Nathan introduces you to his teammates and partners on the trail:
The Main Race Team
Bandit
*born in 2009
*Beargrease and Iditarod finisher
Bandit is the real deal. He’s fast, strong, and eats anything, anytime! If I had to say one bad thing about this beast, it’s that he’s stubborn, very stubborn. But, when he races he never argues , he just gets the job done! Bandit has finished in lead in two Beargrease wins and in our rookie Iditarod. One memory that sticks out about Bandit that I will never forget is from the White Mountain checkpoint in our first Iditarod. We were 925 miles into the race and I had just fed, watered, and bedded down the dogs and was headed into the checkpoint to do the same for myself. I took one last look back at my team as I headed up the hill and I 
noticed Bandit still standing there not resting. So I walked back down the hill and told him that it was okay to nap now! From White Mountain to Nome he gave me the ride of a lifetime and earned us Rookie of the Year! A hip injury in 2015 forced me to drop him halfway through Beargrease and Iditarod, but I guarantee he is healthy and ready for 2016! Bandit is thrilled to be sponsored by B&B Corner Bar formally located at Timberline RV Park, now at Lotts Landing Campground.
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Bambi
*born spring 2012
This girl was robbed of both the Iditarod and Beargrease last season due to a last minute, but routine, surgery. This is Pippi’s sister and they are about the same type of dog… they don’t back down from anybody! I can’t wait to get this girl back in the saddle! Bambi is sponsored by returning sponsor Doug Gould!
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Bernie
*born fall of 2013
*Google and Dig puppy
This dog is another real deal! I love this guy! Bernie is the smartest two year old I’ve ever owned. He’s already leading and I have him penciled in the starting lineup for this year’s races! Bernie is sponsored by Mike Maranda! Thanks Mike!
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Donald
*two year old
*brother to Mickey and Goofy
Donald is a shy and relaxed kind of dog. He’s mellow, which is perfect for me! I’m super excited to see the potential that this dog has! Donald is super excited to be sponsored by Pheasant’s Plus this season!
Fillmore
*born to Coors and Suzy
*born fall of 2010
* part of the Cars litter
Fillmore is my main leader. He is hard driving and focused. Speed is his weakness, but steadiness is his strength! This dog can hold a pace like no other for hours and days on end and never slows down. He is a two time Iditarod finisher in lead. He’s also won Beargrease for me two times! He’s not a very big dog, but he has a very big heart! Fillmore is sponsored by Jen Reiter again this year!
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Finger
*two year old
*named after an Iditarod checkpoint
This girl is just like the boys: big and strong with a long back and legs! This girl has heart! Her down fall may be her gait. She side winds just a bit, but with training she should straighten out. I expect this dog to be on the starting line up come March! Actually, I’m thinking she may be the special dog that leads me through those nasty wind storms on the trail! Ron and Mary Schroeder are this girl’s sponsors this year!
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Freezer
*two year old
*littermate to Frozen and Fridge
Not a big girl, but a happy girl! She is a cute little black dog with a few white speckles on her feet! Unlike her mother Lucy, Freezer is reserved, laid back, and by far the best gaited dog in the kennel! Freezer is excited to be sponsored by Pat Christofferson!
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Frozen
*born fall of 2013
*Lucy and Reach puppy
Shy and smooth is her deal! Frozen is a nice traveling dog. She is hard-working and with a little more time in training she is going to be good! Frozen is excited to be sponsored by Larry and Deb Sherman this year! Thanks Deb & Larry!
Goofy
*Miss Sally’s son
*born summer of 2013
This dog has all the angles in his build and a gait that I love. I can’t wait to see this guy cruising down the trail this winter! Goofy thanks Ron and Mary Schroeder for their sponsorship this season!
*born 2009
*multiple Beargrease and Iditarod finishes
Google’s father is the famous Hobo from Lance Mackey’s kennel. This is the only dog, who at six, has never seen even a minor injury! He can pull hard and travel fast. A perfect sled dog. He’s a father now too! Look out: there are Google pups coming up! Phyllis Pugsley is Google’s special sponsor this year!
