By Kayla Bruch

PHOTOS: Young competitor in Canadian Challenge 12-dog race wants to ‘mush forever’

Feb 25, 2015 | 6:19 AM

A long way away from home, Laura Neese was the first musher to cross the start line in the 12-dog competition at the Canadian Challenge Sled Dog Race in Prince Albert. 

Originally from Michigan, Neese, 18, has never competed in a northern Saskatchewan sled dog race.

“Just looking forward to it, [I’ve] never been this far north so … I’m excited,” she said.

Being one of the youngest contenders in the 12-dog competition doesn’t faze Neese, she is actually glad that the racers aren’t divided into age groups.

“[Racers are] anywhere from, you know, 10 [years old] … all the way up to 80 … and we all compete together … so it’s fun,” she said. “We’re all in it together.”

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With no barriers on age, Neese said she met someone who has taken her under his wing. Neese said she has known Ed Stielstra for two years now and has been working for him for five months. Stielstra is a veteran musher who took part in past Iditarod races.

Stielstra wasn’t racing today, instead he was handling the dogs for Neese.

“I’m actually running his dogs to qualify for the Iditarod next year,” she said. “He’s an awesome mentor.”

Besides positive mentorship, Neese said she received “amazing” support from her family nine years ago when she decided to race dogs.

“The rest of my family, they don’t run dogs but they’re super big fans,” she said. “They watch it, like every race, they watch them really, really closely.”

For four years now, Neese has been mushing and says she wants to “do [mushing] forever.”

“I just love it, there’s nothing like [it] that, I want to do,” she said, smiling as she spoke about her favourite aspects of the sport, “the dogs, wilderness, winter and the solitude of being on the trail.”

The 12-dog competition is the longest race Neese has ever done, spanning 500 kilometres and ending in La Ronge.

kbruch@panow.com

On Twitter: @KaylaBruch1 

To see a gallery of photos from the start of the Canadian Challenge Sled Dog Race, click here.

Editor’s note: An earlier version of this story stated that Neese is the youngest competitor in the 12-dog race. Laquasha LaViolette is the youngest competitor at the age of 17.