Geri is returning to CopperDog from Newberry, MI with her lead dogs Snoopy and Siggy. She's attended all but two CopperDog races!

She has quite the funny mushing story! Her first homemade gang line with six dogs on it unraveled right before her eyes when she was on a fall training run when she was a handler. She tied all six dogs by their tug-lines to a four-wheeler and waited until the musher she was handling for decided she was overdue to return to the kennel. He showed up with the dog truck and they had a good laugh when she showed him the gang line and he saw all the dogs tied to the four-wheeler!

Geri trail-runs year round and does half marathons and 10ks in the summer although she prefers running in the winter.

She would like to thank the following sponsors: Forest Insurance Center Agency, Joe & Bonnie Bennett, Bernie & Diane Bak, and Dave & Joan Coven.

Susan, one of our local mushers is returning for her seventh CopperDog with leads Lily and Grace. She got into mushing after Walt Babcock introduced her to skijoring - and the rest is history.

One of her favorite CopperDog memories was a Friday night run with the amazing full moon a couple of years ago.

She would like to thank Ed Kraai, her biggest fan and supporter!

Jesse, from Champion MI, is coming back for his second CopperDog!
His lead dogs, from Call Out Kennel, are Jase and Boots.

He picked up mushing from his father who was selling his dogs. Last year he had no crazy mushing stories as he had it pretty easy, we're waiting to see what he has experienced in the past year!

Welcome back to the CopperDog and good luck!

Jim Moyer is joining us from SnoKoMo Kennel in Baldwin, MI. His lead dogs will be Hexa and Fred.

He's looking forward to the excitement of the downtown start and navigating new trails through the night with six of his best friends.

Jim would like to thank his best friend, partner and handler Lydia Martha, Inukshuk Professional dog food, SemisSiberians Custom Dog gear, Husky Hobbies Dog Equipment, and Shanda Lott from Lotts Sewing for his custom harnesses and padded collars.

He would also like to thank everyone involved in putting together this amazing race venue!

Good luck, Jim!

Chris is attending CopperDog from Solon Springs, WI.

Oreo, his copilot in almost all of his adventures, and Rumi will be his lead dogs from CD Kennels, all of which are Malamutes! CD Kennels does have all sorts of other names such as Team Mally, Team Fluff, he's known as the guy with the "wolves", or small horses, or not-a-husky and so on!

He has many crazy mushing stories such as the time the dogs got tired of waiting for him and stole a stop sign and the post or when they stole the 4 wheeler and left without him or when a mouse caused the wheel rig to wind up in the ditch... the stories go on!

Chris wouldn't be here without Pat Hodgeman's help from Got Dogs Racing and Windigo Outfitters.

This dislocated Yooper is looking forward to not being at work and going for a dogsled ride back in da Yoop!

Melissa and her team of pure bread Siberians from Echo Winds Siberians in Lindstrom, MN will be joining us for her second CopperDog 25! Her leads will be Willem and Randy.

She would like to thank Pet Specialties for being her sponsor.

We're glad to have you back for your second run of the CopperDog 25! Good luck!

Dean is a 60 year old retired caregiver of Wisconsin Veterans and a retired Veteran himself. He's living a lifetime dream of running his wonderful dogs.

He's returning from Ogdensburg, WI for his second CopperDog. His lead dogs are Bolt and Kid Rock.

Dean would like to thank the following sponsors; Rasta Dog, Diamond pet foods, and Police Security flashlights.

Reagan is part of the Mushing Club at Michigan Tech. She's 18 years old and this is her first race. She'll be running dogs out of Tom Bauer's kennel, the Otter River Sled Dog Training Center and Wilderness Adventures. Her lead dogs will be Donny and Marie.

She would like to thank Tom and Sally for their constant support, encouragement, and wisdom. 

Good luck in your first race Reagan!

Bucky is joining us for his first CopperDog from Winter, WI. His Kennel is Team BEDATT. His lead dogs will be Anya and Kenai.

He just got six dogs this last spring simply to be able to enjoy the outdoors. He did not anticipate racing in the Beargrease 40, Apostle Islands 40, Jack Pine 30, and now CopperDog 25.

After his first run this winter he decided that he not only wanted to enjoy the outdoors, but he wanted to race! His goal is to race in up to ten-dogs races next year. Then the year after, 12 dog races!

A funny story from Bucky goes like this; his wife is an "Arizona Girl", and he was able to take her on her first ever dogsled ride. He had shared with her all of the stories about how the dogs become "poop pros" on the trail, and are able to "go" on the go. So he looked over at her and said... "Yep, Grinker has to go!" She stared at him in disbelief that he could "predict" such a thing. Moments later this "yearling" awkwardly attempted to "poo on the go".

He about took diggers as he realized he was simply not ready for tackling that feat just yet. In perfect rhythm the dogs continued on despite this silly pup and his bathroom needs. His wife is ever amazed at the relationship he have with his dogs... all the way down to those moments of "urgency".  

