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4-Peat Iditarod

Mush! You Huskies: Short Seeley

July 5, 2010 by teamineka

Short Seeley and Wonalancet Farm

On the Mush! You Huskies radio show we are continuing our summer series on Dog Sledding Legends. This week’s episode profiles Short Seeley and her Wonalancet Farm.

Listen to Mush! You Huskies: Short Seeley

A large measure of the success of the Siberian Husky and the Alaskan Malamute as purebred sled and show dogs is given to a small sprightly woman known as “Short” Seeley. When Arthur Walden left New Hampshire to go with Admiral Byrd, he left his Chinook kennels in the more than capable hands of Milton and Eva Seeley.  The enthusiasm and complete professional dedication which the Seeley’s lavished on northern dogs influenced (and still does) the status of these dogs all over the world.

At Wonalancet Farm and kennels during the late 1920’s the Seeley’s established a school for dogs and dog drivers. The graduates of this school, both human and canine, have gone on Antarctic expeditions, served in the United States Armed Forces and made names for themselves on the sport racing trails. The kennel and training school at Wonalancet is the oldest privately run school in operation anywhere, and up until 1955, Short Seeley supplied dogs for the United States Navy’s Operation Deepfreeze in Antarctica.

The dogs favored by the Seeley’s were Alaskan Malamutes and Siberian Huskies. It was primarily through their efforts that a true-to-type Alaskan Malamute was recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1938. The Seeley’s organized the Alaskan Malamute Club of America and kept the New England Sled Dog Club in business after its first president went to Antarctica.  Mrs. Seeley herself was one of three women who raced the New England trails during the 1930’s. She was also the only woman to race sled dogs in the 1932 Olympics. Later in life, Mrs. Seeley had minimal involvement in the operation of her kennel while she was traveling all over the country as a judge for the American Kennel Club, working on books about her life and her dogs.

Mrs. Seeley, as the operator of Chinook Kennels for over fifty years, had seen over two thousand dogs enter her gates. The accomplishments of these dogs and the achievements of the kennels have been nationally recognized. Admiral Byrd visited in the early thirties, and a plaque was dedicated to all the sled dogs that served on the Byrd Expedition. In 1971, Senator Norris Colton, of New Hampshire, read a tribute to Short Seeley into the congressional record citing in particular her excellent contributions to the world of northern dogs. Mrs. Seeley was also honored by election to the Dog Mushers’ Hall of Fame. At the time of her election, she was one of only two women to be so distinguished.

___________________

Dr. Robert Forto is the Dog Sledding Examiner, a musher training for his first Iditarod under the Team Ineka banner and the host of the Mush! You Huskies Radio Show

Filed Under: Mushing Tagged With: #dogs, #dogtraining, 4-Peat Iditarod, denver dog works, dog doctor radio, dog sledding, Dog Sledding Examiner, Dog Sledding Legends, dog training denver, forto, Iditarod, short seeley, sled dogs, team ineka

Candlelight and Books=4-Peat for Mackey

June 10, 2010 by teamineka

Candlelight and Books=4-peat for Mackey

By Robert Forto, PhD

4-time Iditarod Champion, Lance Mackey, will go down in history as the only musher (to date) to do the unprecedented, win the Iditarod four times in a row.

Mackey, 39 was born and raised in Alaska. The back-to-back-to-back-to-back Iditarod Champion and four-time Yukon Quest champion and current record holder says he began mushing “at birth.”

“I grew up around racing and the Iditarod. I was at the finish lie in 1978 to see my father, Dick, win by one second. In 1993, my older brother, Rick, won. Both my father and brother won wearing bib #13 in their sixth Iditarod.” says Mackey.

Mackey’s finish today was like no other in history. Not only did he win the ‘Last Great Race’ for the fourth time in a row he did it in typical Mackey style with little to no-rest and blowing past the competitors, King, Baker, Neff, and 2010 Yukon Quest champion, Hans Gatt. In an interview this year on the website http://www.mushing.tv Mackey explains how he prepares for racing the Iditrod with little to no sleep at all. He explains that he starts off by turning out all the lights and turning the heat on full blast and reads by candlelight. He increases the time each day until he has no problem staying up for extended periods of time.

