Sled Dog racing is unknown in most of the country, other than the Iditarod race.
However, the largest sled dog race in the contiguous United States is the International Pedigree Stage Stop Sled Dog Race (also known as the IPSSSDR). The IPPSSDR is also one of the qualifying races for the Iditarod.

The race began in 1996, with the additional idea of promoting immunization and it became known as “Wyoming Pulling Together, The Race To Immunize”. The emphasis was to promote awareness of preventable diseases for young children under the age of two. It ties into the spirit of the Iditarod race, which celebrates the history of the actual Iditarod trail. The Iditarod trail was initially a supply route to remote communities of Alaska via dog sled, and became known for the dog mushers and dog teams who delivered Diphtheria serum and saved the epidemic-stricken community of Nome.

Frank Teasley is not only the originator of the race; he is currently the race director for the IPPSSDR, and a seven-time competitor of the Iditarod. The races are similar mostly in spirit; however, the formats of each race differ greatly.

The IPPSSDR has a stage format, which means there will be sprint races daily, from different points, and the accumulated times will be added up to determine the fastest team. This year’s race will have eight stages in Wyoming and one in Utah. The race started Friday, January 31 in Jackson Hole Wyoming. It was mostly a ceremonial start, through the center of downtown Jackson and culminated with a torchlight parade and fireworks.

The racers comprise of 20 teams from as far away as Scotland and the east coast of Canada. Different communities along the route host the teams, providing lodging, food, entertainment and a festive atmosphere at each stop.

The following Wyoming towns are also included in the line up, Lander, Pinedale/Cora, Big Piney and Marbleton, Alpine, Kemmerer, Evanston, Mountain View and Lyman. The finale for the race is in Park City, Utah. The first place winner will receive $10,000, and cash prizes are available to the top ten finishers. The IPSSSDR is the only sled dog race that offers awards to the dog handlers too.

Despite the grim economy, this race has such solid partnerships with sponsors it is continuing on when many other sled dog races have had to reduce prize money or cancel their races altogether. Melanie Shriilla won the IPSSSDR in 2002, and since then the women have nearly dominated the race. Daily results are posted on the race website, follow along and see if your favorite musher wins!