Musher Bios
1. Alexandra Rochat
Age: 29
Occupation: Veterinary Technician
Kennel Name: Swissy’s Kennel
How many years have you been mushing? 2
How many dogs in your kennel? 6
Breed or background of your dogs: Alaskan Husky
Race History: Carbon Hill 2011 (9th), Percy JR 2010 (6th)
How did you get started mushing? An unexpected encounter with a musher and her dogs during a trip in Lapland (Sweden)
2. Jonathan Lucas
Age: 47
Occupation: V.P. Aquaculture Icy Waters Ltd.
Kennel Name: Snowpigs
How many years have you been mushing? 8 (skijoring)
How many dogs in your kennel? Loaned dogs from Hugh Neff
Breed or background of your dogs: Hugh Neff – Laughing Eyes Kennel
Race History: Various since 2003: YAU 100, RR 100 2010, Yukon Brewing CHT, Tok, AWG Yellowknife, Carbon Hill
Personal Sponsors: Icy Waters Ltd., First Mate Dog Food, my lovely wife Laura Jane
How did you get started mushing? Handling for Ray Zaidan
3. Marine Gastard
Age: 25
Occupation: Wilderness Guide and Handler
Kennel Name: Sky High
How many years have you been mushing? 4
How many dogs in your kennel? 155
Breed or background of your dogs: Alaskan Husky
Race History: Poker Run, Carbon Hill, Copper Haul Twisters, Gausdal Marathon 200 (Norway)
Personal Sponsors: Sky High, my boyfriend Matthieu
How did you get started mushing? Got a husky when I was 9 and got hooked in the mushing world a few years later
4. Ryan Kinna
Age: 31
Occupation: Builder/Musher
Kennel Name: Belly-Acres Kennel
How many years have you been mushing? 6
How many dogs in your kennel? 20
Breed or background of your dogs: 1 Golden Doodle and 19 Alaskan Huskies
Race History: Percy de Wolfe, Road Runner, Carbon Hill, Canadian Challenge
How did you get started mushing? Running Tours
5. Hugh Neff
Age: 43
Occupation: Musher
Kennel Name: Laughing Eyes Kennel
How many years have you been mushing? 15
How many dogs in your kennel? 65
Breed or background of your dogs: Alaskan Husky
Personal Sponsors: Redpaw, North 60 Petro
How did you get started mushing? Handling
6. Colin Morrison
Age: 32
Occupation: Carpenter
Kennel Name: Pinocchio’s Springs
How many years have you been mushing? 6
How many dogs in your kennel? 34
Breed or background of your dogs: Really good
Race History: Copper Haul Twisters, Carbon Hill, Percy de Wolfe
How did you get started mushing? Guiding
7. Karine Grenier
Age: 35
Occupation: Work at the french newspaper L’Aurore Boreale
Kennel Name: Casavant
How many years have you been mushing? 10
How many dogs in your kennel? 24
Personal Sponsors: Normand Casavant
How did you get started mushing? Mushing with a musher in Fermont north of Quebec
8. Pierre Duc
Age: 36
Occupation: Musher
Kennel Name: Persistence Kennel
How many years have you been mushing? 6
How many dogs in your kennel? 25
Breed or background of your dogs: Mixed
Race History: It’s history, YQ 300, RR 100, Carbon Hill…
Personal Sponsors: James Bradley
How did you get started mushing? As a handler
9. Crispin Studer
Age: 30
Occupation: Prospector
Kennel Name: Pika Kennel
How many years have you been mushing? 9
How many dogs in your kennel? 26
Breed or background of your dogs: Alaskans from Kleedehn bloodlines
Race History: RR 100, Yukon Quest, Quest 300, Percy de Wolfe
Personal Sponsors: Melanie Bedard
How did you get started mushing? As a handler
10. Claudia Wickert
Age: 30
Occupation: GIS Technician
Kennel Name: Space Dogs Kennel
How many years have you been mushing? 4
How many dogs in your kennel? 12
Breed or background of your dogs: Alaskans and Siberians
Race History: Copper Haul Twisters, Carbon Hill, RR 100
How did you get started mushing? Guiding
11. Brian Wilmshurst
Age: 29
Occupation: Transportation Manager
Kennel Name: B-Line Racing Kennels
How many years have you been mushing? 3
How many dogs in your kennel? 35
Breed or background of your dogs: Alaskan Husky
Race History: Percy Jr, Percy de Wolfe, Road Runner 100, Yukon Quest 300
Personal Sponsors Skookum Brand, NAPA Auto Parts, Schmidt Mining, Bonanza Market, Ann/Peter Ledwidge, City of Dawson Rec. Board
12. Normand Casavant
Age: 48
Occupation: Musher
Kennel Name: Casavant
How many years have you been mushing? 24
How many dogs in your kennel? 24
Race History: Canam 250, Quest 1000, Copper Basin, Percy de Wolfe
Personal Sponsors: My wonderful girlfriend Karine Grenier
How did you get started mushing? Watching a musher running his dogs in my backyard
13. David Mason
Age: 33
Occupation: Correction Officer
Kennel Name: Powder Paws
How many years have you been mushing? 5
How many dogs in your kennel? 25ish
Breed or background of your dogs: Magaw, Sanderson
Race History: Some
How did you get started mushing? Al Magaw mentored me in BC
14. Michelle Phillips
Age: 42
Occupation: Musher
Kennel Name: Pristine Wilderness Tours
How many years have you been mushing? Lots
How many dogs in your kennel? 50
Breed or background of your dogs: Alaskan Husky
Race History: Quest, Iditarod, many mid distance
Personal Sponsors: Selwyn Resources, Yukon Zinc, Alaska RV Discovery
15. Ed Hopkins
Age: 46
Occupation: Musher
Kennel Name: Pristine Wilderness Tours
How many years have you been mushing? Lots
How many dogs in your kennel? 50
Breed or background of your dogs: Alaskan Husky
Personal Sponsors: Selwyn Resources, Yukon Zinc, Alaska RV Discovery
16. MC Leroux
Age: 24
Occupation: Musher
Kennel Name: Pristine Wilderness Tours
How many years have you been mushing? Lots
How many dogs in your kennel? 50
Breed or background of your dogs: Alaskan Husky
Personal Sponsors: Selwyn Resources, Yukon Zinc, Alaska RV Discovery
17. Steve Gibbons
Age: 50
Occupation: Shipper/Reciever
Kennel Name: South Paw Kennels
How many years have you been mushing? Since 1972
How many dogs in your kennel? 19
Breed or background of your dogs: Mainly Alaskan Huskies
Race History: Raced throughout the Yukon, B.C., Alberta + NWT and a bit in Alaska
18. Debbie Knight
Age: 55
Occupation: Substitute teacher
Kennel Name: Jesaris Kennels
How many years have you been mushing? approx. 18 years
How many dogs in your kennel? 24
Breed or background of your dogs: Alaskan Huskies, some from Ontario, some from the Yukon
Race History: Fort Kent 60 mile (2 times), Road Runner, Seeney 300, Gin Gin 200, Variety of mids run in Ontario
Personal Sponsors: Lynn Cheffins (Fourth Chute Needleworks, Ontario)
How did you get started mushing: Watching Susan Butcher
