Fur Rendezvous Open World Championship Race Entries to date:

Blayne Streeper Defending Champion

The only musher in history to have the World Triple Crown- Anchorage- Laconia- The Pas.
Fastest team in the sport 2007- 5 track records- 12 wins.
First in every heat of the 2007 Fur Rondy, 10 minutes/hours- ahead of second place finisher.
2xdefending Fur Rondy Champion
2x reigning ONAC Champion
2x reigning Arctic Circle Champion
4x Canadian Dog Derby Champion
7x reigning Canadian Open Champion
2x Attaboy 300 Champion
2x reigning Open Pro Tour Champion
2x reigning ISDRA Gold medal winner

Humanitarian Award winner- Yellowknife- Laconia
Team&Trail Magazine- "Musher of the Year" streeperdogs.com

Bill Kornmuller lives in Willow, Alaska. He operates a sprint dog kennel with the help and support of his family. The dogs have supported themselves for many years. He races with the assistance of his wife, 7 year old son Eric, 17 year old son, Joe, 21 year old son Max, and his hndler Leanne. He is know for racing with particularly long strings of dogs--20 dogs is common for him. Last year he placed 2nd in the Fur Rendezvous Open World Championship, and 4th in the Open North American. He has placed consistently in the top ten for the past decade and in the past few years in the top five.

Egil Ellis is a 4X winner of the Anchorage Fur Rendezvous, 7X winner of the Open North American Championships, Fairbanks. Born in Sweden, now living in Willow, Alaska since 2001. Egil has been racing for 22 years in Europe and Alaska. His dogs are Pointer/husky crosses and love to run fast. Website is egilellis.com

Ross Saunderson was born in Canada and resides in Ft. St John British Colombia. He has been racing for 29 years. Highligts of his racing career were three Open World Champions (94, 95,& 98) and 2 Open North American Championships. "I am on a comeback mission to recapture the championships in both Anchorage and Fairbanks. So let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!" Ross is a 39 year old electrical contractor. His colors are Burgandy and Black. His wife Tammy also races. His lead dogs are Harley, Macey and Marney. His kennel has 64 dogs. His race record this year includes 2^nd at Fort Nelson and 2^nd at Fort St. John.

Jacques Philip

From Nenana, Alaska is a 51 year old dog musher. He has been racing for 28 years. His wife also races. Lead dogs are Loly (5), Google (5), Edfu (2) and Jasper (3). He has 90 dogs in his kennel. His race record includes Rondy, Open North American, Alpirod, Iditarod, Kobuk 440, Fireplug, Wyoming, Attaboy, and Alaska Come Back Race among others. He would like to thank Royal Canin, Inc and Cold Spot Feeds

Heather Hardy is 21 years old and has been racing since she was 15, the last 4 years in open class racing. Heather finished 8^th in 2007 as a rookie. Heather works as a fisheries expeditor in the summer and devotes all her time to her dogs in the winter. Heather is very excited for this race and hopes for a big turnout.

http://www.hjpointers.com/

Ed Wood was born 2/05/64 in Anchorage. Ed has been racing dogs since 1990. Finishing 9th in 2007, Ed is the only musher who lives and works in the Municipality of Anchorage to place in the top 10 in the last 10 years.

Now living in Chugiak, Ed is a 44 year old warehouse manager for Unisource. His racing colors are gray and black. He has been racing for 18 years. His wife Jo also races. His lead dogs are Lurch and Gomez- both 4 years old. He has 40 dogs in his kennel. His race record includes winning the 2008 Earl Norris Open Class Race and 7^th in the ExxonMobil Open Race, and 9^th in 2007 Rondy. He was inspired to become a musher by Dixie Waddell. He is also and assistant guide, loves to hunt Elk, sheep –anything with horns. He would like to thank Bill and Dixie Waddell, Lorri Burnett, Jeff Barnhart, and most of all the best handler in the world, my wife Jo. Also Hot Wire Electric and GAI for sponsoring the best open class race in the World.

