1. D. L. AugustineMcKee Elementary, Oakdale, PA2006

2. It’s that time of year! The Iditarod is just around the corner. It is time for you to choose your musher!

3. There are many facts to consider when you choose the musher you think will win the Iditarod. You have no experience with sled dogs. You don’t know the trail. You have never been in the race. It would be very difficult to even finish the race without knowing something about sled dog racing. First, let’s talk about experience. How is that important? For example, if you decided today to be in the Iditarod, would you win? I don’t think you would. Why do I think this? I have several reasons.

4. Of course, people who race in the Iditarod know how to race sled dogs and they have probably been in other sled dog races. What if this is the first time a musher has entered the Iditarod race? Would he/she have as much knowledge of the trail and what strategies to use to win as someone who has previously been in the race? Someone entering the Iditarod for the first time is called a “Rookie”.

5. People with experience (they have participated in the Iditarod before) are called “Veterans”. Now our work to choose a musher becomes more complicated. You see, not all veterans can win the race; because of this you must consider other factors. When did he/she begin mushing? Does he/she come from a cold climate that would allow him/her to participate in this sport? Number of times he/she has competed in the Iditarod. Position(s) finished in past races. Does he/she compete in sled races for a living?

6. Now, let’s take a look at three veteran mushers. We will read information about them and how they have performed in past Iditarod races.

7. born in California moved to Alaska in 1975 Cabela's field tester for extreme gear design an innovative sled dog harness which gives the dogs more freedom to run operates Husky Homestead Tours to show visitors how champion sled dogs are raised, trained and loved Musher One - Biography

8. Musher One Statistics YearPositionTime 19812815:07:02:47 19911213:14:24:40 1992611:10:40:35 1993110:15:38:15 1994310:21:46:09 1995709:18:52:10 1996109:05:43:00 1997309:15:35:15 1998109:05:52:26 1999710:10:10:32 2000309:08:44:41 2001310:07:19:43 2002609:10:42:19 2003309:23:17:00 2004209:14:40:59 20051210:02:21:21

9. born in Alaska son of Iditarod veteran grandson of “Father of the Iditarod” construction worker for the last nine years mushing “since I was big enough to ride the runners.” run the Jr. Iditarod several times. Musher Two Biography

10. Musher Two Statistics YearPositionTime 20013512:18:44:38 20021409:21:26:18 20031510:19:04:08 20042010:14:21:31 20052510:20:17:04

11. born in Alaska and has always lived there one of the youngest mushers to run the 2003 Iditarod began mushing at the age of nine ran the Jr. Iditarod twice and the Jr. Quest once Musher Three Biography

12. Musher Three Statistics YearPositionTime 20031911:02:40:17 20051510:03:20:28

13. Each of these mushers have run the race before. Each has done pretty well. Which one would you choose? Why?

14. As we have seen, there are many things to consider when choosing a musher. Consider all of the facts and then make your best guess. Will your musher win? Follow the race and watch what happens. Good Luck!