2011-2012 R Northbound Dogs Racing Team

Platinum: sponsored by Marlys Sauer "The Bug".  NM, DOB 9/6/02 – Jeff King breeding – Conan x Lassen.  Platinum has been my “go to” leader for the last 4 years.  I call him my British leader because he is very reserved and proper like a good British butler.  He likes affection, but doesn’t want to show it.  Platinum has a thinner coat than most of my dogs and needs a jacket when it gets cold.  He has run all 4 Iditarods with me and has never been dropped. Platinum came up with a nagging back/hip injury last December that took a long time to heal.  He looked good on the glacier this summer, but that injury makes him a doubtful pick for this year’s Quest team.

 

Klinger:  NM, DOB 7/??/06 – Jeff King breeding – Rumba x Claire.  Klinger is stepping up to fill Platinum’s shoes as my “go to” leader.  He is a sweet affectionate dog that moves well.  Jeff told me that Dave (Jeff’s handler) got tired of Klinger chewing on the gangline, so he moved him into lead – Klinger ran 50 miles his first time in lead chasing Jeff’s number 1 team.  He was two at the time.  This dog is not fazed by anything.  I take him to all my presentations and personal appearances.  The kids swarmed over him and he just nuzzled into them “finally I get the attention I deserve.”  Klinger finished the Iditarod with me in 2009.

Rosemary: F, DOB 8/18/04 – Jeff King unintentional breeding – Tin (platinum’s brother) x Nutmeg.  Purchased from Zack Steer in May 2006.  This girl is something special.  She is more outgoing and less timid than her sisters, has that same bright intelligent expression and moves just as pretty.  She is all character and a real joy to have in the house and dog lot.  Rosemary has developed into a strong leader in her own right and is challenging Klinger’s for the number one spot.  She is a poor eater, but we are working on that.  She has run three Iditarods with me, finishing in lead in 2008 and 2009.

WSU (Wazoo): NF, DOB 2003 – Jeff King breeding – Salem x Lassen.  On loan from Bryan Bearss.  This girl is something special.  She is confident, outgoing, and runs lead.  She is all character and a real joy to have in the house, dog lot, and team.  Bryan loaned her to Karin Hendrickson for the last couple of years and Karin claims she is an excellent “sleeping bag dog” :-)

Thyme:  F, DOB 8/18/04 – Jeff King unintentional breeding – Tin x Nutmeg.  Purchased from Zack Steer in April 2006. Thyme is Rosemary’s sister.  Zack was selling Thyme because she is not a good eater and he is worried about keeping weight on her during the race.  I watched Thyme move and fell in love.  She is absolutely poetry in motion.  She is a little shy and a little small, but gee she moves pretty.  Thyme has matured into a nice co-leader, backing up the main leader and helping keep the team speed up.  She has run three Iditarods with me, finishing all but 2007 where I scratched.

Mocha: sponsored by Pat Schue.  F, DOB 8/18/04 – Jeff King unintentional breeding – Tin x Nutmeg.    Mocha is a doll.  She is Basil’s niece, and Thyme and Rosemary’s sister.  She is one of those dogs that looks at you with puppy eyes and promises to love you forever.  Her father is Platinum’s brother Tin.  She is well built and moves smoothly.  Mocha runs in the front of the team, including lead, but her real strength is as a cheerleader in swing.  Mocha has run all 4 Iditarods with me, finishing all but the 2007 race where I scratched.

Pilfer:  F, DOB 6/13/2008 – Jeff King breeding – Soloman x Berkeley.  Pilfer is a cross-eyed sweetheart.  She moves well, eats eagerly, gets along with everyone and is running lead.  She has bonded well with me over the last year and is a joy to have on the team.

Beamer: F, DOB 7/31/2009 – Jeff King breeding – Soloman x Shannon.  Beamer is a crackerjack that just loves being a sled dog.  A friendly, outgoing, long legged running machine.  The energy level always increases when I add her to the team.  Beamer also runs lead.

Ginger: F, DOB 6/9/06 – Lance Mackey breeding Hansel (Buser) x Rosie (Mackey).  Hansel was sired by Martin’s famous leader Logan and Rosie by Jeff King’s Herbie.  She is a little submissive, but driven when you put a harness on her.  She bounces her way to the line, jumping all four feet off the ground.  She screams and has spent several of her first nights here in a kennel in the garage because she wouldn’t be quiet (Screamer was her great grandmother!).  But she is absolutely poetry in motion, drives hard, and runs lead.  Ginger finished Iditarod in 2008 and 2009.

