Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race the 1973 race, stating that she "washes her hands of the event". The event was a success; even though the purse dropped in the 1974 race, the popularity caused the field of mushers to rise to 44, and corporate sponsorship in 1975 put the race on secure financial footing. Despite the loss of sponsors during a dog abuse scandal in 1976, the Iditarod caused a resurgence of recreational mushing in the 1970s, and has continued to grow until it is now the largest sporting event in the state. The race was originally patterned after the All Alaska Sweepstakes races held
Can-Am Crown International Sled Dog Race Can-Am Crown International Sled Dog Race The Can-Am Crown is an international sled dog race held annually in Fort Kent, Maine, and usually takes place the first Saturday in March (which is also the day the Iditarod Trail begins). The organization was founded on October 16, 1992 as a non-profit corporation for the purpose of establishing a long-distance sled dog race. The first Can-Am Crown 250-mile race began on Tuesday, February 16, 1993. Nine teams from Maine, Ontario, Quebec, and New Brunswick competed in that race. In 1994 sixteen teams competed in the 250-mile race and eleven in the newly