Field fills in for Saturday race

SHEEP MOUNTAIN — Mother Nature hasn’t been kind to the Sheep Mountain 150 in recent years. Poor snow conditions forced the cancellation of the annual sled dog race in 2007 and 2009. But this year, race director Zack Steer has nothing to worry about.

“Most of the trail is in remarkably good shape,” Steer said recently.

Steer said the trail — which sends mushers from Sheep Mountain Lodge to Eureka Lodge — had enough snow for the race weeks ago. And that’s a nice change for a director who has been forced to cancel his race twice since 2007.

“Any more snow would be icing on the cake,” Steer said.

Steer’s race will have a fantastic field to traverse that snow. The field of 49 is peppered with a who’s who of the mushing world. Leading the class is four-time Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race champion Lance Mackey. Mushing stalwarts and Iditarod veterans DeeDee Jonrowe, Hugh Neff, Ken Anderson and Sebastian Schnuelle are among those competing this season.

The event starts Saturday at noon at the Sheep Mountain Lodge, located along the Glenn Highway between Palmer and Glennallen.

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com and follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/matsu_sports.

2010 Sheep Mountain 150 field

Sebastian Schnuelle, Whitehorse, Yukon; Bruce Linton, Kasilof; Judy Currier, Fairbanks; Tom Lesatz, Two Rivers; Jessie Royer, Fairbanks; Misha Pederson, Fairbanks; Jessica Hendricks, Two Rivers; Tamara Rose, Fairbanks; Andres Moser, Zurich, Switzerland; Sarah Love, Fairbanks; Allen Moore, Two Rivers; Gerry Willomitzer, Whitehorse, Yukon; Robert Bundtzen, Anchorage; John Welch, Fairbanks; Clint Warnke, Fairbanks; Aliy Zirkle, Two Rivers; Mathias Lyngaard-Bech, Whitehorse, Yukon; Jake Berkowitz, Big Lake; Maren Bradley, Whitehorse, Yukon; John Solem, Kasilof; Nicholas Petit, Chugiak; Bridgett Watkins, Nome; Lance Mackey, Fairbanks; Cain Carter, Fairbanks; Newton Marshall, Fairbanks; Braxton Peterson, Fairbanks; Jim Foster, Chugiak; Terry Williams, Fairbanks; Megan Perry, Fairbanks; Scott Janssen, Anchorage; Jim Lanier, Chugiak; Dallas Seavey, Willow; Anna Berington, Kasilof; Tom Schonberger, Chugiak; DeeDee Jonrowe, Willow; Mark Childers, Knik; Cory Igneczi, Willow; Brennan Norden, Kasilof; Sven Haltman, Fairbanks; Jamie Kinzer, Willow; Travis Beals, Seward; Wade Marrs, Wasilla; Ken Anderson, Fox; Thomas Robertson, Fairbanks; Justin High, Willow; Kelly Maxiner, Big Lake; Travis Cooper, Big Lake; Hugh Neff, Tok; Ray Redington Jr, Knik.