Despite the recent February heat wave, the rain, more rain, slush and slop formed by heat and rain, local mushers have done well in sled dog races held outside of the state this winter.
Hovland mushers Frank and Sherri Moe competed in the Tahquamenon in Michigan in January. “Our nephew Mike ran the eight-dog and placed third. I ran the 10-dog and also placed third,” said Moe.
“Then out in Wyoming, I won the Pinedale Classic 12-dog race, and Mike placed second in the six-dog race. The main event out west was the Wyoming Pedigree Stage Stop. That race gets the fastest teams in North America. We placed a very respectable 10th. Our friend and neighbor Dennis Laboda came in sixth, which is a great finish.”
Several mushers raced in the UP 200 held Feb. 17-19, with Moe placing fourth.
“Local musher Matt Schmidt was fifth, and both Mary Manning and Andrea DeBoer completed the shorter Midnight Run eight-dog race,” said Moe.
“Now I don’t know where we’ll go,” Moe said. “Ely was canceled for this coming (Feb. 25-26) weekend. White Oak in Deer River doesn’t look promising either for the first weekend in March. We may go back to the Copper Dog in Calumet, Michigan where we placed third last year. That is also a very competitive race. Our local musher Dennis Laboda is the reigning champion and will be defending his crown against most of the same teams that ran in Stage Stop plus a few other real fast teams that didn’t compete there. It should be exciting to watch.”
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