Hello race fans!! It was a great first day of the 28th running of the Pedigree Stage Stop Race. We began our day in Jackson at the Vet Checks. This is a very important event for mushers, dogs, and our veterinary team. This gives the vets a chance to look at the 14 dogs that each team can check in to race. The vet’s look over each dog from head to toe ensuring that they are in good health and ready to race. The mushers and vets also had the chance to visit and catch up on everything that has happened since last year.

Enjoying some down time with friends. 
The vet team looking over a dog.

We also had the pleasure to host 10 Junior Mushers from Wyoming, Nebraska, and South Dakota. The Pedigree Junior Musher program is a very exciting program where children get to ride in the bag of a musher's sled in their very own race through the Town Square of Jackson Hole.  In order to be eligible to ride in Jackson, each musher must complete 10 hours of community service. Some juniors shoveled snow, volunteered at their schools, and helped out in food kitchens.
Junior Mushers were excited as they lined up to load into a sled under the lights of the jumbotron. All the spectators counted as each junior left the race chute and headed on the trail with their musher. Maybe you would be interested in participating in the Pedigree Junior Musher Program. Here is the link with all of the information. https://www.wyomingstagestop.org/jr-stage-stop/

All 10 Junior Mushers ready to go!
Junior Musher Scout hanging with her musher, Cathy Rivest.
It was a great day! Check back tomorrow for updates as they travel to Black Rock Ranger Station for Stage 1 of the 2023 Pedigree Stage Stop Race.