6 — Bruce Magnusson from Newberry, Michigan.
Age 57.

This will be Bruce’s sixteenth consecutive Stage Stop — more consecutive races than any other competitor in the 26-year history of our event — and his 18th year of mushing. Although Bruce grew up playing sports, he says that for him no other sport compares to the thrill of sled dog racing. On his race application, he wrote “this is my favorite race because of the format, the competitive field, and the camaraderie of the whole Stage Stop family. It gives me a perfect excuse to spend 8 days on the trail with my best friends.”

5 — Chris Adkins from Sand Coulee, Montana.
Age 52.

Chris Adkins is a lumber yard worker/dispatcher, and he and his wife, Shannon, operate a 49 dog kennel in Sand Coulee, Montana. He began running his dad’s dogs when he was four years old. Later, he took on one dog race, and then at 21 began his distance career with the Race to the Sky 500. He went on to compete in the Iditarod in 2010, same year as his first IPSSSDR. The Stage Stop has become the focal point of each season.

4 — Anny Malo from Quebec, Canada.
Age 49.

Last year’s Stage Stop champion, Anny was a biologist just out of the university when she met Marco, his group of sled dogs, and literally fell in love with the man and his canine crew. Twenty five years later, they’re all still in love. The pair decided to learn more about the sport in 1998 and worked as handlers with Joe Redington at his Iditarod Kennel in Alaska, a wonderful and powerful experience. With that knowledge and passion, Anny kept driving and racing dogs in Québec and Canada. The family got bigger with two boys, and the sport became a way of life for everyone. Now they travel around North America competing in the sport they love with the dogs and the people they love.

3— Tim Thiessen from Leadville, Colorado.
Age 37.

Tim’s passion for dog sledding began in 2003 when he was hired to work for a Breckenridge, Colorado dog sled tour company. Afterwards, he put together his own team of Alaskan Huskies and competed in local races. He caught the “stage race bug” at the 2018 Eukanuba 8-Dog Classic, and this will be his third time running this race. Tim and fiancé Natalie share their high-altitude homestead in the Mosquito Range of central Colorado with 23 dogs, two cats, a flock of chickens, and some ducks. “I look forward to the challenges of training for this race and I’m excited to take part in this esteemed event.”

2 — Austin Forney from Leadville, Colorado.
Age 39.

Austin was born and raised on a cattle ranch in the Sandhills of western Nebraska, and now lives and trains at 10,152 ft. in Leadville, Colorado. Fourteen years ago he switched from cattle and horses to sled dogs, and has been chasing his mushing dreams ever since. He and Rich and Ben, his veteran handlers, are “excited to spend another year in Wyoming with all of the amazing people and dogs of the Pedigree Stage Stop Race.” He also wants to send a huge thanks to all of his family and friends for their continued love and support. This marks Austin’s sixth consecutive year at the Stage Stop Race. “See you in Jackson!”

1 – Alix Crittenden Bondurant, Wyoming.
Age 33.

Alix Crittenden and her husband Sam own and operate Sleeping Indian Outfitters where they guide horseback, fishing, and hunting trips. For the last five years, Alix has run dogs for Frank Teasley’s Jackson Hole Iditarod Racing. She gives a special thanks to all her dogs “for always being the best they can be.” After finishing third last year, she can’t wait to see her Stage Stop family again. “This race is our big goal for the year.”

#25 — Tim Thiessen from Leadville, Colorado.

Tim’s passion for dog sledding began in 2003 when he was hired to work for a Breckenridge, Colorado dog sled tour company. Soon afterwards, he began to put together his own team of Alaskan huskies and competed in last year’s Eukanuba 8-Dog Classic. Tim lives with his fiancé Natalie in the Mosquito Range of Central Colorado. They share their high altitude homestead with eighteen dogs, two cats, as well as a flock of chickens and ducks. “I look forward to competing alongside this group of esteemed mushers.”

#24 — Richard Beck from Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada.

Richard is a Supervisor with the City of Yellowknife. He grew up in a family of mushers where dogs were a part of their culture. He’s placed in the top 10 in multiple races in Europe, Alaska, British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Quebec. Richard recently captured his 11th champion title at the 64th Dominion Diamond Canadian Championship Dog Derby December 27, 2018. He raced the 2012 and 2013 International Pedigree® Stage Stop Sled Dog Race and says “I’m looking forward to competing with some of the best dog mushers in the world.” Richard and crew will drive 2,700 miles, one way, to the race start in Jackson.

#23 — Tommy Bird from Southend, Saskatchewan, Canada.

Tommy has been around dogs all his life and tells his story better than anyone, “…from first dog a few days old when my mom brought me home from hospital …dad pick us up by airplane …help my dad in trapping as a kid age 8 to 14 with dog teams …by 10 drive my dad trapping with well-trained team to haul wood …age of 14 my first race …borrowed local trapper team and finish last. Start racing in 1981 …race over 300 races, won 100 of them. Highlights …won The Pas Manitoba 1998 World Championship and Sask Championship I think 85 …Race most of the races in northern Sask and Manitoba and some in Alberta and the NWT …race in the Artic …Baker Lake NWT …raced in 8-dog class in Stage Stop …raced in Fairbanks. As a person …trapper …commercial fisherman …outdoorsman and self-employed. Married to wife Marion Bird for 40 years …3 children all grown up with 6 grandkids and 3 girls we adopted …and dog kennel …any given year 40 to 70 dogs and pups. I learn most about dogs watching my late dad in the trapping handle his team and from my late good friend George Attla …and my good friend Richard Beck and trying many different ways training dogs. I want to race the Stage Stop one of the greatest dog races around.”

#22 — Rachel Courtney from Caliento, Manitoba, Canada.

Born in Mainburg, Germany, Rachel began bikejoring (riding a bike with a dog pulling) when she was 14 years old; she was “immediately was hooked on mushing,” she says. Four years later, she came to Canada from her native Germany to learn more about sled dogs, and met her husband. In 2012, they started their own kennel which now consists of 42 dogs. “I am really excited for this race. Ever since I heard about it, it has been a dream of mine to one day run it.”