Brian Bergen
Sioux Lookout, ON – GONE TO THE DOGS
Heather Brandon
Cook, MN – MEANDER MOUNTAIN HUSKIES
I live outside Cook, MN with my 3 kids, dogs and a bunch of chickens. I raced and trained dogs back in high school for a few years. A number of years ago I started handling for John Fisher in the Beargrease Marathon and somehow I found myself on the runners instead last year.
David Burge
Brookston, MN – DOGWOODS
We are a “young” kennel composed of veteran dogs from Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Alaska. We have been sharing trails with out 18 Alaskan huskies for about 3 years from our Christmas tree farm which supports our team’s appetite. We started mushing by volunteering at Sawbill Checkpoint for the Beargrease and then met an Alaskan musher Deke Naaktgeboren who got us started with our first 4 dogs. Our first race was a 2 dog sprint race we entered on a whim, it was a blast and we learned a lot which continues to be a theme of every race we run. Our current claim to fame is back to back Red Lanterns for our rookies runs of the Beargrease 120 and the Ely Wolf Track 50, both 19th place finishes with happy dogs!
Blake Freking
Finland, MN – MANITOU CROSSING KENNELS
I’ve been racing for 25 years and look forward to seeing all our friends on the gunflint once again and traveling the trails.
Jennifer Freking
Finland, MN – MANITOU CROSSING KENNELS
I started mushing when I was 8 years old with a few of my mother’s old lead dogs. I am inspired by my huskies’ drive and passion to see what’s around the next corner, then camp, wake up and do it again.
Andy Heerschap
Nolalu, ON – PAWS ON PATROL SLED DOG KENNEL
I live just north of the border outside of Thunder Bay Ontario, Canada with my wife Rhonda and out two kids. We have 25 sled dogs in our kennel and have been enjoying the mushing lifestyle for about 20 years. Rhonda and I trade off racing the team and have been going to races in the mid west for 15 years. I work as a Conservation Officer in Ontario with the provincial Canine Unit where we train dogs to search for people and evidence. My other interests include family time, hunting, fishing, camping and sports.
Mary Manning
Hovland, MN – DOODLEDOG KENNEL
Mary has been running dogs for many years. The Doodledog Kennel was established in 1998 as a fun diversion and an excuse to spend time in the woods during winter. It all started with a free dog, used sled and a race in Hinckley, Minnesota. Mary and her team have raced from Montana to Maine and many places in between.
Morgan Martens
Brule, WI – MARTENS MUSHING
Talia Martens
Brule, WI – MARTENS MUSHING
Talia was born and raised in Brule, WI. She has been racing sled dogs since 2007 and has been riding on the back of the runners since before she could walk. Outside of mushing she enjoys hiking, woodworking, horseback riding, camping, fishing, canoeing, and walking the trails with her dogs. She is also finishing up her welding diploma in the spring at lake Superior College.
This will be her 4th year running the Gunflint Mail Run and is so exciting the get back out there on the trail.
Ryan Miller
Cook, MN – LOST LAKE RACING
Ashley and Ryan Miller run Lost Lake Racing, a sled dog kennel out of Cook, MN. The kennel currently houses 21 working sled dogs, 2 puppies and 2 retired dogs. Ryan Miller works as a teacher at Minnesota North College in Ely, and teaches natural resources. This will be the kennel’s 5th season racing. With a new baby they are anticipating a much lighter race schedule, and plan to spend the season enjoying the dogs together with their three kids.
Derek Nechuta
Mosinee, WI – GYPSY MOONDOGS
I have a small kennel of Siberian Huskies, based out of central Wisconsin. I rescued my first Husky back in 2017 and was hooked. This is my 5th year running dogs and my 3rd year racing mid-distance. I look forward to every moment I get to share on and off trail with these amazing animals.
Joanna Oberg
Grand Marais, MN – RUN SILENT RACING
In the summer I help my folks operate our fishing/hunting resort in northwestern Ontario and winters working in Grand Marais. We have maintained a racing kennel of around 20 dogs on average with puppies and retirees and have been racing in MN and MI mostly for the past 15 years. I got my first sled dog a the age of 14 and then we had a touring kennel in my 20’s that my dad and I did together so have been in dogs pretty much all my life:) Sadly this will be my last season racing dogs so am hoping to have a fun, great last season with my dogs:) This race has always been one of my favorites, a very beautiful and fun trail and a great start to the racing season! I would like to thank my sponsors Agimac River Outfitters, Ignace, Ontario and Solbakken Resort, Lutsen, MN for their support! And thank you to all those who work so hard to put on a great event!!
James Tackeberry
Janesville, WI
I was born and raised in northern Illinois. In my mid 20s I enlisted in the US Navy which took me out to Virginia Beach, Va. While there I got my first Siberian Husky, Maya. Every year I would spend 7-10 days hiking the Appalachian Trail with her in the summer and sprint racing in the winter. We started on a bike and branched out from there. I added 2 more dogs to my pack and enlisted my friend’s 3 dogs to begin training for the CAN-Am30. After that season, I was hooked and all I wanted was to complete a checkpoint race. I moved to Janesville, WI. I was able to get back on the runners, last winter I ran the Gunflint Mail run 65 mile and the Beargrease 120.
Rita Wehseler
Tofte, MN – STONEY CREEK KENNEL
My husband and I have 36 dogs in our kennel. We live on the beautiful shore of Lake Superior in Tofte, MN. I have been running dogs for 25+ years. My lead dogs are Ski, Boo and Raven.