That’s A Wrap!
The last musher came through the finish chute late Friday night to claim the red lantern just after the volunteers, race judges, veterinarians and mushers gathered in downtown Fairbanks to celebrate the finish of the 2011 Yukon Quest.
This year’s Yukon Quest was dominated by extreme weather. Champion and Rookie of the year, Dallas Seavey says he was lucky but that he is also very excited to have finally won a sled dog race after mushing his whole life.
Second place finisher, Sebastian Schnuelle usually hopes for bad weather, because he says it’s what makes him competitive, but at the banquet he said his attitude may have changed.
Most of the mushers at the finish banquet shared Schnuelle’s opinion, including third place finisher, Ken Anderson.
Some of the more candid words came from Tok musher, Hugh Neff, who led the race until a windstorm on Eagle Summit ended his run. He says he will first and foremost always be a “Quest musher.” But he also says the race itself may have to change.
Neff lost a dog during his ordeal on Eagle Summit. He says money donated to his kennel from the National Education Association of Alaska will go towards animal care at both the Fairbanks and Whitehorse animal shelters.
The Veterinarian’s Choice award given for the most outstanding dog care this year was presented to Mike Ellis and his wife Sue. Ellis says he works hard to make sure his purebred Siberian huskies are healthy and happy.
Silver gets a steak dinner
Race Marshall Hans Oetteli had no difficulty to present Wasilla musher Kelley Griffin with the Challenge of the north award. Griffin says she can’t imagine living any other way than by the Code of the North.
Perhaps the most difficult vote was for the sportsmanship award. From Dawson City on, mushers found themselves working together. The vote ended in a three-way tie between Brent Sass, Mike Ellis and Allen Moore. All three mushers agreed that almost everyone who participated this year, deserved recognition for their sportsmanship.
A new award was given at this year’s banquet… the Silver legacy award in honor of Brent Sass’s leader, Silver, who has led at least four teams to safety during his career. Sass was presented with a portrait and Silver was given a steak dinner and a giant bowl filled with dog treats. Sass calls Silver the “heart and soul” of his kennel.
Hank DeBruin
The evening ended with the arrival of Canadian musher Hank DeBruin and his nine Siberian huskies, who crossed the finish in time to claim the red lantern from race director, Marti Steury.
25 mushers left Whitehorse and headed for Fairbanks. Nearly two weeks later, grueling trail conditions had tested even the toughest mushers and only 13 teams crossed the finish line in this the 28th annual Yukon Quest.
