Nineteen teams have registered for the 2011 International Pedigree Stage Stop Sled Dog Race (IPSSSDR) announced Race Director Frank Teasley. As a result, Teasley is considering expanding the roster from 20 teams to 25 teams; he will make the decision June 1.img::DSC_3336.jpg::500Image by Chris Havener“The interest in the 2011 IPSSSDR has been phenomenal; Teasley says. “Part of the draw is the stage stop format plus the $180,000 purse. We are considering expansion to accommodate more teams.”The reigning champions of distance mushing, Lance Mackey and Hans Gatt have announced that they will compete in the 2011 event. Other racers expected to compete are Other champion mushers expected to compete in the 2011 IPSSSDR are Iditarod veteran Ryan Reddington and Fur Rondy Sprint Champion Blayne “Bud” Streeper. Streeper won the IPSSSDR in 2004 and 2010.img::DSC_3661.jpg::500img::DSC_3850.jpg::500Images by Chris HavenerThe largest sled dog race in the lower 48 states is slated for January 28 – February 5, 2011, starting in Jackson, Wyo., and traveling through small Wyoming communities before finishing in Park City, Utah.With its unique stage stop format, the IPSSSDR has become a popular mushing event attracting the world’s top competitors. Pedigree® Food for Dogs is the title sponsor of the IPSSSDR. The Pedigree® brand actively supports a wide range of programs that promote responsible pet ownership and highlight the contributions dogs make to society. The International Pedigree Stage Stop Sled Dog Race was founded in 1996 by Frank Teasley to make sled dog racing more accessible to the public. For more information, visit the race website at www.wyomingstagestop.org; contact the race via e-mail at wystagestop@blissnet.com; or telephone at (307) 734-1163. Media Contact: Darla Worden, WordenGroup Strategic Public Relations, darla@wordenpr.com, 307.734.5335img::DSC_3606.jpg::500Image by Chris Havener
