Are you wondering how much money the winner got? How about the rest of the finishers? What other awards did mushers get?
The 2008 Champion, Lance Mackey got $69,000 and a NEW TRUCK.
That sounds like a lot of money. You should think about how much it costs to run a kennel for a full year. Make a list of everything you’d have to buy, everything from food, to vet bills, to supplies. Research the cost of items like musher clothes, dog sleds, supplies for the dogs, and other expenses, fuel to drive the dog truck from place to place or even how much it costs to run the dog kennel and take care of the humans that live there, too. After making your list, do you still think the winner gets a lot of money compared to what it costs to be a musher? Why do you think someone decides to be a musher?
The ‘Purse’ is the collected amount of money that goes to the racers. At the end of February, the exact purse payout is decided on and announced. Every musher who finishes the race gets a piece of the prize money.
These are all little details for you to think about when you think about the mushers in the race.
You can read more about the prize money (the purse) and the other awards that mushers get by going to the following website: Click to read more.
Article in the For Teachers New Article section of the website.
Zuma’s Article (Scroll to find the article!)
You can read about the awards at the Press and Media section of the website. Click Media Guide and look on page 19. You can read about this year’s awards and winners in the press release in the media section.
It is funny to think about a musher’s purse, don’t you think?
Just spinning some ‘de’tails’!
Libby
7 Comments
Hi Libby, Yes, the purse amount does seem like a lot of money, but I know that for most mushers it all goes right back into paying for their expenses. I’d be willing to bet that for some teams the dogs eat better than the mushers just because they always put their dogs first.
Did you know you are the very first canine reporter i’ev taklked to or, let me put it this way EVER NOWN OF!Who were you cheering for I was cheering for Dee Dee Jonrow becease my taecher Mrs.Hyzy picked the people we can cheer for.Are you going to race next year becease if you are I would cheer for your team. Well thats all PS.I’m a 7yearold girl.Have to say this time. Elleigh
Thanks for your comments. I cheer for all of the teams and all of the K-9’s! I’m glad you’ve enjoyed the race. Lots of Tail Wags, Zuma
It’s the NCE Fifth GRaders from Walker, Louisiana…again.( We are Section B and also have enjoyed following the Iditarod.) Here are our questions:
Carly: Do you have sled dog friends? What was their opinion about the 2008 Iditarod?
TeWayne: What kind of toys do you play with? Why are they fun?
Jordan: What experience have you had with racing in the Iditarod?
Molly: What kind of things do you type about after the Iditarod is over?
Kathryn: Have you ever eaten table food? If so, what is your favorite?
Victoria: What do you and your owner do after the Iditarod?
Tyler: (owner of a half wolf/half Siberian Husky named Si) Do you know how it feels to lead a dog sled team? What do the other lead dogs tell you about what it takes to be a sled dog?
Gretchen: What is your favorite part of the Iditarod?
Anna: Why is your name Zuma?
Nikala: What is the best thing about the Iditarod?
EMily: How do your paws feel when you are on the ice, when you run on the snow,and how do the booties help?
Garrett: What was it like when you were a puppy?
Kaitlyn: What is your opinion about the other dogs who are helping to write “Paw Prints”?
Payton: How did you learn to type?
Joshua: What do you do in your spare time during the Iditarod race?
Cody: When did you first learn about the Iditarod?
Thank y’all for all of the “de–tails” during the 2008 race. We look forward to your response to our questions.
Thanks,
NCE Section B
Thanks again for the de”tails”.
Yes the purse is a lot of money but I was wondering what exactly is the Red Lantern Prize because my teacher Mrs.Stern said it was a prize given to the person who came to Nome last and I was thinking could 1 of the dog sled reporters could tell me.
Ryan
I have been watching the race for
awhile now.You all have done very well
Dogs are cute.Have fun now.Nice job. Crystal
Dear Zuma what do sled dogs eat and where do sled dogs sleap when they are not raceing??
where were you born?? Where is your house?? Andrew
Hello Andrew. When the dogs aren’t racing, the dogs are at the musher’s kennel where they get the right kind of exercise to keep them healthy, and the right kinds and amounts of healthy food (similar to when racing) to keep the dogs healthy and happy. When the dogs are racing, they do eat a lot more, however, because that is necessary to give them the K-9 racing energy that they need.
Lots of Tail Wags,
Zuma