
Boxer Competes & New Record Set at Sled Dog Races!
We have footage of a white boxer competing in the Grand Mesa Summit Challenge Sled Dog Races along with the complete results and details on a new record being set!
"Any dog can be a sled dog as long as it has the desire to pull" is what one sled driver told me, that's why you'll see a variety of dogs at this event including Alaskan and Siberian Huskies, hound mixes, German crosses and last year the was even a Rottweiler.
This year a white Boxer named "Nightmare" and his partner a Husky named "Cowtag," named after a town along the Iditarod, were part of the races.
Watch the Footage From Grand Mesa Summit Challenge Sled Dog Races
Was a New Record Set at the 2014 Grand Mesa Summit Challenge Sled Dog Races?
Steph Dwyer from Leadville may be the holder of a new record from this weekends dog sled races on the Grand Mesa, with one of the fastest times this course has ever seen!
The weather was gorgeous and made for an amazing event for me and family, (who spent most of the day sledding and playing in the snow), but for racers it made for a, "super fast, hard and fun" course, which is why we saw some record setting times!
Official records have to be have to be reviewed, but with her combined time of 27:34 Steph Dwyer now has one of the fastest times in the history of the Grand Mesa Summit Challenge for the 4 dog 4 mile race!
Her team of Alaskan Huskies are not only some of the top competitors in their field, they're also her friends and companions!
Here's the complete results and some side-notes about the competitors:
3 Dog Skijor Day One Day Two
- Drake Benson - Carbondale 30:50 31:06 One of our oldest competitors
8 Dog 8 Mile Day One Day Two
- Charlie Odegaard - Flagstaff 30:14 29:21
- Austin Forney - Leadville 35:43 34:48
- Rick Meinig - Colorado Springs 49:18 47:06 His 14 year old son competes as well.
6 Dog 6 Mile Day One Day Two
- Lynn Whipple - Montrose 20:38 20:34 Former "Musher of the Year".
- Tim Thiessen 23:35 23:35
- Charlie Odegaard - Flagstaff 23:41 23:44 Ran back to back races with different teams.
- Joshua Miltier - Grand Junction 25:50 25:27 Took a break from his duties in the Army to flyin from Mississippi to compete this past weekend. Former "Rookie of the Year", his father races as well but took a break this season to handle his sons teams.
- Bruce Harper - Rifle 27:01 27:28 Our Race Marshal and Pure Breed winner, he recently inherited a long haired mini-dachshund that he brought to the races with him, we teased him all weekend long, telling folks he was going to run her as his lead dog.
- Sofia Koepke - Tabernash 33:53 37:37 At 15 years old not our youngest racer but close! This was her 2nd year racing.
2 Dog Skijor 6 Mile Day One Day Two
- Kale Casey - Paonia 21:59 22:37 Fan favorite! His dogs "Pops" and "Quinn" are some of the most awarded animals I know!
- Aaron Natonieski - Carbondale 22:40 22:51Raced in his shirt sleeves both days. (I think it made him faster!)
- Laurie Brandt - Montrose 23:15 23:25 She's also a mountain bike racer and champion!
- Steve Bethka - Grand Junction 27:02 27:19 Our Trail Boss and general organizer, his son Tom races as well.
- Mark Schwartz - Mancos 33:22 22:57
4 Dog 4 Mile Day One Day Two
- Steph Dwyer - Leadville 14:01 13:34
- Seth Sachson - Aspen 14:57 14:33 Built his team out of dogs he rescued from his animal shelter in Aspen.
- Aaron Natonieski - Carbondale 15:23 14:46
- Forest Bramwell - Pagosa Springs 15:48 15:35
- Jaclynn Bramwell - Pagosa Springs 17:39 17:05 Wife of Forest, this was her first race EVER!
- Joshua Miltier - Grand Junction 19:09 18:50
- Bruce Harper - Rifle 20:41 21:23
- Carolynn Doss 21:51 22:25
- Peter Menig - Colorado Springs 23:55 21:54 At 14 also NOT our youngest competitor, but close! His father also races.
- Teresa Petterson - Montrose 26:39 29:27
1 Dog Skijor 4 Mile Day One Day Two
- Kale Casey 17:29 17:29
- Laurie Brandt 18:13 18:14
- Teresa Petterson 21:40 21:54
2 Dog Skijor 4 Mile Day One Day Two
- Brently Johnson - Texas 21:00 20:45
- Tom Bethka - Grand Junction 21:18 19:46 Raced the MOST UNUSUAL team this weekend a white Boxer "Nightmare" and his partner a Husky named "Cowtag" after a town along the Iditarod.
- Drake Benson 23:41 24:43
3 Dog Skijor 4 Mile Day One Day Two
- Michael Wason - Cedaredge 27:04 28:51 Just sold his house and moved to Cedaredge fo he could be twenty minutes away from the trails!
Sportsman 4 mile Day One Day Two
- Page Hauptmann - Montrose 19:26 19:59 At 12 years old she is our YOUNGEST competitor this year, she practices with her team every weekend and school holidays, she told me she also has to maintain all their gear and make sure they have the proper diet. And even though she had a small accident when her sled turned over at the start of her 2nd race she was able to get going and finish the course! This is serious business for these young adults and future Champions!
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