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Congratulations to Anna Stephens for winning the 2019 Willow Junior 100 Race! All the racers (many rookies) did an excellent job in this year's event.
2019 Special Award Winners Humanitarian Award (Voted on by Race Veterinarians) - J. Cogdill Sportsmanship Award (Voted on by Mushers) - S. Bobby Skeeter Award (Voted on by Race Officials) - J. Baldich |
The 2019 Honorary Musher is Art Church - the honor will be accepted by his lovely wife, Bonnie.
Art started mushing dogs in 1984 when he met his wife Bonnie and she had a small recreational team. He was immediately hooked on the connection and bonding that he experienced with the dogs and started collecting dogs from other mushers. As he learned from his dogs and fellow mushers he became a very good dog man and enjoyed training, breeding and racing his sled dogs. He tried the Yukon Quest in 1986 but scratched within the first 200 miles and came home to regroup and reorganize. He was pursued by Susan Butcher to run her puppy team in the 1995 Iditarod which he did and finished successfully. He ran his own dogs, and teams for Martin Buser, Vern Halter and Dee Dee Jonrowe in 4 more Iditarods after that. He was also a valued Race Judge on many Iditarods when he was not running the race. He was well known for his no-nonsense and fair treatment of mushers when he was a judge and his exceptional dog care and dog training as a musher. He loved dogs more than he loved people and they felt the same way about him.
Art started mushing dogs in 1984 when he met his wife Bonnie and she had a small recreational team. He was immediately hooked on the connection and bonding that he experienced with the dogs and started collecting dogs from other mushers. As he learned from his dogs and fellow mushers he became a very good dog man and enjoyed training, breeding and racing his sled dogs. He tried the Yukon Quest in 1986 but scratched within the first 200 miles and came home to regroup and reorganize. He was pursued by Susan Butcher to run her puppy team in the 1995 Iditarod which he did and finished successfully. He ran his own dogs, and teams for Martin Buser, Vern Halter and Dee Dee Jonrowe in 4 more Iditarods after that. He was also a valued Race Judge on many Iditarods when he was not running the race. He was well known for his no-nonsense and fair treatment of mushers when he was a judge and his exceptional dog care and dog training as a musher. He loved dogs more than he loved people and they felt the same way about him.
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Congratulations to Graham Wappett - the winner of the 2018 Willow Junior 100!
2018 Award Winners:
Sportsmanship Award (voted on by mushers): Emma Shawcroft
Humanitarian Award (voted on by race vets): Colby Speers
Skeeter Award: Becca Stephan
Thanks to Race Veterinarians
Dr. Susan Whiton and Dr. Jessica Klejka
and Race Organizers Chris and Michael Stitt
Thanks to our outstanding and dedicated trail crew: Ruthan Stitt, Bushnell Backlund, Miranda Backlund, Karl Backlund, Buddy Giddens, Will Lyons, and Tyrell Seavey
And Thanks to our weary overnight checkpoint volunteers: Julia Deloach, Peter Nolan, Andrew Nolan, and Jenny Beall
And a HUGE thanks to the dedicated parents, friends, and families that support the children and their teams and allow them to have this experience.
Hot off the press - Check out our 2018 Willow Jr. 100 Race Sweatshirts!
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Front of sweatshirt.
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