Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race by modern teams include lightweight gear including thousands of booties and quick-change runners, special high-energy dog foods, veterinary care, and breeding costs. According to Athabaskan musher Ken Chase, "the big expenses [for rural Alaskans] are the freight and having to buy dog food". Most modern teams cost $10,000 to $40,000, and the top 10 spend between $80,000 and $100,000 per year. The top finisher won at least $69,000, but that amount has slowly decreased since then, with the 2010 winner receiving only $50,000. Some believe overall interest in the race may be declining, hence the lighter purses and sponsorships. The
Apostle Islands Sled Dog Race Apostle Islands Sled Dog Race The Apostle Islands Sled Dog Race is a dogsled race held in Bayfield, Wisconsin, during the first weekend of February. It is the largest dogsled race in the Midwestern United States. The race has been an annual event since 1996. The Apostle Islands Sled Dog Race consists of five individual races, which include: a 10-dog, 80 mile race; an 8-dog, 60-mile race; a 40-mile "Sportsman's Race", a 6-mile "Family/Rec Race"; and a 6-mile "Youth Race". The course for the races travels a route through the Bayfield Peninsula. In addition to drawing racers from across the