The 34 dog mushers who signed up for the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race are the smallest number in the race’s 50 year history .
The 1,000-mile race started with the goal of keeping alive Bush travel and the sled dogs it powered.
However, Iditarod has become increasingly competitive and non-contenders have had to struggle — many pointing out the rising cost of living a dog team and maintaining it — others are left asking: Is dog mushing dead?
John Schandelmeier is a long-time dog musher. He was also the Yukon Quest champion. He’s also a columnist. Schandelmeier believes there are many reasons why dog mushers have fewer kennels that are race-worthy.
Listen:
This transcript has been lightly edited to improve clarity.
John Schandelmeier. Time is crucial and costs are rising, so they need to spend more to support their dogs. The mushers are also affected by the fact that many of those who have raced for over 15 years are no more. Some of them have moved on, others have families or are doing other things. There are many factors that can influence the outcome of a race. I don’t believe there is one factor. Also, look back to years ago, in the ’80s or ’90s, when a lot of the mushers came out of the Bush, they were racing dogs in town because they had dogs. Today, Quest and Iditarod are the only ones coming out of villages.
Casey Grove : It seems that a lot people point out the costs. What does it take to make that happen? What are the real things that have gone up? I am referring to gas for ATVs and other similar equipment.
John Schandelmeier : I try to keep costs down and in the past I thought you could race a team of dogs for $750 per year. If I had 40 dogs that would be a little more than 30,000 dollars. These costs have increased significantly over the past ten years because feed costs have likely almost doubled due to the increase in transportation costs. Then, veterinary costs have risen. There were once a few vets who could provide sled dog care for a fraction of the cost of house-dog care. These costs have almost doubled. They have probably tripled. The vets that do this kind of work out in the villages are decreasing and there is only one. Fuel is an important factor because the ATV can go around and you have to train in summer. It’s all about wheels in August, September and October. Then there is the matter of traveling to train. There are a lot of mushers who cannot travel outside their homes. Yes, it is a factor.
Casey Grove – Is it also making less money? I don’t know what I am talking about, but we do hear that Iditarod has lost sponsors in the past few years. But for individual mushers is sponsorship money less?
John Schandelmeier : Yes, I believe so. Mushing is a sideline sport, so it isn’t well-known. We’ve had sponsors throughout the years and couldn’t offer anything in return. Eukanuba sponsored us for a while, and I was like, okay, so is that going to sell enough dog food for me to pay the sponsoring fee? It was valuable for us but not for them. It didn’t feel like it was. Then there’s the question of how many people actually go outside anymore. That’s what we see. That’s something I believe is a major factor in many things. To be a musher, you have to get out and do it. You also need to be comfortable with the cold. This is becoming less appealing in today’s society. It’s not there anymore, I think.
Casey Grove – Do you believe that this is a shift in generation?
John Schandelmeier: I do. It’s something we have lost in society and I don’t believe we can get it back. That generation is gone. It’s all because of electronics. That’s why I am convinced and I don’t hesitate to advocate that thought. I believe that this is the case in our world. Things that aren’t of us make us dependent. We are no longer dependent on others.
Casey Grove – I feel that technology is more than just “Did you use a GPS to track your race?” It’s about “Are you comfortable enough with stepping out of that safety zone to be a dog musher?”
John Schandelmeier : That’s exactly what I meant. It never comes back. It’s only what you’ve just said. It’s a level of comfort. It’s like saying, “It’s OK to be wherever I am.” It doesn’t matter where I live in the world, but where I’m at home in my head. Do I feel comfortable being where I am?
