Current Midnight Run Mushers

This is my 3rd year racing. We live in Milaca, MN and have a small kennel of 15 sled dogs and a Jack Russell Terrier. I am a full time pharmacist in St. Cloud, MN. I have been married to Doug for 17 years and he is the greatest blessing in my life. We have 4 children-Zyon(10), Silas(6), Esther(5) and Nazareth(4). They love the dogs as much as we do. Our oldest hopes to race next year. From day one we have had the most wonderful and patient mentors, Matt and Paula Rossi and Andrew and Christa Letzring have become more than mentors, they are lifelong friends. We train at our cabin in Iron River, WI on the weekends I don’t work. It doesn’t have electricity or running water. So, it is always an adventure to stay there with 4 kids and 16 dogs. We are learning and growing with each run. The dogs amaze us and bring us indescribable joy. My goal is to be able to finish my first race of this length with a happy, healthy dog team and a smile on my face. Thanks to all the volunteers!

Send Amber an email at: snsleddogs@gmail.com

This is my 12th season racing in mid-distance. I have ran the Midnight Run numerous times with my best finish being 1st in 2010. That was the best run I’ve ever had with my team. I have been married for 12 years and we have a 7 year old daughter, Ana. I work for Northwood Land Company. We currently have 35 dogs in our kennel. My leaders will be George & Roxy. I am really looking forward to the new trail and want to thank all of the volunteers for all of their hard work!! I also want to thank our sponsors: Northwood Land Company, The Powerhouse Gym and Manmat.

Our new website is: www.sleddogstuff.net

Send Joann an e-mail at joannfortier@hotmail.com.

I have been racing sled dogs for 10 years. I have raced the Midnight Run, the Beargrease 150, the Copper Dog 150, Tahquamenon and a few other races. I have been married for 12 years and we have a 7 year old daughter, Ana. I work for Wittock Supply. My leaders will be Zoey & Pansy. My team will be mostly young dogs. I am really looking forward to coming back to this race and running the new trail. I would like to thank our sponsors for making this possible: Northwood Land Company, The Powerhouse Gym and Manmat.

Our new website is: www.sleddogstuff.net

Michelle is 39, an author and the mother of 7 homeschooled children. After having to give up her first dogsled team many years ago, she has been able to restart the team on 40 acres in Tomahawk, Wisconsin. This is her first racing season. She and John have been married 14 years and are the parents of Matt, Lydia, Alex, Liam, Jack, Kiara and Seamus. Michelle’s kennel name is Fat Dog Farm and is the home of 21 Alaskan Huskies. The dogs are Condee, Sedgewick, Phil, Pasha, Tupelo, Cowboy, Sprint and Cally.

Michelle’s website is fat-dog-farm.com.

This is my sixth year running dogs. I work as a freelance writer, photographer and promotions specialist and have a master of English degree. My 7.1 acre farm in rural northeast Ohio is home to a veritable zoo of 20 dogs, 12 chickens, three cats and one ferret. I am fortunate and blessed to have connections to many great people in Michigan where I train and visit often. Special thanks go to Ed and Tasha Stielstra of Nature’s Kennel for allowing me to train out of their kennel this fall; Al Hardman; and my friends and main mentors: Joann Fortier and David Gill whose advice and expertise I would be lost without. I also want to thank my sponsors: Mike Freibert of Akron, OH; Dennis Waite of Berrien Springs, MI; Sherry & Russ Sutherby of Last Chance Kennel in Mancelona, MI; and Amanda Stanoszek of Hoof & Howl Kennel in Hinkley, OH. And finally, a super big thank you to Emily Wade of Nagaunee, MI, handler extraordinaire! I am very proud of my core Alaskan huskies this season as five of the nine I’ve had in training are dogs I have raised from puppyhood and trained myself, which makes our races extra special.

You can learn more about Shannon at her personal website www.diamonddogsracing.com/

or send Shannon an e-mail at lazyhuskyranch@yahoo.com.

Since she was in kindergarten, Lisa has always had the dream of one day racing in the Iditarod, and she has never lost sight of that goal. She built her own dogsled in 7th grade, and hooked up her first team of two dogs in 8th grade. When Dietzen came to college at NMU she volunteered at  the UP200 and curiously went searching for a mentor. In 2010 she ran her first race – the Jack Pine 30 – with the help of Snowy Plains Kennel. She raced with them again in 2011. Now 22 years old, Dietzen is working with David Gill and taking one step closer to her dreams. One of Lisa’s goals has always been to help the community believe in living out their dreams. She loves giving presentations and talking about her experiences as a musher. In her spare time she writes about her adventures and is a photographer. Dietzen is running this race in honor of her boyfriend Derek Weaver serving with the Infantry in Afghanistan who’s been an inspiration and has always believed in her dreams.

