DAWSON CITY, Yukon — J.T. Hessert, a 23-year-old musher who completed the first half of the Yukon Quest International Sled Dog Race without a handler, was pulled from the event by race marshal Mike McCowan on Thursday.
“I had concerns about J.T., his dogs and the event itself down the trail due to his lack of planning, but there was no question about dog care — only lack of preparation,” McCowan said.
Though the 2007 Quest rules do not require a handler, Hessert was involuntarily withdrawn after arriving in Dawson at 5:03 a.m. Thursday.
McCowan cited rule 31b, which states in part: “This decision would be made to protect the dogs, the driver, or the event itself, and does not imply deliberate misconduct or rule violation.”
Hessert, from Portland, Maine, and now living in Big Lake, said he was surprised by the decision and disputes it.
“If it said specifically that every musher had to have a handler, it would make sense that I could get withdrawn,” Hessert said. “I’ve got other people helping me, cleaning up after the dogs.
“It doesn’t make any sense. Even if I don’t have a handler, I don’t think I’m hurting the event at all.”
Hessert plans to protest the decision; however, a protest would not be considered by the Quest Rules Committee until after the race.
Therefore, Hessert said late Thursday night that he would likely continue along the Quest trail on his own to Fairbanks, hoping that his protest would ultimately succeed and his trip will be considered official by the Quest.
Hessert plans to leave Dawson City shortly after his originally scheduled departure time of 5:27 p.m. today. Hessert said he is working on the logistics of having his dog truck driven back to Fairbanks.
Duties for Quest handlers include cleaning up after a musher has left a checkpoint, picking up dropped dogs, driving the team’s dog truck, and setting up camp for the 36-hour layover in Dawson City plus caring for the dogs there.
The other teams in the Quest each have at least one handler. Hessert was getting help along the way from Michelle Reakoff, the handler for Mike Jayne. He left two dogs in the care of Greg Parvin’s handler after dropping them at the starting line in Whitehorse.
Upon his arrival in 20th place with 12 dogs, Hessert’s truck remained in Whitehorse (it was being driven to Dawson City on Thursday night) and his site at the Yukon River Campground was untouched.
“I feel it’s in the best interest of the race to expect a little higher level of preparation before you start this thing,” McCowan said.
Reakoff said she was willing to continue helping Hessert and was upset about him being pulled from the race.
McCowan, who cleared the decision with the Rules Committee chair, said other actions by Hessert compounded his problems.
Hessert was fined $500 for showing up late to a mandatory rookies’ pre-race meeting in Whitehorse, and will be docked at least $250 more for arriving in Dawson City without his veterinary records and Quest promotional material. Hessert also was not prepared when it was his turn to start in 20th position Saturday in Whitehorse and was bumped to the back of the line and permitted to leave after the 28th and final scheduled starter.
Hessert, who called not having a handler a “minor thing,” conceded that his preparation was lacking.
“I’m not the most organized person in general. Not to use it as an excuse, but I’m 23 years old and I’m trying to get things together,” said Hessert, a Quest rookie but finished 50th in the 2005 Iditarod. “The fact that I got the dogs to the starting line and everything else, I felt was mission accomplished.”
The withdrawal was the first in McCowan’s four-year tenure as race marshal.
Thursday’s action soured what for Hessert had been a happy run and an experience-builder for his young dog team. Hessert said he still is in interested in returning to the Yukon Quest, possibly in two years.
Contact staff writer Matias Saari at msaari@newsminer.com.
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