The winner of this year’s Iditarod wins $50.400 and a new dodge truck. Does Mackey really need another truck? He has won the prize the last four years in a row! I think last year he claimed a new car for his wife Tonya. He does have three children: Amanda, Britney and Cain, all of driving age. Maybe they can start a Mackey convoy!

Citation: The Official Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race Guide 2010.

Tags: Lance Mackey | Iditarod | Team Ineka | Dog Training Denver | Dog Doctor Radio | Denver Dog Works

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Dr. Robert Forto is a musher training for his first Iditarod in 2013 mushing under the Team Ineka banner. Dr. Forto hosts a radio show, Mush! You Huskies that can be heard at http://www.mushingradio.com. Dr. Forto can be reached through his website at https://teamineka.com

Filed Under: Mushing Tagged With: 4-Peat Iditarod, dog doctor radio, dog sledding, Dog Sledding Examiner, Dog Sledding Legends, Lance Mackey, Mushing

A Life with Dogs

June 2, 2010 by teamineka

A Life with Dogs

By Robert Forto, PhD

The relationship between a sled dog driver and his dogs is unique in history, and in the world of sports. The dependence of the driver on his dogs, and the dogs on the driver is like no other sport. A well trained team is virtually priceless to its owner. Every dog in the team is important, although a driver often favors his leader.  There is no question the task of bringing the best out of his dogs falls on the driver. It is no accident that the exceptional lead dogs belong to exceptional drivers.

Throughout history, several racing drivers (and their dogs) stand out as superior. Not only are their racing records impressive, but these drivers have been able to bring an uncommon talent to their sport and to advance it in several distinct ways. Besides those already honored in the Dog Mushers’ Hall of Fame, others have made or are making extraordinary contributions to sled dog racing, and they will be the recipients of future honors.

Many of these mushers are household names, like Seppala, Jonrowe, Butcher, Neff and Buser. Others are family dynasties like Mackey and Reddington. The sport of mushing (or as some still call it dog sledding) is the most unique sport in the world. It is a full time job, a passion, a dream chaser and a way of life. There are very few “weekend warriors” in the sport of mushing. Why? The answer is simple: A musher lives a life with dogs…

What are your stories of life on the trail? Send me an email at leaddog@teamineka.com

____________________

Dr. Robert Forto the Dog Sledding Examiner and is a musher training for his first Iditarod racing under the Team Ineka banner.


Filed Under: Mushing Tagged With: #dogs, #dogtraining, 4-Peat Iditarod, Dog Sledding Examiner, forto, ineka, Mushing, robert forto, sled dogs, team ineka

Dogs Need Heroes Too

March 20, 2010 by teamineka

Dogs Need Heroes Too

By Michele Forto

“I had seven dogs who would go to the end of the earth for me, and nine more who would try,” Lance Mackey, 4-time Iditarod Champion

When I was a kid superheroes were still popular.  I remember being seven years old and not just dressing up as Wonder Woman for Halloween but wishing I had that invisible airplane of hers to travel around in.

My kids generation, being born in the nineties, I can’t recall them actually having superheroes to look up to.  That was the time of sport heroes.  We all know and can understand when we place the burden of being a superhero onto a regular person who just happens to be able to “fly” on the basketball court that it sets that person up to quite a bit of scrutiny.

It’s refreshing to read stories about the Iditarod in its 38th year and listen to the passion in the voices of the men and women as they talk about their dogs and the Last Great Race.  I myself turn 38 years old this year and I’m always saddened to realize that I didn’t know that the Iditarod was even a race until about 18 years ago.  Growing up in California it wasn’t taught in the schools.  Sure I saw the movie Iron Will and read the stories about Balto.  I knew of the Great Serum Run and the significance that it had on the State of Alaska, but other than that it seemed like fiction to me.

When I met my husband Robert, within four months he had my eight year old son Kyle, and myself on the back of a dog sled, the cool wind in our faces, holding on for dear life.  I remember feeling very afraid, “where are these dogs going to take me!”  After my first run and losing my team, I realized it wasn’t about the dogs it was about the musher.  I had to learn to trust my dogs, especially my leader, and work with them as a team.