You can learn more about Lisa at her personal website www.iditaroddreams.webs.com

I have been running dogs for a long time and am learning that it is a learning process that never ends. I thank all my family for their support and fellow mushers for tips advice and good dogs. My goal for this year’s race is to finish with happy healthy dogs. Handling will be Angela Manderfield. 

You can email Jon at: upjon70@yahoo.com

A veteran sled dog musher, Michael’s day job is the sales manager for Miller Chevrolet. During the 2005 race, Michael’s handler identified as Horny Dick (named for his hat), proclaimed it would be the year of the Bestgen. During 2006, Mike finished third and was “surrounded by women” as he puts it. The name of his kennel is Fugarwe Kennel and is composed of Alaskan Huskies. Mike is married to Vicki, and has four children, and 6 grandchildren. Handling this year will be Horny Dick and Steve Peterson. Mike states “I still love coming up to do the race.” Mike has about 26 Alaskan Huskies. You just gotta love this guy -

Send Michael an e-mail at FUGARWEKENNELS@HOTMAIL.COM.

This will be my first time racing Midnight Run and I am very excited as I have wanted to do this race for years! A native northern Minnesotan now living in northwestern Ontario, I help my parents operate Agimac River Outfitters, a fishing and hunting camp. Run Silent dog sled trips and racing kennel houses approximately 30 dogs/puppies. I have raced the Mid-distance Beargrease a handful of times as well as several other mid-distance and some local sprint races. My handler will be my long suffering and adventurous mom, and hopefully a few musher friends from Canada:) My team will probably be Talon, Haley, Layla and Matrix as main leaders, with Hawk, Swift, Vader and Eagle or Lark as teammates/back up leaders:) I would like to thank my sponsors, Agimac River Outfitters and Steger Mukluks for their support!!! And last but certainly not least my dad for all his help in training and getting ready for the races!!! He would love to be my handler but has to stay home to plow our 16 mile long “driveway”, man the generators/solar power and feed the remaining sled dogs and house dogs:)

You can learn more about Joanna at her personal website www.agimacriveroutfitters.ca www.runsilent.com or send Joanna an e-mail at enjoyanna@hotmail.com.

Send Jerry an e-mail at ptrud@hotmail.com.

Send Matt an e-mail at MSturmer@aol.com.

Erin and her husband and handler, Matt, have a small kennel in Western Wisconsin. This is our third year mushing, and we now have twelve dogs plus our first litter of six puppies. Raising them has been pure joy. When we arent running dogs we raise several acres of vegetables (in the warmer months), teach English at UW-Stout and work at non-profits.

Send Erin an e-mail at altem002@umn.edu.

Per Tim: “My name is Tim Vander Meulen and I am an instructor at the TBA ISD Career Tech Center in Traverse City Michigan. I train young people the skills neccassary to abtain an entry level job in the commercial and resedential electrical field. I am an Electrician by trade and have been teaching at the Tech center for 5 years. I am married to my wife Shelly for 12 years and we have two children, 8 year old Emma and 4 year old Jake. This is my first year of racing and so far I have completed the 42 mile pro race at Tahquamenon country sled dog race and a 30 mile event with the MIDD organization at the Wooden Nickel in Baldwin. My wife and I have been involved as handlers for Ed and Tasha of Natures Kennel sleddog racing and my wife recently was in France with Tasha as a handler for her. I have been involved with sled dogs for 9 years with most of them being recreational ventures and skijoring. This is the first year that my wife and I have participated in mushing at this level. It has truly become a family activity because it takes a lot of time to participate at this level and I could not do it without the help of my wife. My wife will be my handler for the race. I am sure she can handle it after being in France for 2 weeks. Unless you all speak French in the UP – then she will struggle. We are both looking forward to completing this race after working together to put miles on our team. We own four of the dogs that I am racing and the others belong to Ed and Tasha of Nature’s Kennel. Our four of are of different ages and the four of NK are all yearlings. I have the dogs that nobody wanted and have been trying to develop them into sleddogs. I have enjoyed this process very much and am looking forward to assisting this dog team down the trail in the Midnight Run.”

Send Tim an e-mail at tvandermeulen@tbaisd.k12.mi.us.

Mark lists his occupation as Civil Engineering. He is married to musher-spouse Elizabeth and the pair have endeavored for years to improve the Siberian husky for racing. Breeding a couple litters per year and seldom acquiring dogs from others, they maintain 35-40 dogs in their kennel. Taking teams to as many races as they can each year, they select the best athletes to carry on the program with. Elizabeth puts it best when she said “It is an honor to have run behind the parents and grandparents of the current racing team and to watch the genetic traits pass down from one generation to the next. In this way the dogs that are gone are still with us and celebrated through their offspring.”

You can learn more about Mark at his personal
website www.newnorth.net/~cloud/index.html.htm

Or send Mark an e-mail at northenough@hotmail.com.

