2012 Judges

Head Judge for UP200

Head Judge / joe runyan:

Joe Runyan is a name familiar to most fans of sled dog racing.

Joe Runyan
Doing business since 1948, a lot of it with sled dogs and animals.

Joe commercial fished and trapped with sled dogs on the Yukon River from 1970 to 1985.   An interest in racing shifted attention to long distance racing.  Runyan 88 Kennels won the Yukon Quest in 1985, the Alpirod in 1988, and the Iditarod in 1989—the first to win major long distance races at this time.   Joe’s last Iditarod was in 2008 when he accompanied Rachael Scdoris—an adventure documented in “Snow Blind.”

Officiating experience includes over 100 stage races in Europe and Argentina as Race Marshal.

Joe has written many commentaries and articles about sled dogs.   He has also written three books:

1997-   *Winning Strategies for Long Distance Mushers  *by Joe Runyan. Self-published and now in 2nd printing.

2008-   *Cold Hands, Warm Heart: Alaskan Adventures of an Iditarod Champion * by Jeff King, foreword by Joe Runyan, Trish Brown, Editor.   Joe Runyan works with Jeff King to construct text elements from audio interviews. (272 pages with illustrations and photos.)   Now in 2nd printing.

2010-   *The Lance Mackey Story, How my Obsession with Dog Mushing Saved My Life*  by Lance Mackey.   Foreword by Joe Runyan.   Joe works with Lance to construct text elements of book from audio interviews.   Editor Trish Brown.  (264 pages with illustrations and photos.)   Now in 2nd printing.

Presently, Joe live’s in New Mexico at his farm with mules, English Pointers, terriers, cows,  and homing pigeons.  He has four adult children, Zac, Seneca, Zetdi, and Zabeth.

Judge / Lyle Ross

Judge / Tom Shepski

Judge / Al Orazietti