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Grizzly
*three years old
*a Achillies and Lucy pup
I’ve been saving this guy for this season. He did all of the training last year, but I decided not to race him and give him one more year to grow up! He’s a bit shy, but overall he’s a good quality sled dog! Grizzly is howling proud to announce he is being sponsored by Sarah Reif, a returning sponsor, this year!
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Jake
*Achilles’ son
*born summer of 2013
As a yearling last year, this dog made it through all of the training, which is very unusual and an amazing accomplishment! He has a nice, thick coat and is so light footed that his career should be injury free. I didn’t race him last year due to his young age, but after another year of maturity under his belt, I have already penciled him in for this year’s team! Jake thanks Lori and Don Gimpel for their vote of confidence in sponsoring him this year!
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Lightning
*part of the Cars litter
*Iditarod finisher
Lightning is like a grumpy old man! He’s crabby, aggressive, stubborn and hates others… but he loves me! He’s a part time leader and actually led us across the finish line at last year’s Iditarod… so I named him the MVP of Iditarod 2015. He’s at a perfect age, and I think he will notch it up even more this season. Jim and Teresa Spicer, returning sponsors, are helping Lightning get to the starting line this season!
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Luigi
*born 2011
*part of the Cars litter theme
*but a different generation than Filmore, Sally, Lightning, and Sheriff
This guy is one big bull moose. His head is so big, it takes a special harness just to fit over his head! I’ve been mushing dogs my whole life and have handled many big dogs, but this dog is almost too much even for an experienced musher like myself! But, he fits the team well! He finished last year’s Beargrease. He was dropped early in Iditarod, but with another year under his belt, stress should not be an issue for Luigi! Thanks to Dave and Tracy Isakson for sponsoring the big boy!
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Maple
*two year old
*a Chevy and Pippi pup
This is my Filmore replica… Maple looks like Filmore, moves like Filmore, and acts like Filmore! I can’t wait to see if my Filmore replica is as good as the original Filmore! Lori and Don Gimple are sponsoring Maple this year! Thanks so much!
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Mickey
*two year old
*Miss Sally’s puppy
This is a joyful dog! He is fun to be around and his attitude reminds me of his mother! I’m pretty sure Mickey will be race ready this winter. With a few more trail miles, this guy will be ready! Mickey’s special fans are Roger and Sandy Severson this year!
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Miss Sally
*part of the Cars litter (the only female!)
*two time Iditarod finisher
At four years old last season, she was almost ready to take the team in her own hand (paw!), but I decided that this season would be the year she takes over as my main leader! She is a cutie with a super sweet personality. I made the mistake of never running her in the Beargrease, but she already has several Iditarod finishes under her belt! She’s a keeper! Miss Sally is being sponsored by the Lingell Family, returning sponsors, this season! She thanks them for their support!
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Pippi
*born spring of 2012
*2015 Beargrease finisher
When she was just a puppy, my son Gavin (who was three at the time) loved to play with her… like three year olds will play. As a result, she is not scared of anything! She is fearless! I wish I had a team of dogs with this attitude! Pippi was on the 2015 Iditarod team, but had to be dropped in Kaltag due to a wrist injury. Tracy Morrow has chosen Pippi to sponsor this year!
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Quest
*sister to Metro
*born fall of 2010
*2014 Iditarod finisher
Quest is a sweet, gentle, and very smooth running dog! She loves kids and adults; as long as you are petting her, she is happy! In the 2014 Iditarod we got caught in that wind storm that knocked out many of the front runners. I stopped and snacked the dogs, but it was super windy! I tossed a snack to Quest just as the wind gusted. She lunged for it, but the wind blew it out of sight. The look on her face was priceless! (Don’t worry, I had extra snacks and hand fed her!) Two days before the 2015 Iditarod, Quest came into heat so,unfortunately, she had to be left behind. Quest is howling with joy to be sponsored by Rhonda and Terry White who are returning sponsors!
Sheriff
*born fall of 2010
*part of the Cars litter
*multiple Beargrease and Iditarod finishes
Sheriff is a good all around dog! He can lead or run anywhere in the team, as long as he is running it doesn’t matter to him where he is! He has finished multiple Beargrease races and now multiple Iditarods. Sheriff is one of my best, as well as one of my favorites! The Slettom Family is helping Sheriff head down the trail this year! Thanks for the support!
