Varan Hoyt & Karin Hendrickson
18024 Birchtree Street Chugiak, Alaska 99567
907-688-3306 www.blueonblackdogs.com
October 13, 2008
This is the year that we run Iditarod for the first time! Karin is officially signed up – see her profile on the Iditarod website at www.iditarod.com. The challenge of this race is so big and looks nearly impossible from here, but we just keep taking each step as it comes. Right now, that means running the dogs and getting them in shape to run a 1,000 mile race.
Training with four-wheelers began in early September, and the team looks really great. The team currently consists of 20 dogs and we’ve been hooking them all up at once. That is a whole lot of power, but the dogs have been very cooperative and are working well together. Last year we had mostly yearlings who had a lot to learn. This year we have experienced, motivated, educated sled dogs that are ready to run! Our two yearling girls are fitting right in and are already trying their skills as leaders.
There are many challenges in addition to making sure the dogs are trained and ready, like collecting all the gear and equipment for a race of this magnitude, finding the hours needed to train and care for the dogs on top of working full time, and of course working on sponsorship and funding.
Maybe the coverage on Good Morning America will help bring us sponsors! Look for us on Saturday, October 18 (GMA Weekend Edition). Who knows what kind of coverage they will decide to include, but we sure had fun sharing our dogs with them!
Please pass this newsletter on to anyone who might be interested. We’d love to hear from you, and we can always find time to share our wonderful dogs and this amazing sport.
Dog Sponsors
Gwen Rodman – Sponsoring Luna, our entry fee, and MANY other things!
The Domonoske Family – Dan, Sara, Colin, Heather – Sponsoring Alis
Joan Presecan, Sandra Baldonado, Marilyn Dale – Sponsoring Angel
Linda Frost – Sponsoring Chase
Bea & Darryl Churchill – Sponsoring Gringo
Marta Escanuelas – Sponsoring Maggot
Danny & Missy Poore – Sponsoring Scooby (plus lots of promotion help!)
Richard & Sandra Hendrickson – Sponsoring Shotgun
Auntie Carol – Sponsoring Voodoo
We still have several wonderful dogs looking for a sponsor. Check them out on the ‘Dog’ page of our website!
$100 (or more) Sponsors
Bob Sept, DVM
Bob & Nancy Strickland
Bruce & Diana Moroney
Chuck Owen
Cindy McCartney & Bob Borba
Dale Barwick
Doug & Sue Brandt
Harry & Barbara Senn
Haulin Hsu & Bob Wingard
Kim Arriaga
Mammut headlamps
Martha Ethridge
Mary Bennett
Mary Johnson
Mt Baldy Visitor Center Crew
Rayma Zack
The Wingates - Richard, Sheryl, & Evan
The Wood Family - Holly, John, Helen Catherine, & John Wesley
The Mt Baldy Community
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