With temperatures dipping at times below zero, the people watching the Gunflint Mail Run last Saturday got cold if they stayed out too long to observe. As for the dogs, the weather was spot-on perfect. A good pair of booties and the weight of the sled is all that they need to keep them warm as they pull the mushers who direct them along the trails.
Musher Ryan Redington of Ashland, Wis. won first place at the 12-dog, 110-mile Gunflint Mail Run sled dog race. Redington is the grandson of famed Joe Redington Sr., who is known as the “Father of the Iditarod.” Chad Schouweiler of Irma, Wis. was the first place finisher for the eight-dog, 70-mile race.
The races started and finished at the Trail Center Lodge on the Gunflint Trail and occurred from January 7 to 8. Both races consisted of two legs of equal distance separated by a mandatory layover.
The Cook County News- Herald caught up with Toftebased Stoney Creek Kennel mushers Rita Wehseler and Ross Fraboni as they warmed up inside the Trail Center Lodge at the beginning of their layover. Stoney Creek fielded two teams for the Mail Run.
Stoney Creek’s “B-team” was headed by Wehseler. Her team was comprised mostly of 18-month dogs in an attempt to get them physically and mentally prepared for races later on in the season.
Above: Chad Schouweiler of the Otter Run Kennel was the 2017 winner of the 8-Dog Race at the Gunflint Mail Run. Left: A team of happy dogs pulling her sled, Joanna Oberg of the Run Silent Racing Kennel placed second in the 8-Dog Race.
“If they can get used to the chaos of the starting line at this race then they can be more focused in future races.”
Stoney Creek’s “A-team” was led by Ross Fraboni who was confident about his team’s performance.
“The trails are good. It’s a low-key and calm race. A good start to the season for our young dogs.”
At around 1 p.m. on Saturday the 12-dog sled teams started to stream across a frozen Poplar Lake to mark the end of the first leg of their race. As spectators gathered to watch some of the first arrivals, someone shouted to Ward Wallin and his team as they neared the checkpoint, “How is it out there?” Underneath a dense arctic parka Wallin replied, “Good! It’s a beautiful trail.”
Musher Matt Schmidt of Grand Marais came in 2nd in the 12-dog race. Ward Wallin of Two Harbors was 3rd; Colleen Wallin of Two Harbors was 4th; Blake Freking of Finland, Minn., was 5th; Jake Leingang of Finland, Minn. was 6th; and Mary Manning of Hovland came in 7th.
Following Schouweiler in the eight-dog race was Joanna Oberg of Ignace, Ontario in 2nd. Dusty Klaven of Togo came in 3rd; Ross Fraboni of Tofte was 4th; Michael Bestgen of St. Cloud was 5th; Rita Wehseler of Tofte was 6th; Mike Betz from Minnetonka came in 7th; Andrea DeBoer of Grand Marais was 8th; and Adam Treeful of Grand Marais finished 9th.
The minimum purse for the race was $14,000 and was divided among the winners of both races. Sixty percent went to the 12-dog race winners, and 40 percent went to the eight-dog race winners.
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