Nils Hahn of Nome, Alaska is 36. Arctic Sky Kennel has 30 dogs from the line of Joe Garnie and Egil Ellis. Nils placed 13^th in the 2007 Open World Championship Race. His race colors are arctic sky (purple and blue). He has 12 years race experience. His lead dogs are Hobs and Feather 6 years old. There are 26 dogs in his kennel. His race experience includes Rondy, Iditarod, Kobuk 440, Kusko 300, Arctic Circle Kotzebue, None-Council 200, Prortsite 200 Kotzebue. He was self inspired to become a musher. His other interests are family, carpentry, mountain biking, and running. He would like to thank ASDRA, Fran Pekar, Christine Roalofs, EVERTS, his wife, Diana and daughter, Lizzy

Harry Alexie,of Kwethluk, Alaska is 30 years old. Alexie Kennels has 36 dogs from the Redington and Kornmuller lines. I would like to rekindle the interest of the Lower Kuskokwim/Bethel area dog mushing teams to start traveling into Anchorage to race in the Open Fur Rondy World Championships. His lead dogs include Annie a 4 year old. He was inspired by Raymond Egoak, Sr
He has been mushing all his life if one dog team counts for his childhood years. He has 36 dogs in his kennel of which 12 are puppies. There has not been a musher from my area comepete in the Fur Rondy OWC since the 1980"s. Harry attended the Kwethluk Community School and the Alaska Vocational Technical Center and has been with the Alaska Army National Guard for 12 years. He is the Personnel Service NCO for the 2nd Battalion 297th Infantry in Bethel, AK. He enjoys traditional hunting and fishing, and reading. He is married to Sharon and they have two children, Raymond and Joette. He would like to thank Everts Air Cargo, his Dad, Alexie and handlers John Nicolai and Carl Androw

Mari Wood Mari with her family has bred, trained and raced sled dogs for 18 years. From Anchorage, Mari is a 53 year old vice President of Arctic Office Products. Three times she has been selected to compete on the United States Team in World Championship mushing events.

Currently her team is based & trains in Willow.

Her racing colors are Black and Blue. Her husband, John and daughter, Katie also race. There are 50 dogs in their kennel. She is also a Master Gardner. She would like to thank her family, John and Katie. “I could not do it without you” Thanks also to long time sponsor 3M.

Don Cousins of Hide-A-Way Kennels, Crooked Creek, Alberta, Canada
I'm a long time Open Class sled dog racer hving run the Canadian Open in Ft. Nelson more times than I can remember, the Open World Championship in Anchorage 10 times and the Open North American 20 times. These have been my main stay races over my mushing career of 30 years. My family has been very involved in the sled dog racing and this year I will again be accompanied by my daughter Alison(aka SPUD) as we will enter two open teams in most races. For the first time ever we will also be accompanied by my wife Faye throughout the race season.
'We currently have a kennel of 60 sleddogs, several old retirees who have been my most favoruite and reliable sled dogs; Nick, Magic, Leroy, Lipps and Girlie. His lead dogs are Elliot and Gisken
Last year we had our best performance in Anchorage and placed well in the other races we entered. Our team this year will be led by a remarkable 3 year old leader named Elliot who will be accompanied in various races by several of the new dogs we purchased last year, Lexie, Lilac, Paula, Natalie, Nina, Gisken, and Utah to name a few.
This is his 11th Rondy race and he is hoping for many more. So far in 2008 he has placed 5^th at Ft. Nelson, 5^th at Taylor,BC, and 4^th at Frazee. He was inspired to race by all the old favorites, Attla, Lombards, , Huntingtons, and Redingtons. They made today possible.
Don is a grandpa to 2 and soon a grandpa for 4/I love today!
Thanks to Susan Duck, ASDRA, Bill Waddel and all the volunteers who made this race possible. The GREATEST OPEN CLASS SPRINT race in the world!
We have very good accommodations and trails at home that we offer for use to other mushers traveling to races throughout the winter. I look forward to the upcoming season with hopes of continued good performances at the races we attend. There is no sport like Sled Dog Racing- I truly enjoy it!