This realization came together for me on a very bad  six mile run on Casper Mountain in Wyoming.  I was running a new lead dog, her first race with me, a dog just 10-weeks postpartum, and four yearlings in their first race.  There was a terrible snow storm that blew out the trails; visibility was zero in places and the other mushers where too far ahead of me to be of any guidance.  At one point I stopped my team to adjust their harnesses, the snow on the trail was about 8 inches deep and there was a steep hill ahead of us.  I got to my leaders, Moon, my newest dog, and Tamaya, a great dog who ran for my  three year old daughter, I told my girls to take us home.  I set us back on the trail and we headed out with me dredging through the thick wet snow with my girls digging in and tugging hard.  We finally arrived at the finish line with my husband and two other people that were mushing our dogs and my three kids, everyone happy to see me.  I was happy to see them too, but I was proudest of my dogs, the seven of us learned how to be a team.

You see the Iditarod and all the dog sled races out there are just there as a way for the musher to pay back to his team, it’s their reward for being heroes along the way.  The dogs will let you yell, cry, laugh, and joke around, they won’t ever judge you and IF you can let yourself go you will find the hero within you.

I have a poster up in my training center of Iditarod champion Doug Swingley it simply says “Dog’s Need Heroes Too”. I know I was a hero to my dogs that day and they know they were my heroes.

Tags: Michele Forto | Iditarod | Team Ineka | Dog Training Denver | Dog Doctor Radio | Denver Dog Works | Mushing Radio | Duluth Dog Works

___________________

Michele Forto is the business manager and lead trainer at Denver Dog Works. Michele can be reached through her website at http://www.denverdogworks.com

Filed Under: Mushing Tagged With: #dogs, #dogtraining, 4-Peat Iditarod, denver dog works, dog doctor radio, dog sledding, dog training denver, Hugh Neff, Iditarod, ineka, leadership, Mushing, pet training denver, sport racing, team ineka

Candlelight and Books=4-Peat for Mackey

March 16, 2010 by teamineka

Candlelight and Books=4-Peat for Mackey

By Robert Forto, PhD

Four-time Iditarod Champion, Lance Mackey, will go down in history as the only musher (to date) to do the unprecedented, win the Iditarod four times in a row.

Mackey, 39, was born and raised in Alaska. The back-to-back-to-back-to-back Iditarod Champion and four-time Yukon Quest champion and current record holder says he began mushing “at birth.”

“I grew up around racing and the Iditarod. I was at the finish line in 1978 to see my father, Dick, win by one second. In 1993, my older brother, Rick, won. Both my father and brother won wearing bib #13 in their sixth Iditarod.” says Mackey.

Mackey’s finish today was like no other in history. Not only did he win the ‘Last Great Race’ for the fourth time in a row, he did it in typical Mackey style with little to no-rest and blowing past the competitors, King, Anderson, Baker, Neff, and 2010 Yukon Quest champion, Hans Gatt. In an interview this year on the website http://www.mushing.tv Mackey explains how he prepares for racing the Iditarod with little to no sleep at all. He explains that he starts off by turning out all the lights and turning the heat on full blast and reads by candlelight. He increases the time each day until he has no problem staying up for extended periods of time.

The winner of this year’s Iditarod wins $50,400.00 and a new dodge truck. Does Mackey really need another truck? He has won the prize the last four years in a row! I think last year he claimed a new car for his wife Tonya. He does have three children: Amanda, Britney and Cain, all of driving age. Maybe they can start a Mackey convoy!

Citation: The Official Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race Guide 2010.

Tags: Lance Mackey | Iditarod | Team Ineka | Dog Training Denver | Dog Doctor Radio | Denver Dog Works | Mushing Radio | Duluth Dog Works

_______________

Dr. Robert Forto is a musher training for his first Iditarod in 2013 mushing under the Team Ineka banner. Dr. Forto hosts a radio show, Mush! You Huskies that can be heard at http://www.mushingradio.com. Dr. Forto can be reached through his website at https://teamineka.com

Filed Under: Mushing Tagged With: #dogs, #dogtraining, 4-Peat Iditarod, denver dog works, dog doctor radio, dog sledding, forto, Iditarod, ineka, Lance Mackey, Mushing, pet training denver, team ineka

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