He would like to thank Whiskey Ridge Meats.

Good luck at your first CopperDog, Bucky!

Gerhardt Thiart, originally from South Africa, is returning to the CopperDog! He would like to thank Magnusson Racing for giving him the opportunity to race. His lead dogs will be Dove and Oakley Girl.

Gerhardt has raced before in the CD30 in 2011, CD150 in 2012, CD80 in 2018. We're glad to have him back again!

His funny mushing story involved driving over his wife with the quad during a fall training run! We assume she fared well and that he's still married!

Please support his cause at GAT Foundation, a charitable non-profit organization, from the beautiful City of Cape Town, South Africa, benefiting the Nelson Mandela Foundation at www.gatfoundation.org.

Good luck, Gerhardt!

Frank and Team Caldwell are returning to the CopperDog from Newberry, MI. He and his wife moved to the UP three years ago and have raced the CD80 the past two years, this year they'll compete in the CD25. All the dogs on his team lead, and may at any point during the race. Their names are Hemlock, Larry, Fender, Payphone, Jack, and Ebola.

Frank would like to thank his wife, Regina, for supporting his addiction. She is the backbone of the team. The dogs never want for anything. She's the best handler, trail groomer, safety officer, dog nurse, inventory control manager, and trims 140 dog nails by herself every 8-10 days in the winter months! Way to go Regina!

He would also like to thank their number one supporters Frank and Maryann Caldwell!

Best of luck, Frank!

Benjamin is joining us from Mondovi, WI. His kennel, Team SISU, is running their first race in the CopperDog, the CD25. His leaders are Ella and Noni; a mother/daughter duo!

He would like to send a thank you to his champion partners, NutriSource Pet Foods from Perham, MN, and his friends at La Belle Bête Nutrition Animale - Sports Canins in Québec, Canada.

Benjamin would also like to express his appreciation to all of the organizers, volunteers, sponsors, and fans who support CopperDog and celebrate this tradition of the North!

Sarah Tarlton is joining us from Flying K Kennel in Mountain, WI. Her lead dogs will be Ginger and Shimmer.

This is Sarah's first CopperDog. She has been a trainer for four years and this is her first year racing. She did run the Apostle Islands and the Tahquamenon Country this year.

She would like to thank Lloyd Gilbertson for his help throughout the year!

Lucy is returning for her second CopperDog 25 from Bayfield, WI. Her lead dogs, from Raven's Wing Kennel, will be Enda and Hallie.

Her funny mushing story is only funny in retrospect. She lost her team about three weeks ago, while trying to navigate with a sled over a five foot high berm of snow. After the team pulled away without her, she had to walk for 1-3/4 hours to the highway. She was met there by a sheriff and given a ride in the cage to where the six-dog team had been secured by two motorists. They stopped when they saw a team and sled without a musher. The team had run more than a mile down the highway from where she walked out.

The motorists and team had been waiting for about an hour for her (the musher) to show up. She got a two-vehicle sheriff flashing-light escort while she mushed her team back along the side of the highway the 1/2 mile to where her truck was parked. She's grateful for those motorists who kept her team safe.

Half of her walk was in the dark, with a weak headlamp she had thought to put in her parka pocket. She made the police report in the local newspaper! Thank goodness for the strangers who secured her team!

A fun fact about Lucy; she has been appointed the Poet Laureate of Bayfield, WI for 2020-2021!

Good luck in the CopperDog 25!

This is Cole's first race! He has been in the Michigan Tech Mushing Club for a little over a year now, and his love for the dogs and the sport continue to grow every time he goes to the kennel! His lead dogs will be Porkchop and Chad, from Flying K Kennel in Mountain, WI.

He would like to thank the people who allow the college students to experience such a unique and fun sport, especially Tom and Sally Bauer out of the Otter River Sled Dog Training Center and Wilderness Adventures! Without them, the club would not be as strong as it is! All the students appreciate the time they put in to teaching the awesome sport of mushing.

Cole would also like to thank Michigan Technological University for providing support and funding for their club, which allows them to have gear and support for the races. Lastly, he would like to thank Ryan and Sarah from Flying K Kennel for allowing him to run their dogs, it means a lot to the students to have the trust in their skills and club to do this.

Good luck in the CopperDog 25!

Rachel will be running in her first CopperDog 25! She is part of the Mushing Club at MTU and will be running dogs from Flying K Kennel in Mountain, WI. Her lead dogs will be Bucky and Bagherra.

The first time she was on a sled she accidentally ran over the Mushing Club President who was stopped at the bottom of a hill. Oops!

Rachel would like to thank Tom and Sally Bauer, the Mushing Club at MTU and Ryan Beaber from Flying K Kennel for allowing her to run his dogs!

Good luck, Rachel!