Iditarod Names Pioneer Mary Shields as 2026 Honorary Musher

The Iditarod Trail Committee’s (ITC) Board of Directors announced on February 5 that mushing pioneer Mary Shields is the 2026 Iditarod Honorary Musher, Bib No. 1, honoring her lasting contributions to The Last Great Race and to the sport of sled dog racing, that according to a press release from the ITC.

The Honorary Musher designation recognizes individuals who have made significant and meaningful impacts on the Iditarod and the mushing community.

Shields, who passed away in mid-July at the age of 80, was a true trailblazer in women's dogsledding as the first woman to complete the Iditarod. In 1974, she was one of only two women to enter the second-ever Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, becoming the first woman to finish, reaching Nome in 28 days, 18 hours, and 15 minutes. She crossed the finish line 29 minutes ahead of Lolly Medley, the second woman in that race, to become the first woman to finish Iditarod.

That year, only 26 of the 44 mushers who entered completed the race, which was marked by severe weather and extreme conditions.

Shields’ accomplishment helped establish the Iditarod as a race where men and women could compete equally on the same trail—an enduring hallmark of the event.

For Shields, mushing was never about racing. After finishing in Nome, Shields turned around and mushed 435 miles back toward Galena before flying to Fairbanks.

Beyond the Iditarod, Shields competed in the inaugural 1984 Yukon Quest, and again in 1986 and 1988, later taking part in the 1,200-mile Hope Race from Alaska to Russia in 1991. She was also a passionate educator and ambassador for the sport, welcomingvisitors to her Fairbanks-area kennel through her tour business, Tails of the Trail, and sharing her experiences through books and film, including the PBS-featured Seasons of the Sled Dog.

In 2015, Shields spoke at the Iditarod start line in Fairbanks, saying: “This is a message from a musher who just like you, was waiting to take off on the second Iditarod, forty-one years ago. Every musher around the world wishes they could be in your shoes. Every time you harness your dogs, put your parka on, remember every minute of it. The years pass and you’ll wonder where all the time went. Take good care of yourself and remember every minute.”

As the first woman to finish the Iditarod, Mary Shields inspired generations of female mushers, including champions and rising stars who continue to follow her path. She was recently inducted into the inaugural Iditarod Hall of Fame Founders Class, alongside other Iditarod founders and pioneers such as Joe Redington Sr., Herbie Nayokpuk, Howard and Julie Farley and others. The Iditarod is proud to honor her, and as the 2026 Iditarod Honorary Musher, her legacy will once again ride the trail to Nome, reminding all who compete and cheer that perseverance, partnership, and passion define The Last Great Race®.

The 2026 Iditarod Ceremonial Start is set to take place on March 7 in Anchorage, and the Official Restart is scheduled for March 8 in Willow. For more information, please visit www.iditarod.com