Congratulations to our Iditarod Champion

by Peter Twitchell

Congratulations to Pete Kaiser, our 2019 Iditarod Sled Dog Race Champion! You have set the course for future generations of Yup’ik mushers!

A Yup’ik by birth Pete’s ancestral roots go deep into the Kuskokwim Yup’ik region. Your people and ancestors are proud of your Great Accomplishment today. I know that the first dog mushers and fierce competitors like Peter Jacobs, Paul Gregory, McCarrs of Bethel, and others in the area like the late Timothy Williams, Kawagleys, Manutoli’s, Larson’s, Chase’s, McCann’s, Napoka’s, Gilila’s of Akiak, even my dad David Twitchell are very proud of you.

Countless others in the 1950s and 1960s created an adrenaline rush for us when dog mushing was the only outdoor winter sport in communities across rural Alaska. You can count this great accomplishment as a milestone for our people for generations to come.

Your love for dog mushing and racing sport has paid off in the greatest sled dog race in the United. States, the Alaska Iditarod Race.

I have to admit, I was always amazed as you trained your dogs running them across the tundra on a 3-wheeler with determination and consistency. As I watched you it was always with pride in my heart for your love and commitment for the sport.

You are a great role model for others to follow and repeat down the road. Thank you and congratulations to you and Janet and Ron and your family for a job well done.

Quyanaqvaa! Piuraa!