Last year, Monica place finished in a hotly contested second place in last year’s 8-Dog Classic just ONE SECOND OVERALL! She’s been hooked on racing since the day her father-in-law invited her and husband Bruce to watch a race he was competing in. Although better known for her handling and blogging skills, Monica is a 4-time TCSDR Champion with several mid-west races under her belt. She’s supported her husband, Bruce, as his handler extraordinaire in eleven Stage Stops and considers the racing organization her mushing family. She says she’s “excited to return to the beautiful Wyoming mountains and compete again this year!”

Around the age of 5, Jeff started mushing with his grandfather Terry Adkins’ dogs. “My Dad then got a few dogs of his own and eventually we started giving dog sled tours from Montana to Utah. In other words, he’s been mushing most of his life. And when he’s not running dogs or working, Jeff enjoys all sorts of outdoor activities like hunting, fishing, and camping. “Anything outdoors,” he adds. “I have another enjoyable group of puppies this year and am looking forward to putting them through the great experience!”

Greta is from Oak Creek, Colorado and is currently attending school at Suffolk University in Boston, Massachusetts. She’s been mushing her whole life alongside her dad, Tom Thurston. She says that while she loves her time in Boston, her heart is always with her dogs in Colorado. This year Greta’s racing a team of dogs that she raised from puppies, so look out for a team of dogs named after her favorite book characters. One of the youngest competitors in last year’s Stage Stop (age 17) Greta says she’s really excited to be competing in Wyoming again this year!

2019 marks Bruce’s 14th consecutive Stage Stop Race — more consecutive races than any other competitor in the 24-year history of our event! Bruce’s father trained black labs for national competitive field trials and, fatefully, met a professional sled dog racer, Lloyd Gilbertson. That’s when Dad brought home a pair of dogs. Bruce and his wife Monica (see Monica’s bio; she is a competitor this year) went to a race to “see what Dad was up to” and “got hooked.” Although he grew up playing sports, Bruce says that for him no other sport compares to the thrill of sled dog racing. “It’s so surreal out there when it’s quiet, and you watch these amazing animals do what they can do.”

A health and safety supervisor for Chesapeake Energy in Wyoming, Allan began his mushing career in 1998 with a few Siberian Husky rescues, mentored by Pam Dunn who started the Casper Mountain Dog Sled Race in 1995. “I’m married to my best friend, Tabetha, who introduced me to the sport of mushing 21 years ago,” says Allan. The two have been blessed with four beautiful children and two granddaughters. “I’m looking forward to competing against the best in the world at this year’s Stage Stop!”

Jeff is a retired USDA research scientist who began mushing in 1983. Sled dog racing was a part-time venture for Jeff while employed, but after he retired in 2012 he became a fulltime participant, determined to compete in the Wyoming Stage Stop. Jeff has run in each consecutive Stage Stop since 2013 and has steadily improved in the standings. Last year he finished in a respectable fifth place. From racing three-dog sprint class, Jeff has progressed through five-, eight-, and ten-dog classes, and has won two ISDRA gold medals.

Chris is a lumberyard worker and dispatcher who began running dogs as a four-year-old working with his dad’s team. As a boy he competed in dog races in Alaska. Since then, he’s entered the Iditarod which he describes as his “great accomplishment so far,” especially seeing the trail that his dad, Race Marshall Terry Adkins, had told him so much about. The Race to the Sky, which he’s entered “12 or 13 times,” resulted in his favorite award—in 2010 he received the Best Kept Team honor. He’s also received the sportsmanship award numerous times.

Laura’s interest in sled dogs started when she got her first dog as a ten year old. She’s been hooked ever since. This led to a life of working summers in Washington state for my family’s construction company, then relocating dogs and myself to Montana for fall and winter training. Laura has run the Stage Stop the last three years, Race to the Sky “lots of times,” the Iditarod in 2008 and 2009, and four coast-to-coast race circuits. She’s received multiple Best Cared For Team and Sportsmanship Awards.

Fernando Ramirez has been running dogs since his elementary school days and says that his love for sled dogs has not faded in all the years since. He and his wife Dana own and operate a sled dog touring operation, Rancho Luna Lobos, on their rancho just minutes from Park City, Utah. Their two boys — Gabirel, age 7, and Noah, age 6 — currently race in the two-dog class. Fernando raced in the 2018 Eukenuba 8-Dog Classic where he placed fifth and says that he’s “looking forward to stepping up to the full Stage Stop Race this year.”

A native Minnesotan, JR Anderson has dedicated over 20 years to the sport of endurance canines. Through research, extensive training, and competitive racing, he’s developed a keen knowledge of the canine’s ability to perform at accelerated levels. He and wife, Anna ‘Chapman’ Anderson, own River Rock Kennel in Buyck, Minnesota. When not racing dogs, JR can be found playing with his daughter Sara and son Eli.

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.”

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.