, Age 9 – 4th grade. Kylie is excited to have fun and meet all the sled dogs.
Kylianne Bohm
Kylianne Bohm from La Barge , Age 8 – 3rd grade.
Kylianne volunteered at the local thrift store on January 11. Every Tuesday, she helps the public librarians clean up when the after-school program ends.
James DeWitt
James DeWitt from Pinedale, Age 10 – 5th grade.
James completed his volunteer experience at Rendezvous Point Senior Center helping take down Christmas decorations and at the food pantry, helping with the monthly food distribution and labeling cans. He also helped at the Sublet County Library with crafts for the after-school program kids.
Giada McMillen
Giada McMillen (GiGi) from Driggs, Idaho; Age 10 – 4th grade.
GiGi is going to be volunteering at PAWS shelter by helping care for the animals in need as they wait to find their forever homes. She helps out at the Premier Pet Lodge by cleaning kennels and feeding the animals. And of course, giving all the animals lots of love and care. She’s glad to do whatever they ask of her to make the animals comfy.
Evelyn Barkley
Evelyn Barkley from Jackson, Age 11 – 5th grade.
Evelyn volunteered with the Hearts for the Hungry lunch program at her church. The program provides free hot lunches for those in need. She baked and delivered many baked goods for lunches.
Eliza Robbins
Eliza Robbins from Cheyenne, Age 10 – 4th Grade.
Eliza volunteered at the Black Dog Animal Rescue. During her time there, she provided socializing and potty breaks to dogs that stayed overnight; she cared for cats over the weekends by playing with them, feeding them, watering them and cleaning them out; she organized donations; cleaned and sanitized bowls and dishes; and washed/dried/and organized blankets, beds and other dirty laundry.
Elizabeth Grandy
Elizabeth Grandy from Kemmerer, Age 11 years – 6th grade.
Elizabeth helped design brochures for Fossil Basin Chamber of Commerce historic image gallery wall as well as design brochures for JC Penney historic walking tour and the script for the walking tour.
Decklyn Ryan
Decklyn Ryan from Pinedale, Age 10 – 4th grade.
Decklyn volunteered at the elementary school wrapping staff gifts and volunteered at the Food Basket cleaning and organizing.
Cal McLain
Cal McLain from Big Piney, Age 9 – 4th grade.
Cal shoveled snow for neighbors. He looks forward to placing 1st, 2nd, or 3rd.
Aly Richards
Aly Richards from Auburn, Age 13 – 7th grade.
Aly has volunteered at the Care Center in Afton. She served meals and played games. Aly also helped the Momco group by watching kids during their meetings.
#18 Stéphane Roy
18 — Stéphane Roy from Sainte-Anne-de-Madawaska, New Brunswick, Canada.
Age 34.
Born and raised in Sainte-Anne-de-Madawaska, Stéphane started dog sledding at the age of five, and it became a daily activity. In the last three years he’s competed in the Can-Am Crown International Sled Dog Race, La Chic-Chocs 40 (first place, 2024), Defi Lotbiniere Nahak (second place, 2024), and Cross Lake Trappers Festival Race (fourth place, 2024). “I’ve dreamed of running the Pedigree Stage Stop Race for a long time and am glad I made it this year”.
#17 Sean Hildreth
17 — Sean Hildreth, Bend, Oregon.
Age 30.
Sean began mushing in 2018 with Alpine Adventure Dog Sledding (Austin Forney’s kennel in Leadville, Colorado). “The first day of training I fell in love with the dogs, and the musher life,” he says. In 2022, Sean began working for Rachael and Jerry Scdoris at the Oregon Trail of Dreams where he worked with, and raced, their dog team. “Oregon and the kennel are my home, and the dogs are my family,” he says.
#16 Łukasz Paczynski
16 — Łukasz Paczynski — Swieradow-Zdroj, Poland.
Age 45.
Łukasz began sprint racing in 2007 in the Siberian husky class, and took third place World Championship. Then he took on middle distance racing in Europe. Last year he competed in the Norway Trail race (International mid-distance), IFSS third place World Championship, and later the 2024 La Grande Odyssée where he took fifth place overall and was awarded Rookie of the Year. This is Łukasz’ first time running the Stage Stop so let’s give him a warm Wyoming welcome.
#15 Dave Hochman
15 — Dave Hochman, Carlowrie, Manitoba, Canada.
Age 59.
Dave saw his first sled dog races at the Festival Du Voyager in Winnipeg, Manitoba in 1979. Afterwards, he convinced his mom to allow him three dogs, and that launched his mushing career. During the summer months, Dave is a provincial park maintenance worker. When not training sled dogs or working, he enjoys singing and playing in a band. Dave has two grown kids, Justin and Julie, and a wonderful partner, Janice, who is also his dog handler.
#14 Leonie Tetzner
14 — Leonie Tetzner, Burg Germany.
Age 14 and 10 months at race time.
“I race and train dogs, mostly open teams since I can stay on runners,” says Leonie, an enthusiastic, first time Stage Stop competitor. Leonie started running dogs when she was 4 years old. In Europe, she’s a bit of a media star, featured in radio, television and sports magazines. In 2023, she received the Susan’s Hope Award for Dog Care at the Fur Rondy. Leonie loves dogs — training, racing, and winning, and has 14 track record titles. “I like all the mushers and helpers from the Stage Stop!”
#13 JR Anderson
13 — JR Anderson from Buyck, Minnesota.
Age 45.
JR is a native of Minnesotan who has dedicated over 20 years to the sport of endurance canines. He and wife, Anna ‘Chapman’ Anderson, own the River Rock Kennel in Buyck, Minnesota. When not racing dogs, JR can be found playing with his daughter Sara and son Eli. Through research, extensive training, and competitive racing, he’s developed a keen knowledge of the canine’s ability to perform at accelerated levels.
#12 Bruce Magnusson
12 — Bruce Magnusson from Newberry, Michigan.
Age 61.
Bruce has run the Stage Stop Race more times than any other competitor in our 30-year history. The first time he ever got on a sled was a race in 2002, where he placed second; his dad took first. Bruce was hooked! Now in his 22nd year of mushing, he lives and trains in Newberry, in the upper peninsula of Michigan where he has a kennel. “The Stage Stop is always the primary focus of our race season, and I can’t imagine not being a part of this race and the Stage Stop family.”
