Jessica Gray
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Jan 27/06) - On March 4, Warren Palfrey and his team will line up against some of the top mushers in the world in downtown Anchorage, Alaska to compete in the 1,800-kilometre Iditarod.

Warren Palfry, seen here with one of his top racing dogs, will be the only born and bred Canadian musher set to race in the 2006 Iditarod in Alaska. - Jessica Gray/NNSL photo

Palfrey, who was born in Manitoba, grew up in Rankin Inlet and now calls Yellowknife home. While he's been racing dogs for longer than 19 years, Palfrey is a rookie when it comes to the world's toughest dog sled race.

The 30-year-old musher won the $10,000 (US) Seppala grant as a rookie racer and has been training hard for the past few months to get himself and his dogs in shape.

Yellowknifer: How many races do you usually participate in a year?

Palfry: We're looking at three or four World Cup or big races a year as well as some club races and territorial races depending on our schedules. This year, I won the Underdog 100 and came second in the Great Slave 200.

The next race will be the Race to the Sky in Montana, and then the Iditarod.

Yellowknifer: What are the steps you've taken to get to get prepared for the Iditarod?

Palfry: First and foremost, getting the commitment of friends and family, before you even deal with dogs or anything is important. The second most important thing is financial assistance. We've been quite fortunate with local sponsorship.

Yellowknifer: Why did you decide to participate in the Iditarod for the first time ever this year?

Palfry: Partially, the catalyst was being awarded the Seppala Heritage Grant which is essentially awarded to a young/rookie musher aspiring to run the Iditarod as rookie but may not have the financial means to do it. It's in the spirit of Leonard Seppala, who in the 1900s delivered the Dyptheria serum to Nome, Alaska, the whole basis of the Iditarod. I'm really honoured and humbled. The grant is worth $10,000 US.

Yellowknifer: How much will the Iditarod cost?

Palfry: We're looking at $25,000.

Yellowknifer: What are the biggest challenge, mentally to overcome?

Palfry: Mental preparation is probably the hardest part for me right now. Trying to figure out a race game plan and trying to understand the logistics of things like food drops are pretty taxing. You're leaving the starting line with your 16 dogs and that's it, you're basically on your own.

Yellowknifer: What is the biggest challenge training-wise?

Palfry: Finding the time to train is still difficult. Obviously with the weather this year it's been ideal for training. These are good temperatures for the dogs to get used to for he Iditarod.

Yellowknifer: Describe your team.

Palfry: My team is comprised of my stage racing team over the last few years. For that type of racing you a fast and athletic dog and you also need a dog with good endurance. I think this is a good crossover. That's part of the reason I decided to try the dogs in a longer distance format to ensure I'm going the right way with my dog quality and dog style.

The bulk of the dogs are two- and three-year-olds, which is a young team. But they're at a good stage to prove what they can do.

Yellowknifer: Do you feel you have something to prove as a rookie?

Palfry: I don't aspire to do too much in my first Iditarod; it's such a big undertaking. Having said that I still do plan on running a competitive race. I'd like to see if I can become rookie of the year. I do think after Iditarod I will be impressed by a few of the younger dogs.

Yellowknifer: What are qualities, other than speed and endurance, that you look for in a good racing dog?

Palfry: Appetite is a huge thing. These dogs are going to be burning 10,000 to 12,000 calories a day on the trail. That's a huge amount of food, if you think about it. If they're not ravenous eaters, you have a deficiency on your team. Having a durable dog, a dog that is less likely hood to get hurt and have tough feet. Mentally too, they need to be tough.

Yellowknifer: What has been the best moment racing so far?

Palfry: It's been a long process. I've been through a lot of trials and tribulations, had a lot of experiences good and bad running dogs. For me, the best is seeing the culmination of my career in front of me when the dogs are pulling that line, pulling so hard for you. Winning my first race in Rankin Inlet, coming over the finish line with my dogs and I couldn't see anyone behind me. That was the most emotional moment I've had running dogs.

Yellowknifer: What is unique about the Iditarod other than its length?

Palfry: Handlers are not allowed at the different stages. There are two mandatory rest periods, one for 24 hours in the middle of the race and one for eight hours on the last stretch. There are also vet reports that you need to fill out at each stop. You're not allowed any communication devices at all other than an emergency transmitter. If it's activated during the race you're automatically out.

Yellowknifer: What's your race strategy?

Palfry: I think a 10-day schedule is not out of the question. To know where you stand in the world, you have to compete against the best.