It was a beautiful morning at the Yukon Dog Musher Association’s track in the Ibex Valley on Saturday. The Yukon Dog Musher Association (YDMA) hosted its second preliminary race; the first was held Dec. 12, to help mushers get prepared for the FirstMate Babe Southwick Memorial Race.

“Back in the days,” says the YDMA website, the Yukon Sourdough Rendezvous dog races were quite the event. In 1965, they were held in the Kluane Lake area.

Babe Southwick drew number eight as her starting position. Her team finished in the top five of the 15-mile race, then that night, she died of a heart attack. The next day, 10 mushers lined the starting gate, each wearing a black armband.

The number eight was withdrawn.

After that race, the number eight remains retired from Sourdough Rendevous dog sled races.

The two preliminary races allow the mushers to get in more training and get accustomed to the trails before the Babe Southwick slated to be run on Feb. 12 and 13.

It was another busy day on the Ibex Valley trails as five races were held. There was a five-mile skijor; a five-mile, four dog race; a kids race; a 15-mile, 10 dog event; and an eight-mile, six dog race.

Results:

Virginia Sarrazin topped the five-mile skijor completing the distance in 16 minutes, 11 seconds. John Berryman finished a second shy of the twenty-minute mark to come second and Nadele Flynn, 20:10 placed third.

Mathieu Devred was the quickest to complete the five-mile, four dog category. Devred spent 15:15 on the trail. Following Devred was Laura Vinnedge, 15:48, and Alex Rochat came third.

The Yukon Dog Musher Association Facebook page said “Cool kids mush” and it very well could be true. The kids race had 13 up-and-coming mushers compete.

Elan Johnson was the quickest future mushing champion with a time of 16:11. Heidi Johnson, 16:20 was second and Bode Johnson, 17:30, was third.

The 15-mile, 10 dog race had the smallest field at three. Armin Johnson was the winner finishing in 52:49. Mandy Johnson, 55:26, was second and Jerry Joinson came third.

Devred had another first-place finish on Saturday, taking the eight-mile, six dog race in 23:44. Mandy Johnson placed second in 25:28 and Armin Johnson, 26:59, came third.