麻豆社区

Midsummer or not, local mushers are already looking ahead to a cold Yukon winter.

Mendenhall鈥檚 Gaetan Pierrard was the first musher to file his registration papers at the Yukon Quest office on a rainy Saturday, fulfilling a dream 13 years in the making.

Rob Cooke also signed up for another 1,000-mile race, while Marcelle Fressineau was on hand to file papers for her handler 鈥� Sebastien Dos Santos Borges of France.

鈥淚 feel happy,鈥� said Pierrard. 鈥淚t鈥檚 been a long time coming. It took time to breed the dogs, train the dogs, qualify. I鈥坖ust want to finish and be happy.鈥�

The Belgium-born musher said he first came across the sport when he hitchhiked across the country and ended up in Dawson City for the 2002 Quest.

鈥淭hat鈥檚 how I鈥坉iscovered it,鈥濃�坱he 39-year-old said. 鈥淎nd I鈥坓ot hooked.鈥�

The Yukon registrations were the climax of the 2016 race kickoff party, dubbed Bark Fest.

The event featured several judged canine competitions, including owner and dog lookalike, best dog trick, best-dressed dog and best dog howl.

A simultaneous event was staged at the Quest office in Fairbanks, where defending champion Brent Sass signed his papers.

鈥淚鈥檓 stoked, I want to defend,鈥濃�圫ass told the Fairbanks Daily 麻豆社区-Miner. 鈥淚鈥坱hink my dog team is more than capable. ... They鈥檙e all in the prime of their careers.鈥�

Other marquee names include two-time champion Allen Moore and Ed Hopkins, the top Yukoner in 2015.

The current field of 21 features nine rookies and five Canadians.

Eighteen others registered for the Yukon Quest 300, including Aliy Zirkle, still the only woman to win the Yukon Quest.

Mushers have until Jan. 4, 2016 to register for either race.

Meanwhile, the Quest board announced Friday that mushers will be competing for a minimum purse of US$115,000.

That鈥檚 down from last year鈥檚 purse of $127,110 thanks to more than $12,000 outstanding from the 2014 event.

鈥淚 think it鈥檚 important that the race is financially viable,鈥� said Cooke, 49. 鈥淭he Quest can鈥檛 put out $150-, $200,000 purses, no matter how much we like it. ... At the end of the day, we鈥檙e not here for the money. We鈥檙e here for the Quest itself.鈥�

Also announced Friday, Doug Grilliot will return for the fourth straight year as race marshal, while Dr. Christina Hansen is back as head veterinarian. Alex Olesen will be in charge of logistics as race manager for the fourth straight year.

For a full list of mushers registered for next year鈥檚 odyssey, visit www.yukonquest.com.