Dash: F, DOB 6/18/04 – Jeff King breeding – Rhombus x Tinkle.  Dash is Basil’s half sister.  Dash is a little shy with strangers, but very affectionate with people she knows.  She is well built and poetry in motion.  She loves to come to the end of her chain, stand on her rear legs and wave both front legs at you – “come on, let’s play!”  She is always trying to entice you into a game.  Dash runs in the front of the team, frequently in lead.  She has run all 4 Iditarods with me, finishing all but the 2007 race when I scratched.

Frodo: M, DOB 5/22/06 – Lance Mackey breeding Zorro x Twiggy.  Zorro is Lance’s famous leader / stud and Twiggy is out of old George Attla lines.  When I saw the dogs for sale at Lance’s kennel it was like walking into a candy store, but even in that group, Frodo stood out.  He is well built, and almost too intelligent, with a strong personality.  Frodo is the most athletic dog in the kennel.

Marvin: M, DOB 2006 – Tim Osmar breeding Scout x Cake.  Marvin ran the Tustamena and Goose Bay 120 in 2010, being dropped in the Goose Bay.  He is a big, sweet, smooth gaited, hard working boy, about 57 lbs.  Marvin runs in the rear of the team and is a joy to have in the team and kennel.  He is new to the team (Sept 2011) and will definitely be on the “visit school kids” list.  Marvin has a thick coat that makes him a prime Quest dog.

Z^2 (Z squared or Z too): F, DOB 2009 – Tim Osmar breeding Pilot x Zambizi.  Tim thought she looked exactly like her famous mother, hence the name.  Z-2 has those pale blue eyes that betray her Siberian ancestors.  She is new to the kennel (Sept 2011), and fairly skittish until I start loading to run, then she cannot get close enough, fast enough.  In harness she screams and lunges until we go and pulls like a demon.  She runs in the back of the team.  Her past experience includes the Jr Iditarod, and I’m expecting great things from her.

Basil: NF, DOB 5/??/03 – Jeff King breeding – Brahma x Tinkle.  Basil is an interesting story.  At the start and again the restart for the 2004 Iditarod I was very taken by a small female in Jeff King’s team – I just loved her attitude.  That was Tinkle, one of the stars of Jeff’s 2004 team.  I asked Jeff if he had any more like her and Jeff sold me her daughter, Basil.  This line throws small feisty females that like to lead and work hard, but don’t necessarily get along with other females and Basil is all of that.  Basil has run 4 Iditarods, finishing all except 2007 when I scratched.

Pepper:  NM, DOB 5/??/03 – Jeff King breeding – Brahma x Tinkle.  Purchased from Rich Corcoran in Sept 2008.  Pepper is Basil’s littermate, half brother to Dash, and uncle to Rosemary, Thyme and Mocha.  Pepper doesn’t look like much, but boy are looks deceiving.    He is a friendly outgoing dog that is very strong and driven to run.  I have to harness him dead last because he gets so excited he destroys lines and harnesses.  He has a beautiful fast trot that transitions easily to a lope.  He was neutered this spring to help keep weight on him.

Pepper made it to White Mountain in the 2009 Iditarod before his late start training caught up with him.

Worf: NM, DOB 5/28/02 – My breeding – Base x Kira (7 of 9’s pup).  Worf is a big strong, hardworking wheel dog.  He has an interesting story.  Worf ran the qualifiers with me in 2004 and 5, but didn’t make the team for Iditarod.  Bonnie Foster took him to the vet and found he suffered from low thyroid.  We’ve been supplementing for several years now and Worf has truly come into his own as a 9 yr old.  He spent the summer with me on the glacier and was a solid performer.  He has a good chance to make the Quest team this year.

Dukat: NM, DOB 5/28/02 – My breeding – Base x Kira (7 of 9’s pup).  As a pup Dukat was not only last when we free ran the pups, but came in long after all the others.  I voted him least likely to become a sled dog – he just didn’t seem that interested in running.  As a yearling he made the team, but was nothing to brag about.  However as a two year old he really started coming into his own with a nice smooth fast trot and solid work ethic.  Dukat became a mainstay of my team, but injured himself last year and had a hard time on the glacier after hard days.  Dukat has run 4 Iditarods, finishing in 2008, but is questionable for this year’s Quest.

Keiko:  NF, DOB 5/28/02 – My breeding – Base x Kira (7 of 9’s pup).. Keiko is Worf and Dukat’s sister.  She is a sweet, hard driving girl with the softest, most pet-able coat in the dog lot.  Keiko runs anywhere in the team but lead.  She has run 3 Iditarods, finishing in 2006 and 2009.  Keiko has a nagging back problem that has kept her off the race team for the last 3 years and she is questionable for this year’s Quest team.