Sue and the team were off and running toward Nome. It wasn’t far into the race when she noticed that one of her dependable leaders was favoring a front leg. The dog had a sore wrist, a recurring injury. Sue dropped the dog at an early checkpoint. After a six-hour rest, the team was back on the trail. The dogs ran well through the next couple of checkpoints but soon the two remaining lead dogs began to show signs of sore wrists. Sue dropped her last two leaders. She was down to 13 dogs with no proven leader. What to do?
Sue turned to dogs she thought would accept the leadership role but after trying most of the remaining 13 dogs - not one dog met the challenge. Now to make matters worse, the whole team including Sue came down with the stomach flu at Rohn. Things were looking grim. Sue didn’t see any chance that they’d make it to Nome. She revised her race strategy and took her 24 hour required rest at Rohn. Twenty-four hours later everybody was feeling better. Now to find a leader.
There was one dog that Sue hadn’t taken to the front of the team - Gopher. Sue had her doubts. Gopher was a follower never a leader. Gopher had never had an original thought in his entire life. Gopher as a leader? Not going to work, but Sue had to try. It was the only option remaining other than scratching.
Sue unhooked Gopher’s neckline and brought him to the front of the team where she re-attached his neckline and hooked up his tug line. Sue took Gopher’s face in her hands and looked him straight in the eyes and said, “Gopher, if you don’t take us to Nome, we’re not going to get there.”
Through Gopher, we can learn a valuable lesson. Never let perception limit potential. I had to look those big words up in the dictionary. Here’s what I found for perception - attitude that is based on what is observed or thought. Potential means doing of becoming something in the future. In other words, never let what you think about a person or animal limit what the person or animal might do in the future. While we might not think a dog is capable of being a leader or accomplishing something great, the dog should always be given the chance to reach its fullest potential. The same is true for people. Gopher finished in lead in his first Iditarod and went the entire distance in lead to Nome in 2006 for Kim Kettridge. Gopher has retired from Iditarod racing but now leads for 14-year-old Meredith Mapes. Gopher is running lead for the Junior Iditarod. Learn about the young mushers that ran the 2008 Jr. Iditarod by reviewing the website at www.jriditarod.com. My handler went out to Willow Lake for both the start and finish of the Junior race to get some photos.
15 Comments
That is so cool how you did that. John
Have you ever run in the Iditarod? Jamison
What a great lesson for dogs OR people! Susan
Way to go Gopher!!
Love Seamus and Meg
I am routing for all paticipants. Go out there and give us a race to be proud of. Tori
Gopher led my team all the way in the Junior Iditarod this year! He did amazing even though I had to keep switching his partners.
Meredith and the Fun on the Run Kennel team
How do you know about the Iditarod? Amanda
Could you tell me how old Zuma is and how long it takes you to write a letter?
Jonathan
Is Zuma in the Iditarod And how many years has Zuma been in the Iditarod.(if Zuma has been.)
Bryanna
Hello,
I am 8 years old. I do not race and I haven’t been in the Iditarod. I am a K-9 reporter. I am a pretty fast typer, so it doesn’t take me long to answer my mail.
Lots of Tail Wags,
Zuma
how do you type? will you type to me? Hazel who goes to school in the Kuspuk School District
Hello Hazel,
This is Zuma! Sanka is out working on an interview so I’ll answer your email. The K-9 reporters have BIG key boards so our paws can type easily. We had to practice, practice, practice our typing just like boys and girls, practice, practice, practice their math or reading.
Lots of Tail Wags,
Zuma
My secpnd grade class in Park City, Utah would like to know how many booties the dogs go through if they start and finish the race.
Hi,i`m Angel and iam 8 years old.You are so cute.I think you are one of the cute thing I every saw.I am not a musher.Can you please put this on the one of the comments.I was looking for this for a long time. P.S Were did you get the boots?
Hey Ray good job moving up in the standings. Keep in going. Im routin for ya. Dalton
If a dog get’s hurt on the way what will the musher do? Will the musher put them in the bag where they pack the stuf? I just want to know?
the iditarod is awesome! i am studying the iditarod in school! my school is in alta, iowa.i just wanted to say my musher is NOT doing very well!!!!! please write back!!!!!
Hello,
Could you comment on the prizes for coming in first, second, etc. places? Also, what are the prizes for coming in at various checkpoints first? I’d like to use this information to set up my class’s Iditarod race.
Thanks,
Cindy
Hello. You can read about the prizes that the mushers win during the race by going to the media guide which is found at the Press and Media tab on the home page of the website . The amount of money each musher wins for placing varies every year according to how much money is raised for the purse. Watch for an article on the website about the purse. The K-9 Reporters.