I enjoy all outdoor activities, but running dogs is my favorite. Our team leadrs are Boom and Saphire. My wife, Heather and I have been married for 13 years and we have 4 children. Our yougest son will celebrate his first birthday on Sunday of race weekend. He surprised us last year by arriving 3 weeks early on the morning of the Jack Pine 30 race. Frost Creek Kennels started as a racing Siberian team and has grown to include 17 dogs, both Alaskans and Siberians. We have moved to the Dark Side, as I am told by the Siberian runners.

I would like thank my family and friends for all the help along the way. A special thanks to my wife for all of her support and hands on help with the team.

Send Chad an e-mail at cgrentz@hotmail.com

Send Bob an e-mail at icesuperdog@aol.com.

Merlyn Coy, along with his wife, Anne, and 5yr old daughter, McKenna,run a small sled dog kennel in Iron River, WI. Merlyn has been running dogs for over 12 years and competed in numerous races in Michigan before moving to Wisconsin last year. Merlyn works as a dental lab tech at Lake Superior Dental Laboratory in Duluth, MN. When he is not working or running dogs, he enjoys kayaking, making cider, wine, and goat cheese from their herd of Oberhasli dairy goats. Merlyn is looking forward to running the Midnight Run on the new trail and the downtown start!

John has been racing since 2003 out of the Rocky Flats kennel in Elton WI and is really looking forward to running the Midnight Run. The first time he did the race was back in 2004 and it snowed 8 inches of snow that night, and ran mostly the acerman trail. 

John is looking forward to this years race and trying the new trail and coming through with a happy and healthy team.

Kelly Jo Engle hails from a “burb” out side of Houghton Mi. Called ,”Liminga”. She has 3 grown children, Joy, Tony, and John, & 2 grandchildren Elizabeth & Graham. Up until a few year ago her handler has always been her mom, Joy. (Pictured here with Kelly). Friday night Mom will be listening from home and handling will be Mary Peters also a mother, & grandmother of 6 grandchildren. Friday night Kelly will be putting harnesses on Earl, Phoenix, Cain, Super Tramp, Johnny Winter, Bergan, Hoops & YoYo. Kelly Jo and Mary refer to their team as the “Mushing Gramma’s”.  Kelly Jo’s kennel is “Solitaire Kennel”.

Send Kelly Jo an e-mail at kengle@pasty.net.

Chad will be running a young team from his Otter Run Kennel, leading for him will be Benta. chad works for UPS. Goal for this race is to finish with happy dogs. Martha will be handling for him during the race.

Looking forward to being on the Mid Night Run trail again. Though we have had some dogs in the MNR with Laura running the team or mixed in with Jerry Papkes dogs I have not been on the trail since 2003. Kudos to the UPSDA for making major improvements to the Midnight Run this year. Special thanks to all our sponsors that make this event possible for us. Jim Doc Surrell author of Stop Only Sugar , Eunice Robinson owner Tahquamenon Telecommunications, Dr. Hilary Newby DDS, Bonnie Kilburn State Farm Insurance agent, Cliff and Shirley Fitzpatrick owners Sacred Heart Religious Goods. Hoping to represent you well.

You can email Frank at: holmberg@hughes.net

Keith Peppler is returning to the U.P. as a competitor in the Midnight Run. In the past Keith has been the Race Marshall and has done a wonderful job overseeing the races. When Keith isnt monkeying around he is a general foreman for a highway construction company during the summer months, and during the winter he runs dogs. With over twenty years of experience at mushing, and holding the honor of winning the Midnight Run in the past, Keith will be a musher to watch. He is married to Tina and they have a son Cody, and daughter Kelsey.

Glad to see you back Keith!    You know we luv ya!   

I started out skijoring with my Irish Setter 10 years ago. I then got a few more dogs and tried sprint racing for a year. I wanted to spend my time on the trail with my dogs, so I moved into mid-distance. This is my 5th time running the Midnight Run. My husband Peter and 15 year old daughter Madeline are my fantastic handlers. I also have two older daughters. In the off season we show horses, ride bikes, garden & kayak. I have a small kennel of 15 dogs. I enjoy seeing the pups we raise become exceptional sled dogs. After suffering a severe brain injury (and being told I was lucky to be alive) during a race last season, I have become an advocate for wearing a helmet and encourage others to do the same! I would like to thank my sponsors: Redpaw Dog Food, dogbooties.com, Mojo Solo, Revival Animal Health & Zardoz Notwax.

My email is: maddogmusher@gmail.com  

My website is www.maddogracingkennel.com. 

This is my first year in the great sport of dog mushing.  I have been training and mentoring with Mike Bestgen and I am excited to run a team for Fugarwe Kennels.  Besides mushing, I like to spend as much time as possible in the great outdoors and with my family.  I’m looking forward to running the Midnight Run as I’ve heard many great things!