As a fresh http://www.iditablog.com user i just want to say hello to everyone else who uses this forum B-)

June 3, 2007

Dear Editor

The Iditarod Board of Directors has given one of it’s mushers a 2 year ban for spanking his dogs multiple times. The Iditarod Board of Directors should have given their self a 2 year ban as well because they are just as guilty of the violation. The board did not take the direct action of spanking the dog team, but they set up the conditions for the event to occur. They did this by refusing to throttle the race’s speed by not putting in the badly needed equal run, equal rest recommendations. There is enormous pressure for these mushers to perform the best that they can. The results of this is in order to be competitive, mushers now run their dogs teams day and night around the clock. The mushers who give their dogs teams equal run, equal rest are behind the front of the pack. Most of them can not afford to keep racing for more than a few years. This musher did not do anything differently than all of the other top mushers, it is that this musher got caught. With equal run, equal rest, rested dogs will be able to keep running and rested mushers brains will not be stuck on stupid.

Sincerely,

John Suter Former 4 time Iditarod finisher.