ALIY ZIRKLE & ALLEN MOORE (Alaska, USA): Long-distance mushing
Aliy and Allen are on board for yet another season! And we are honored. This famous wife & husband duo are known not only for their outstanding race performance but also for dog care that is second to none.
Aliy and Allen own and operate SP Kennel – a premier sled dog kennel in Two Rivers, Alaska. They strive to be the best they can through complete dedication to their canine teammates and the sport.
Keep an eye on Aliy’s Red Team this winter as she mushes down the Iditarod trail, and keep an eye on Allen’s Black Team, as he takes his team down the Yukon Quest trail.
Check out SP Kennel’s website.
Aliy’s and Allen’s have been using our Distance Harness with great success for many years.
JEFF KING (Alaska, USA): Long-distance mushing
The four-time Iditarod Champion is taking a break from racing this winter. For the first time in decades, Jeff did not sign up for the Iditarod Sled Dog Race. The main reason was an unexpected surgery for torn rotator cuff repairs in late July. Jeff is pleased to report his first six weeks post-op and PT has been stunning. He is so excited to get this long-time chronic shoulder pain behind him and get back on the sled!
While recovering, Jeff is concentrating on an overhaul and complete facelift to his winter dog lot, which at the end should impress even the most critical observer. It is Jeff’s intention to continue to lead by example in the world of dog mushing and dog care in every way.
Visit Jeff’s Husky Homestead website.
Jeff’s harness of choice has been our Hybrid Light Weight Harness.
BLAKE & JENNIFER FREKING (Minnesota, USA): Long-distance mushing
Welcome to the team, Blake & Jennifer!
Blake and Jennifer own Manitou Crossing Kennels in Northern Minnesota, where they raise and train their Siberian Huskies. Combined, they have accumulated nearly six decades of mushing experience and together have run 4 Iditarods, the Yukon Quest, 17 Beargrease Marathons, and many other races in Alaska, Canada, Lower 48 and Europe. Blake, a civil engineer, is a 2-time Beargrease Champion. Jennifer, a veterinarian, ran her first Iditarod in 2008 and was awarded the Most Inspirational Musher award by her fellow mushers. In 2019 they finished 1st and 2nd in the John Beargrease Sled Dog Marathon.
Blake and Jennifer’s primary focus is the preservation of the working Siberian Husky. Their goal is to raise their dogs in the best environment possible with great socialization, the best nutrition available and optimal training to allow them to perform to their potential on the trail. They strive to enable their dogs to be happy and healthy from start to finish of every race.
And let’s not forget their daughters Elena and Nicole (ages 7 and 9) who also enjoy helping out in the kennel, socializing puppies and running teams.
Visit Blake & Jennifer’s website. Watch a video about their kennel.
Blake & Jennifer have been using our Light Weight Harnesses on their racing Siberians.
KATI & MARTIN DAGENAIS (Quebec, Canada): Sprint mushing
Kati & Matin own a premier limited class sprint racing kennel located in Quebec, Canada. They specialize in 6-dog racing. They took their team both to Europe and to Alaska, where they competed at the highest level.
This season Kati & Martin are having a lot of fun training and developing their talented puppies and yearlings. With Kati being the main driver, they will be focusing not only on the 6 dogs class but also on the 4 dogs class. Their intention is to race in the major sprint races in Quebec and the Lower 48. If everything goes according to plan, Kati & Martin will also take a drive up to Alaska to race in the Limited North American in Fairbanks on the best sprint trails in the world.
Visit Dagenais Racingsleddogs Facebook page.
The harness of choice for Team Dagenais is our Light Weight Harness.
ANDREY & ALLA NAYDENKO (Russia): Sprint mushing
Andrey and Alla are from Moscow, Russia. They own a kennel of Eurohunds named Crazy Dog Kennel, and they specialize in 4-dog sprint racing. Right now they are the fastest four-dog team in Russia. Both Andrey and Alla hold the title Master of Sports, which is a big honor in Russia. They travel all over Europe so that they can enter all the prestigious races.
This season Andrey and Alla are hoping to reach the podium at the European Championship and to travel to all the World Cup races. Besides 4-dog class, they might also try their luck in the 6-dog class.
Visit Andrey and Alla’s Facebook page.
Andrey and Alla’s dogs are running comfortably in our Chest Protectors, Hybrid Running Jackets and our Light Weight Harnesses.
RICH KISSELOFF (Illinois, USA): Skijoring, scootering & bikejoring
During the past season, Rich and his running partner Guinness (a Greyster) had some really nice performances on the world racing scene. This upcoming season they will have a new addition to the team: Trek, Guinness’s son, will be added to the mix as a yearling.
Rich opted not to attend IFSS Dryland World Championship in Sweden this year, but he will attend some big dryland races nonetheless. This year’s version of the Bristol Dryland race will serve as Canada’s National Championships race. Rich was selected as one of the few Americans to participate in the championships class. A week later Rich and his team will race on US soil at the Dirty Dog Dryland Derby in Wisconsin, which usually brings out some of the best US competitors.
The winter season will have Rich competing for the SkijorUSA race series and possibly a few sled events as well. Rich and his team are looking forward to another full and busy schedule for 2020.
Let’s not forget to mention that Rich is the founder of Windy City Mushers Club – a group of mushing enthusiasts in the Chicago area. Visit Windy City Mushers Facebook page.
Rich uses our Skijoring Belt PRO and our Skijoring Line PRO.
CARLOS VALADEZ (Mexico): Canicross & bikejoring
We are pleased to introduce our new team member, Carlos (nickname Cobi) from Mexico! Carlos competes in canicross with my his two German Shephard girls Hasen and Nima.
He entered his first race in 2016 and has since come a long way. By November 2018 he achieved his first podium placement in canicross with Nima, the craziest of the pack, at the Mexican Championship. He won another two podiums in bikejoring and canicross at the Mexican Cup this last February competing for a place at the next IFSS Dryland World Championships (now that Mexico has been recognized as a member of IFSS and ICF).
And now it’s finally official, Carlos has qualified for the IFSS World Championship! Congratulations! He will be the first Mexican male representative for canicross in such race.
Canicross is a young sport in Mexico, and Carlos is doing a wonderful job representing Howling Dog. He is a part of a team called Trail Mushing Team in the state of Mexico. With many teams throughout the country, the members are promoting these incredible activities with their dogs.
Interested to find out more about mushing in Mexico? Visit Mushing Mexico Facebook page.
Carlos is using our Canicorss Belt and our Skijoring Line PRO. His German Shepherd girls are running in our Second Skin Harnesses.
JON MOORE (USA, Texas): Canicross
Welcome aboard, Jon! Jon, an avid runner, is from Austin, Texas. His dog Rush joins Jon on his runs and also during all the races. The two are a true “urban” canicross team.
Jon & Rush won “Top Dog” in multiple races including the Strut Your Mutt 5k in Dallas. They also placed 3rd overall in the “Wild Canyon Ultra 25k” which Rush was the only dog. They competed in the Wild Canyon Ultra and in the GoPro Mountain Games in Vail, CO (in the Rocky Dog 5K). Attempting to be crowned “Fastest Dog in Austin” is also on the calendar in the Sunshine Run this season.
Rush is an Australian Cattle Dog. His accomplishments show that canicross can be undertaken with pretty much any athletic breed. Keeping active is the best a human can do for their four-legged friend.
Check out Jon’s Instagram page.
Jon is using our Canicross Belt and our Leash with Bungee. Rush is wearing our Distance Harness.