Musher denies Iditarod’s concerns over his dog care
Lanier took 12 days to complete that 1,000-mile(1,610-kilometer) race, finishing 24th ANCHORAGE, ALASKA » The among the 27th mushers to world’s most famous sled reach the finish line. He disdog race has denied entry to putes what he called a poor a 78-year-old musher for the report fromthe YukonQuest. 2020 race over dog care con“I totally disagree with the cerns raised by race officials, report, particularly with the something Jim Lanier adapart that said the teamdidn’t mantly denies. finish well,” Lanier said. “I
Lanier, whose first Idifinished with nine dogs that tarod Trail Sled Dog Race were in terrific shape.” was in 1979, dropped out the The Iditarod is facing preslast four times he started sure by animal rights groups, the grueling 1,000-mile race who say the race is cruel to that goes over two mountain dogs. People for the Ethical ranges, the Yukon River and Treatment of Animals is the along the wind-swept and icy race’s biggest critic, and conBering Sea coast. tinues to put pressure on the
In 2018, musher Scott Jansrace’s sponsors. sen came across Lanier late “I do understand their conin the race and found he was cerns generated by PETA,” stuck and starting to freeze. Lanier said. “And I knowthat
Lanier says that was exthe race needs to pay attenaggerated. He got caught tion to that and focus on care by a big wind 40 miles of the dogs but I do feel ... it is from the end of the race probably true that I’m a bit of and was blown out to the a scapegoat.”
Bering Sea. Lanier was born in 1940
“I wasn’t anywhere near in Washington, D.C., and death, I just couldn’t get mygrew up in Fargo, North Daself and the team going,” kota. He came to Anchorage Lanier told The Associated in 1967 to work at the Alaska Press on Friday. Native Medical Center.
Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Later, he moved to Race chief operations officer Providence Alaska MediChasSt. GeorgetoldtheAPin cal Center, where he had an email that the race’s Qualia 33-year career as a pafying ReviewBoardexamines thologist before retiring, each entrant, and the board’s according to his biografirst priority is to ensure each phy on his kennel’s webmusherhas the ability to care site. His wife, Anna Bondfor his or her team. arenko, was the first Rus
Lanier was informed sian woman to enter and Wednesday that his applifinish the Iditarod, in cation to race next year had 2000, the website said. beendeniedafter that review. Lanier has finished the
The review board based Iditarod 16 times, the last in its decision on observations 2013. His best-ever finish was made by the race marshal 18th in 2004. and judges when Lanier St. George called Lanier dropped out in 2018, St. an “Iditarod icon,” and said George said. The board also he would certainly be eligible reviewed observations made for the 2021 race after further by race marshal and chief review by race officials. veterinarian made this year “We hope he will continue in another long-distance, the to strive for his goal of comYukon Quest International pleting the Iditarod over Sled Dog Race. a span of six decades,” St. George said.
Lanier said he is hopeful race officials would change their minds and let him run. The race should embrace older participants, he said. He would be 79 when the race starts next March.
There are plenty of fans “who really like to see us old guys out there doing good. That should be a plus for the race, a really big plus, it seems to me,” Lanier said.
“That’s exactly why I think this is amistake ontheir part, and I think their concerns about dog care, while understandable, are unwarranted in my case,” he said.