Brian Bergen
Sioux Lookout, ON – GONE TO THE DOGS RACING
I do property management and I am semi retired. Been enjoying training dogs for many years. .
Julia Cross
Thunder Bay, ON – CRISS CROSS RACING
I love adventuring with my amazing group of canine athletes. Their love and enthusiasm to run makes me so excited everytime I grab the harnesses. I have been running sled dogs for 18 years, and have raced all over North America, including in Alaska for the Junior Iditarod. I am working towards becoming a veterinarian, and own a very small sled dog kennel in Northwestern Ontario. I love spending my time out with my dogs both in the summer and winter, hiking, fishing, camping, and competing in other dog sports with my superstar lead dog Jitterbug. Looking forward to being back to one of my absolute favourite races!
Emily Ford
Duluth, MN – KENNEL NAME STILL BEING DECIDED
After spending the past three winters racing in Alaska, Emily is excited to race locally and explore her home state of Minnesota with her dogs. She and her partner Anna relocated their core race team from Alaska and started their own kennel near Two Harbors this past fall. When not on the runners of a dogsled you can find Emily exploring the BWCA both on skis and by canoe or working at Glensheen mansion where she is the head gardener.
Blake Freking
Finland, MN – MANITOU CROSSING KENNELS
Our family owns Manitou Crossing Kennels near Finland, MN where we raise, train, and race our Siberian Huskies. It’s a family passion and a lifestyle we enjoy! I am a veteran of the Iditarod, Yukon Quest, and 2 time Beargrease Marathon winner. I am an Aviation Officer for the US Forest Service.
Elena Freking
Finland, MN – MANITOU CROSSING KENNELS
I am 15 years old and have been on the dogsled since before I could walk. I am in 10th grade and go to school in Ely, MN. I started running Mid Distance when I was 11 years old, and since then I have run the Klondike Dog Derby, Beargrease Cub Run, 40, and 120, Copperdog 15, and Wolftrack Classic. In my free time I love to travel, spend time with family and friends, and my dogs. I have a 13 year old sister Nicole Freking, and my parents are Jennifer and Blake Freking.
Jennifer Freking
Finland, MN – MANITOU CROSSING KENNELS
Our family owns Manitou Crossing Kennels where we raise and train our Siberian Huskies for mid and long distance sled dog races. From running my first Beargrease race in 1995, to racing the Iditarod alongside Blake in 2008, to finishing 1st and 2nd in the Beargrease marathon in 2019, to running the mid distance Beargrease alongside our daughters in 2025, mushing sled dogs has had a huge impact on all of our lives. Just thinking of all those adventures make me smile and know we really are a special kind of crazy. 🙂 Blake Freking, and their 2 daughters, Elena and Nicole. Jennifer is a Veterinarian at the Ely Veterinary Clinic in Ely Minnesota.
Eva Kolodji
Hibbing, MN – MEANDER MOUNTAIN HUSKIES
My love of sleddogs began back when I was in second grade and got my first sleddogs, then competed in a two-dog, two-mile race in third grade. Since then, I’ve raced throughout northern Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan. In 2009, as a 17-year-old junior in high school, I completed the John Beargrease Mid-Distance.
I stepped away from mushing to attend college, graduated from Bemidji State with a teaching degree, and have spent nine years in the classroom. Seven of those years were in Alabama—too hot, not enough snow—so I’m back up north! This is my second year teaching middle school math and science in Hibbing. Middle schoolers vs. sled dogs? High energy, big hearts, treat-motivated… only the snacks differ. And honestly, the same lessons apply in both arenas: teamwork, clear communication, and the joy of working hard at something you love.
Once I settled back in the North Woods, I was offered an opportunity I couldn’t pass up: racing a team out of John and Robin Fisher’s kennel in Cook, Minnesota. I’m incredibly grateful for their mentorship and trust.
Kevin Mathis
Monona, IA – GO THE DISTANCE
I live in the bluff country of northeast Iowa, not far from the Mississippi River. We are a family of five. I am a hospital pharmacist and my wife is a police officer. I have 20 Alaskan huskies. I’ve been driving dogs for 10 years.
Joanna Oberg
Grand Marais, MN – STONEY CREEK KENNEL
Been racing dogs for quite a few years now but had to sell out my own kennel due to extenuating circumstances this last spring sadly. So thankful to my friend and fellow competitor for many years Rita Wehseler who bought some dogs from us and offered to let me run a 2nd team for her this year!!! Happy to be running dogs and racing even if its not with my own dogs, so thank you Rita you were a Godsend during a heartbreaking time for me!!!!
Alyssa Sabatino
Goodland, MN – SCHROEDER MUSHING
Dog mushing has been a dream of mine since childhood, and I worked hard to make it a reality. Despite facing challenges and limited support along the way, I never gave up. In October 2014, I began recreational mushing, and in 2021, after moving to Minnesota, I started building my own kennel and truly stepped into the mushing world. Last year (2024) was an incredible milestone—I experienced my first taste of distance mushing by handling for Nathan Schroeder and running a few races myself. I am deeply grateful for the support of those who matter most, which allows me to pursue this passion while balancing the busy life of being a mother of two and a dedicated social worker/case manager.
Luke Schieffelbein
Chatfield, MN – LOST CREEK KENNEL / STUMM’S RANCH AND KENNELS
I’m a 47 yo father of four and married to my wife Rachel for almost 22 years. All of this insanity started about 4 years ago after my wife asked me out of the blue if I wanted to go watch a dogsled race in Duluth. Like most people, the extent of my dog mushing experience came from the movie “Iron Will”. Little did we know how that one question would change our lives so much. Thanks to some fantastic and incredibly patient local mushers who have been willing to answer a million questions we are building our own kennel in southern Minnesota.
Bill Sima
Stanchfield, MN – BANDIT CREEK KENNELS
My name is Bill Sima and I have been interested and involved with sled dogs most of my adult life. I am a retired Soo Line railroad diesel mechanic and welder, and my other hobbies include woodworking, leather working and making knives. I am so lucky to have the support of my wife, daughter and grandchildren who are all very involved with the training and care of the dogs. Working with sled dogs and helping them grow and learn is very fulfilling for me and my family. It’s so much fun to do the work and watch the puppies progress into great working dogs. Blake and Jen Freking at Manitou Crossing Kennels have been instrumental in my understanding the training and development of a sled dog team; the teaching of harness manors, people manors and being able to let the dogs do what they love to do, pull a sled.
John Stumm
Zumbrota, MN – LOST CREEK KENNEL / STUMM’S RANCH AND KENNELS
I am John Stumm. I am from Southeast Minnesota. I started training sled dogs when I was around eight years old, completing my first race 4 mile race with 2 dogs. I grew up sprint racing for many years in the late 1990s and early 2000s all over Minnesota and Michigan and have since switched to mid distance. I have been training and handling distance teams for mainly for Cindy Gallea for since 2011. I recently started running/training my own teams in the past few years as well.
Adam Treeful
Grand Marais, MN – MUTTLEY CRUE
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 sled dogs for 28 years.