In the world of sled dog racing a few elite, professional, racing teams seem to always rise to the top. The teams and kennel run by the multi-generational Seavey family are one of them. Mitch won the Iditarod in 2004, and the Seavey kennel has entered over 30 Iditarod teams to date. Mitch himself has raced 15 Iditarods, with finishes in the top 10 seven times including the last five in a row. Other notable wins are many: Kusko 300-2x, Copper Basin-2x, Klondike 300 and the Grand Portage Passage 300. The latest and greatest win for Mitch came this year in the All Alaska Sweepstakes. Billed as a “$100,000 Winner Take All Event,” winning the sweepstakes was a goal of some of the world’s best mushers and their teams. Mitch is known for a calculated come-from-behind race-winning strategy, and excelling in bad weather and tough trail conditions, and he used that reputation to good advantage in this race.A breeding program that can rack up this many wins over the years deserves special attention. We are happy to present to you Mitch’s winning Sweepstakes team, and a few other hand picked dogs from his kennel. Enjoy. PEYTON: 3 yrs old, M, 49# Main leader for 2008. Won the Kusko 300, 7th in Iditarod, won the All Alaska Sweepstakes. May be my favorite dog ever. I’ve had performers close to this good, but not as relaxed and friendly. Full-time loper, and always leads the team by example. Loves to be on the trail. Eager to leave checkpoints and get back at it. Nearly instant command response under any conditions. Out of Brooklyn(M) and Peach(F).COLONEL: 8 yrs old, M, 51#Has now finished 8 Iditarods and dozens of other distance races. Has never been dropped in thousands of miles of racing. Not speedy, but always contributing his share. Tough headed, end-of-the-race leader. Out of Drover (M) and Torvelle (Swenson).DREYFUS: 4 yrs old, M, 48#Another tireless worker, leader, and dependable finisher. Finally figured out why he runs a little out to the side while in swing—he ís trying to pass the leaders! Out of Flint (Colonel’s brother) and Peach.HAMMER: 7 yrs old, M, 52#Super friendly, super dependable and a bit heavier than the rest. The only Sweepstakes dog not a leader. Odd gait, but somehow always has a smile for the camera at the finish. His eating habits are an inspiration for the team. Father Angus and mother Ginger.WILD BILL: 4 yrs old, M, 49#Kusko 300 Championship leader. Main leader with Payton for Kuskokwim-300 win this year. Remember the stories about the Kusko-swim? It takes a committed dog to want to plunge through miles of deep ice water at the end of a tough 300-mile race. Dropped from Iditarod this year with the flu and a minor injury so didn’t go on Sweepstakes but he is the same caliber as those dogs. Super high energy, and never tired. Out of Piper and Queens.HUDSON: 3 yrs old, M, 49#Excellent command and off-trail leader. Seems to really enjoy deep snow, and uncharted territory. Effortless traveler. He speeds up the whole outfit from any position in the team. Out of Piper (M) and Queens.MOLSEN: 4 yrs old, M, 52#The only bought dog I have that can hang with the homies. Good athlete and eater, leads. I don’t care for his fighting habit, but hey, if he can perform at this level we’ll work something out. From Lance Mackey, out of Zorro.BEETLE JUICE: 4 yrs old, M, 52#The only bought dog I have that can hang with the homies. Good athlete and eater, leads. I don’t care for his fighting habit, but hey, if he can perform at this level we’ll work something out. From Lance Mackey, out of Zorro.EAGLE: 4 yrs old, M, 50#Belongs to my young son Conway, and wonít leave his side off-leash. His other job is running swing in distance races with me and finished every race this season. Nearly tired-proof, leads, and always ready to knock out another run. Father is Finnbar and mother is Mesa.KIRBY: 3 yrs old, M, 51# Super tough, and hard charging dog, lopes all the time. Odd personality. Fights sometimes, and bit the handler last year, but loves me, so I guess that makes him okay. Battled the flu most of the Iditarod but still finished pulling strong. Heís the one nobody thought would make it. Bad boy done good. Out of Piper and Harlem.PEACH: 7 yrs old, F, 44# Iditarod leader, Mother Superior. Multiple Iditarod finishes, a main leader in 2005 3rd place finish. It’s tough for a small dog to hang in there, much less lead the boys to Nome. Peach has that hidden ingredient, and so do her kids. Mother of many great dogs and main brood bitch in the kennel today. Mother is Frenzy (Treadís sister) and father is Jack (Saunderson).DITKA: 3 yrs old, M, 49#Became a leader near the end of the 2008 season. We just put him up there one day and he already knew commands, and took to leading immediately. Ran most of the Iditarod and Sweepstakes in lead with his littermate Payton. Has a “no-big-deal” attitude even under the toughest conditions. With experience will be as good as his brother. What a pair! Out of Brooklyn(M) and Peach(F).TREAD: 13 yrs old! M, 50# Iditarod Golden Harness leader. A main leader for many years, finishing nine Iditarods before retiring at age ten. So stubborn and hard headed that the last few years of his racing career I never even put him in lead until we got on the Iditarod. He seemed to think the Iditarod was the only thing worth his efforts and always turned in a fantastic performance in that race. Golden Harness leader of 2004 Iditarod championship team. Bill Cotter breeding.
