Of dogs and brothers: Another generation of Redingtons inducted into Musher’s Hall of Fame

WASILLA — Two more members of the Valley’s first family of sled dog racing will be inducted into the Musher’s Hall of Fame.

Brothers Raymie and Joee Redington Jr., were nominated by the board for their mushing legacy, true to the tracks their father, Joe Sr. blazed many years ago, and will be inducted into the Musher’s Hall of Fame, hosted by the Wasilla Knik Historical Society, Sunday.

“It’s an honor for both of them,” Raymie’s wife, Barbara said.

Raymie and Joee, who will be honored posthumously, join their parents Joe Sr and Vi on the hall of fame’s list of mushing elite.

Raymie and his older brother Joee grew up around dogs. The dogs, the sport, the lifestyle are all embended in their DNA. Raymie misses his brother, who died in August of 2017, talking on the phone with him most nights.

The topic?

Dogs.

Almost always, dogs.

Joee Ray Redington Jr. will act on his behalf during the ceremony. He recalled his father saying to him on countless occasions, “if it wasn’t for guys like me, they would be running goats to Nome.”

“It was time to have Redingtons again; it’s overdue,” Knik Museum president, Robbin Robert said.

The Musher’s Hall of Fame is not officially affiliated with the Iditarod, rather, it’s an award bestowed by board members of the Wasilla Knik Historical Society. There is no official criterion, according to Robert. Board members bring in names and vote. Their votes are based not merely on wins, but lean towards inspirational influence, contributions to the mushing community and their displays of determination, a necessary trait for the lifestyle. At times, people who aren’t even mushers have been inducted, Robert said.

“That was the main thing. Being consistent and it was all about dogs. Dogs were everything in out house,” Joee Ray said.

Raymie and Barbara are inseparable at another day in the office, leading daily dog sled tours at the Iditarod Trail Committee Headquarters off Knik-Goose Bay Road. Raymie took the job 22 years ago. Each time they talk to someone, they ask where they’re from. Each day is different and they are used to channeling wave upon wave of tour buses.

“I get to meet a lot of good people,” Raymie said.

Each summer day, Raymie takes tourists, local and abroad, on his wooden sled with wheels. He yells out “hi!” and the dogs are off. They loop in a circle on the museum grounds, giving a small, summer taste of the sled dog experience.

“That was exciting!” one tourist said as she was stepping down from the sled.

Raymie’s father, Joe Sr. made sure he and his brother had plenty of work to do, be it tending the scores upon scores of dogs or getting their sea legs in the commercial fishing industry. At one point, Joe Sr. owned about 500 dogs, Raymie said.

“That’s a lot of dogs,” Raymie chuckled.

Raymie and Joee fished together for many decades. Raymie said that’s been his bread and butter, supporting his adventures.

Joe Sr. came to Alaska in 1948 to homestead just 10 miles away from the museum. Raymie still lives in that original homestead and he said the commute isn’t so bad. He said he would never commute to Anchorage.

Ray said that his dad was always busy and peppered him daily with affirmations like, “‘You know what the worse disease in America is? Laziness; and you have a bad case of it.’”

“I heard that every day,” he laughed.

Both Raymie and Joee picked up the mushing lifestyle from their father, also known as the, “father of the Iditarod.” Raymie’s first Iditarod race was in 1973 with his father. He didn’t finish that race but he beat his dad and brother the following year. Raymie placed seventh, Joee ninth and Joe Sr. in 11th. After a hiatus, Raymie raced in several other Iditarods, finishing his official run in 2001. He didn’t plan that as his last race but his kids’ racing careers kept him pretty busy. Even now, he works with dozens of dogs, some from the big race. He switches them in and out throughout the tour days. He said he “just knows.”

“They kept the fire going. They took his legacy and lived it,” his son Robert said.

Raymie’s three sons, Robert, Ray and Ryan competed in the 2017 Iditarod. Ray placed fourth. The arduous race seems to have its hold on the Redington family.

“Once it’s over with, you can’t wait to do it again,” Raymie said.

The hall of fame induction is all part of the historical society’s annual potluck picnic at the Knik Museum. The event is slated for Sunday from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Museum officials ask to, “bring your favorite dish and a story to share.”

The Knik Museum is located at Mile 13.9 Knik-Goose Bay Road.

Contact Frontiersman reporter Jacob Mann at Jacob.mann@frontiersman.com.