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Viper
*born 2010
Viper is one of those dogs who is not a standout. He doesn’t have the best gait. He’s not the fastest or the strongest. But he is a decent athlete and an important, solid member of the team. He is dependable and hard-working. Suzanne Avello has chosen Viper as her special dog this season!
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Buffy
*two year old
* a Quest and Google pup
Buffy is a very curious dog! Brumbly, who is our pet Australian Shepard, loves to pick on her! I think the reason Brumbly picks on her is because she knew that Buffy is a dominant dog. This dog is unbelievable! She may be young, but race fans may get a look at her soon! Buffy is being sponsored by Elizabeth Reif this season! She promises to make you proud!
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Kenia
*two year old
I purchased this dog from musher Paul Gebhardt after the 2015 Iditarod. It will be interesting to see how this girl fits with my team. She is tall, leggy, and my least favorite color – white! She is shy, but she has a huge temple which is a sign of intelligence. Sponsor Me!
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Nala
*two year old
*Achillies’ daughter
In my opinion, Nala has the best structure a sled dog could have! She has a long back, long legs, and a beautiful black and tan coat. Since she is young, she may have to be find tuned this season before I consider racing her. I like my chances in the future with this girl! Thank you to the Cameron Family for sponsoring Nala this season!
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Snag
*two year old
*a Google and Quest pup
This dog can drink more water than any dog I’ve ever owned! His body structure is good for a sled dog. This is the type of dog that will be able to handle Alaska’s harsh winters with his nice, beautiful thick coat! Snag is howling excited to announce that Brian Yelton is his sponsor this year!
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Snip
*two year old
*a Quest and Google pup
He is an interesting dog. He doesn’t like anything new around him! He is a big, beautiful dog who looks just like his mom Quest. I hope he is better than his parents… but those are some big shoes to fill! Sponsor Me!
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Yoda
*two year old
*Achilles’ pup
I hope this boy can be as good as his dad in the future. That is a tough request to make, but if anyone can do it, Yoda can! Yoda is sponsored by the Vatne Family this year! Thanks for your continued support!
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THE YEARLINGS:
Finn
*Google/Kenia puppy
Fin is such a gentle puppy, he is so easy to handle and follows direction so well. He has very long legs! He runs and pulls well; I hope his body catches up to his legs. He has brother and sisters all over the MN mushing world! Finn is super stoked to be sponsored by Steve Bonner this season!.
Han Solo
*Jockamo/Lucy pup
He was able to live with Chilly Dogs and Jake Hway last winter! He is definitely a runt: he is a small dog, and he reminds me of Jockamo, his dad. He has super high energy, and is always ready to go. He loves his new place. He seems to love to pull and does it well. He never stops trying. Sponsor Me!
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Chewy –
*Jockamo/Lucy pup
He was also able to live with Chilly Dogs and Jake Hway last winter! He is very energetic, he is very well built. A little smaller than most of my other dogs. I get a kick out of him, he has a fun personality. He is so excited he barks for the first two miles of the run. He is the best gaited puppy from last year. Sponsor Me!
Ruby
*Quest/Metro puppy
*Iditarod puppies born in May
She is one of sweetest and smartest girls I have ever had. She comes when she is called. She is always running up to me and hanging out with me and she loves to get hugs. Sponsor Me!
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BABIES:
Miss Sally Babies: Born August 1, 2016
Arlo
He is built like a brick, he is “super solid.” He almost as big as Nora. Sponsor Me!
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Nixon
He is really energetic: he is always the one tackling his siblings and the kids! He has to try to keep up with his sister, she is bigger than he is! This cutie is sponsored by the Hanson Family
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Nora
She is the biggest pup and is destined for greatness. She is very energetic, loves to run and play, and will not sit still! She is the leader of the pack -always moving. Carolyn Ezzell is getting all the snuggles from this girl this season!
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Olive
She is super sweet, gentle, and on the smaller side. Sponsor Me!
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Quin
He is super laid back, and likes to be held. He will sit still for hugs and belly rubs. He does not normally run and jump with the other puppies, he likes to be next to people. Sponsor Me!
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