Mydzung Osmar

MyDzung (pronounced May-Yoom) Osmar moved to Alaska in 2011 from her home in Ninh Hoa, about 400 miles south of Saigon Vietnam and started running dogs soon after.  MyDzung was introduced to the dogs by her husband, Dean Osmar, the 1984 Iditarod champion and founder of the Tustumena 200.  Weighing only 95 pounds, she doesn’t have a lot of weight to offer the dogs for resistance, which her husband said is both a blessing and a curse.   MyDzung has run several mid-distance races in Alaska placing 3^rd in the 2013 T100.  She has a bright future ahead of her in dog mushing.

Alexandra Rochat

Alexandra has a small kennel. Among 27 dogs, 16 of them are still running and 3 of them are probably getting too old to race (and keep up) with the younger dogs.  They are also my first two litters so a very special group of dogs to me.  Race history includes The Percy DeWolfe, Silver Sled, YQ300 and Gin Gin

Edda Jessen

Loepekennel

She says “My dogs are always happy, hungry and eager to run. Running and racing with them allows me to see the breath taking beauty around me, something a lot of people cannot appreciate anymore. I love spending time with my team, running with them, enthused by their strength, work ethics and their joy to run. That is why I mush.”

Lead dogs names: Viper, Beaver and Anna

Frank Habermann

Loepekennel

Born 1960 in Schwelm, Germany.

Currently resides in Kasilof, Alaska but holds German and Australian Citizenships after having lived for long periods in Germany, Scotland and Australia.  Frank is a Doctor

“Our kennel is called Loepekennel, which I share with my wife Edda.

I started mushing with my wife about 16 years ago while living in Scotland.

I have been racing Sprint Races in Australia for several years, but lately focused on Distance Races in Alaska. I have been gaining valuable experience in the Goose Bay 150, Northern Lights 300 and Tustumena 100. I ultimately aim at the 1000 mile races, namely the Iditarod and Yukon Quest.

We are a smaller kennel, therefore enabling us to keep a closer bond with our dogs. We consider them as our companions and not just working sled dogs.”

Leon Mensch

Leon moved to Alaska in 2011 because he fell in love with sled dogs and mushing.  He and his wife Beth own a small recreational kennel in Kasilof.

Sponsors include Beach’M Fishery (beachmfishery.com) and Jane and Randy Adkins

Juliah Deloach

Gus Guenther

Gus Guenther, was born and raised in Prospect, Pennsylvania. Before coming to Alaska, he received his B.A. in Journalism from the University of Pennsylvania and became a journeyman carpenter. He says he came to Alaska in 1991 because “I couldn’t drive any further and ended up in Clam Gulch to “try and disappear completely.” He began mushing in 1992. A member of Anchorage Local 1261, he has worked as a carpenter in Alaska since 2003. Gus says, “I’ve found running dogs to be one of the few things that can be purely beautiful.” He lists his hobbies as “chopping firewood and hauling water.”

he enjoys puzzling, cursing and drinking. he finished seventh in the 1993 clam gulch classic.

Leah Gifford

Leah is from Fort St John BC Canada and has been running dogs since the age of 9.  She has done some sprint racing, stage racing and now learning the long distance world of mushing.  She is currently working with Dean Osmar and has been training in the Caribou Hills.  She likes to ride horses, hike and really anything in the outdoors.  Leah is excited to run her first T100.  She is replacing her Father Robert Gifford who unfortunately could not make it.

Cameron Moore

Jae March

Jae grew up outside of Detroit, Michigan, before moving to Alaska after graduating from Michigan State University in 2010. Just mushing for fun since she was 12 years old turned into a life of mushing after a taste of the Alaskan Mushing culture.  Jae thinks sharing sled dogs with Robert keeps her just as busy as being an Iditarod musher.  Jae especially enjoys training and having fun with the puppy team, while Robert focuses on the main racing team.

Talia Marten

Talia was born in the year 2000 to an animal loving family in Brule Wisconsin. Her father is a logger from Cornucopia, Wisconsin and her mother is a nurse practitioner who learned to mush sled dogs while working as a public health nurse in Bethel Alaska.  At the age of 10 months, she went on her first dog powered ride on her own mini dog sled while her father jogged in front of the team.  At age 4, she was running a team of 2 dogs around the farm with mom following on the snow machine. Talia ran her first race at the age of 8: the Bayfield Apostle Island Race which offers an 8-mile family division. At age 11, she progressed to a 20-mile recreational race.  By age 14, she was managing a team of 6 dogs and was competing against adults in the 40 mile Ely Wolf Track Classic race. It was at this race the Martens found two friends from the South Shore of Lake Superior, Matt and Paula Rossi.  They suggested that Talia try Jr. Iditarod up in Alaska. So this year, 11th grader, Talia Martens is taking her team and family on a 3100-mile journey up the ALCAN highway to run the 100 mile Willow Jr Race, The T100 and the 150 mile Jr. Iditarod.