He did not finish that race but came back in 1915 to win the All Alaska Sweepstakes and again in 19. He ran 11 Siberians in that race and 2 Siberian Malamute crosses. He was inspired by Scotty Allan to run this breed of dogs in the 1914 All Alaska Sweepstake Race. Sepp decided to concentrate on the Siberian Breed of dogs. Leonhard like the dogs and wanted to develop a team for racing in Nome. Seppala designed the famous “pupmobile” using the railroad track the mining company had built to haul men, material and gold to the mine fields. Mining materials were ferried by Malmutes back and forth from the Kougarok. The mining job that he had was his first exposure to sled dogs in that winter of 1900. In June of 1900, Leohard arrived in Nome. Seppala was brought to Nome by one of the famous THREE SWEDES, who founded gold near Anvil Mountain Jafet Linderberg. Leonhard Seppela was born in Skibotn, Norway on September 14, 1877. To learn more about their story, click here.Importance of Leonhard Seppala to the World of Dog Mushing Carte’s family and friends put together a trip for her and her mother to see Eischens finish the Iditarod in Nome. Also in attendance at the Iditarod Awards Banquet in Nome was Remedy Carte, a brave and bubbly six-year-old who has been fighting brain cancer for most of her life.Ĭarte was the Alaska Airlines IditaRider at the ceremonial start of the Last Great Race in Anchorage on March 5, riding in the sled of her favorite musher Al Eischens, who has been a friend of Carte’s family since before she was born. In addition to presenting Jonrowe with a replacement trophy, Alaska Airlines used its sponsorship of the Iditarod to give back in another way. We are extremely proud to again honor Dee Dee’s commitment to the sport of mushing.”Īlaska Airlines has been a proud supporter of the Last Great Race for nearly 40 years. “Last year, her resilience was put to the test when she lost so much, but she put all adversity on hold and again headed out on the Iditarod Trail. “DeeDee has always been a tough competitor and gracious ambassador for the sport of mushing and Alaska,” said Romano. Jonrowe’s 2012 trophy is currently on display at the Smithsonian Museum in Washington, D.C., along with one of her signature pink race coats. Jonrowe lost everything, except for her dogs – including her 1991 Leonhard Seppala Humanitarian Award.Īlaska Airlines’ Regional Vice President Marilyn Romano presented her with a replacement trophy, a replica of her 1991 award. Musher DeeDee Jonrowe, a 30-year veteran of the Iditarod trail and two-time winner of the Alaska Airlines Leonhard Seppala Humanitarian Award, lost her home in Willow, Alaska to a wildfire in June 2015. This year’s banquet, however, held another surprise. Despite the setback, she went on to finish the race in third place. One of her dogs was injured in the attack. Zirkle was one of two mushers this year who were attacked by a man on a snow machine outside of the Nulato checkpoint. Read more: In the ‘last great race on Earth,’ sled dogs are family Other than winning the Iditarod, most mushers and volunteers say the Leonhard Seppala award is the most meaningful. Winners are chosen by veterinarians that track the dogs’ health, performance and attitude throughout the race. The winner of the 2016 Alaska Airlines Leonhard Seppala Humanitarian Award is Aliy Zirkle of Two Rivers, Alaska. The award is named after Leonhard Seppala, a highly-skilled musher who played a critical role in carrying diphtheria serum to Nome in 1925. The award recognizes a musher who takes outstanding care of their team along the trail and is presented each year by Alaska Airlines. While the Iditarod is at its core a competitive race, it is also a demonstration of the special bond between a musher and their dogs. Musher Dallas Seavey arrived in Nome on March 15 completing the course in a record 8 days, 11 hours, 20 minutes and 16 seconds.īut what is still unknown as the mushers and fans settle into their seats, is who will receive another highly coveted honor – the Alaska Airlines Leonhard Seppala Humanitarian Award. It’s no secret who this year’s winner is. At the Iditarod Awards Banquet in Nome, Alaska, the mood is one of excitement and accomplishment as rookies, veterans and fans of the Last Great Race pour into the Nome Recreation Center to celebrate the culmination of the 2016 Iditarod. Mushing over 1,000 miles in the frozen Alaska wilderness is no easy feat.
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