Courtney Moore is a 23 year old Inupiaq Eskimo and Athabascan Indian from Tanana, Alaska. I have grown up training, racing, and handling dogs at my family’s Kennel in Tanana. I have been racing these dogs since I was four years old, and have competed with them in numerous locations winning many different races. I won the woman's race at the Koyukuk River Championship and also in the Galena Spring Carnival in 2002. Courtney lists her occupation as carpenter.

I was the 2004-05 Miss Nuchalawoyya and Miss World Eskimo Indian Olympics. Along with that I have 3 & ½ years of college under my belt, which helped me decide to take a break and take the opportunity to pursue my dream of racing in the Fur Rendezvous and North American with my family’s dog team from the Doggy Heaven Kennel run by my parents Pat and Lorene Moore for 31 years.

Her racing colors are black and blue. She has been racing for 19 years. Other family members who race include Millena Jordan, brother Thomas, and father Pat. Her lead dogs are Bones, 5 and Tendons, 5. There are 46 dogs in her kennel. She was inspired to become a musher by her late uncle Freddie Jordan. She likes to play basketball, bead and sew. She would like to thank her sponsors Craig Robinson, Monica Moore, Matt Brockman, Michaela Grant, Rosa Heyano, Paul and Mary Starr, Midnite Sun Freight, Doyon Ltd, Tanan Tribal Council, Marty Scharf, Northern Lights Painting & Drywall, Susan Robinson, Charlene Marth, Bob Teng, Mike Woodruff, Dorothy Jordan, and Will Gard

Rick Taylor of Fairbanks, Alaska is a 47 years old Heavy equipment operator . His race colors are black and blue. He has 35 years experience training dogs. His brother Greg Taylor also races. There are 70 dogs in his kennel. He was inspired by his father, Bill Taylor. Taylor Kennels has 85 dogs crossing Taylor lines with Ellis lines. His goal is top 5 finish. He has been out of racing for 4 years but has years of experience prior to that. He would like to thank his sponsor Nenana Lumber Company, brother Greg Taylor, and Angie Fitch, his family, and friends

Mike Cox of Salcha, Alaska is 38 years old. Cox Racing Kennel has 30 dogs from Reynolds and Redington lines. He placed 7^th in the 2007 Fur Rendezvous Open World Championships , 2^nd in the 2007 Eagle River Classic, and 6^th in the Open ExxonMobil 2007.

Isreal Silas

Jason Dunlap of Salcha, Alaska is 33 years old. Dunlap Kennel has 30 dogs from Reynolds and Lanser bloodlines. Jason was the top finishing rookie at 6th place in 2007. He finished 3^rd in Willow Winter Carnival Race and 5^th in ExxonMobil Open in 2007. His handler is the beautiful Amy Dunlap.

Brent Beck

John Erhart
Seventh Son of Lester C. Erhart Sr. and Josephine Gladys (Woods) Erhart.
Born and raised in Tanana, Alaska. Erhart Kennels has 60-70 dogs including pups. John is 33 years old and married with four children. Seasonally employed 1/3 of the year and dog musher and musician the other 2/3 of the year. Erhart Kennels is seeking sponsorship and appreciates everybody that contributes to our efforts. It takes a lot to get a dog team from the village to the big cities to race, not to mention all the training and dedication to own a team.

Gary Markley is a pilot and lifelong Alaskan from Chugiak, AK. His high school teacher put him on a sled with 6 dogs at 15 years old. Despite wearing cowboy boots he made it back right side up and the 43 year old musher was hooked. His high school years log book recored 3500 miles of racing by the time he was 18. He completed two Jr. Iditarods and raced local races in the Denali area. He first heard of the Rondy race by 4 or 5 and remembers watching the race start then going to his grandparents to watch the race on TV with his siblings and racing back to 4th Ave for the finish. He is married and has 2 children. Gary raced and completed the 2007 Fur Rondezvous OWC race. His goal is to train great dogs. Other interests include music, outdoors, hiking, fishing and hunting.