The American Beagler Forum

Iditarod officials DQ musher for hitting dogs
2-time runner-up Brooks ‘lost his temper,’ marshal says; one dog later died



• 'Last Great Race'



Updated: 7:45 p.m. ET March 18, 2007
ANCHORAGE, Alaska - Two-time runner-up Ramy Brooks was disqualified from the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race for abusing his dogs.

The 38-year-old Brooks hit each of his 10 dogs with a trail marking lathe, similar to a surveyor’s stake, after two refused to get up and continue running on an ice field, race marshal Mark Nordman told The Associated Press from Nome on Sunday.

“He felt it was a discipline he needed to get his team off the ice,” Nordman said.

Witnesses reported the incident to race officials. It happened Tuesday near Golovin, about 90 miles from the end of the 1,100-mile sled dog race in Nome.

“He lost his temper,” Nordman said. “He spanked each dog on the team, just a real frustrating moment for him.”

One of Brooks’ dogs died the next day on the trail, between White Mountain and Safety, the last checkpoint before Nome.

Nordman said based on inconclusive necropsy results on Kate, a 3-year-old female, he has no reason to believe the two incidents were related. Further tests were being conducted.

An animal rights group was upset about the incident because it came when the dogs did not want to run.

“I’m sure they’re exhausted and sick of the whole thing,” said Lisa Wathne, a spokeswoman for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.

“When is enough going to be enough with this event? There is no way to do this humanely. No one who has any feelings for dogs should condone this event, or could possibly think it’s acceptable.”

Nordman said all allegations of dog abuse are investigated thoroughly.

“This behavior can’t be condoned for any racer, any race, any event throughout the world,” he said. “We can’t have that.”

Race spokesman Chas St. George said, “I think the process is the right thing, and what we have to do is like any year, is work more toward care and compassion for these athletes, I’m talking about the four-legged athletes.”

Nordman said Brooks, who couldn’t be reached for comment Sunday, was disappointed when informed of the disqualification from a three-member judge’s panel.

“He just says he made a mistake and wants to learn from it, and become a better person,” Nordman said, characterizing Brooks’ reaction after contacting the musher Saturday night.


Brooks’ disqualification is for this race only, and he could compete in the Iditarod again.

Jerry Riley, winner of the 1976 Iditarod, was banned for life from the race in 1990 after he dropped a dog in White Mountain without informing veterinarians the animal was injured. Nine years later, he was allowed back in the race.

Brooks finished 31st last year and was second in 2002 and 2003. Brooks, a former Yukon Quest International Sled Dog Race winner, comes from a family of renowned sprint mushers, including grandfather Gareth Wright and mother Roxie Wright.

Lance Mackey won this year’s Iditarod, crossing the finish line Tuesday. Forty-six other mushers also have finished the race, 11 teams were still on the trail Sunday and 23 mushers scratched.

Two other dogs died in this year’s race, one of pneumonia and the other from a hemorrhage due to a gastric ulcer.
(3 DOGS DIED,,,,,I think the Iditarod race is cruel....It should read IDIOT race)....Shannon

Is that last sentence yours?

Overall, I would say they handled it the right way.
The only thing I hate is the bleeding heart PITA comments.

If you didn't have that level of competition, you would never have a pure bred dogs that perform the way they do.

Regardless if they are sled dogs, rabbit dogs, or any other type of hound.

I Agree 100%, I think it is very cruel, they shouldn't be allowed to mistreat them animals the way that they do!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

blueticks1 you have to be very carefull making statements like that because alot of anti think running rabbits is cruel to dogs if you have never pertisipated in dog sledding then you dont know if its cruel thats what there bred to do just like beagles are bred to run rabbits

That's right doubleb, we can't sit here thousands of miles away and pretent to have any knowledge of what it takes to raise the type of dog it takes to mush 1100 miles through bitter cold, but these dogs have been bred to do it for years.
I'm sure, for any dog who chooses to lay down along the trail, it is a death sentence, there's no one there to carry little Kate home under a warm blanket, the dog would simply go to sleep and freeze.
I can't judge whether the act was out of anger or love, what the fellow did but, I know the dogs hooked to the sled are known as a "team". Just as we hunt hounds as a team, each is expected to contribute, only with the sled dog it can mean life or death to whole group. Do you understand what "being on the ice" means? Sounds like a frozen lake or river, if a river, you don't know for sure just how thick the spot your standing on may be. I can't imagine what was going through this man's head as he neared the last 90 miles or if he was sure just how far he had to go yet. I do know I've dragged hounds from the swamps to try and beat the darkness of the cold north wind and maybe their necks were a little longer when we reached the truck. I do know to beat a hound is to show the weakness that you yourself have been beaten and many are guilty of this sin but they will say, "I did it for the hounds own good", "he must obey for his own saftey", "I have to be able to stop them before they get to the road". I wonder how much different was this man in his correction of his team? Was it of love or anger? Did he know more of what was best, than what we do who only watch from the armchair. Is PETA really trying to save us from ourselves, only we just can't see it?...hummm...maybe if we sit in our armchair and judge others afar that we have no understanding of their ways, maybe we will come to believe as those of PETA, we really do know whats best for others and must inject our ignorance upon them for their own good...

WrongsideRandy wrote: (3 DOGS DIED,,,,,I think the Iditarod race is cruel....It should read IDIOT race)....Shannon

This is the sentence I was asking about.
How many hounds have been killed because they got out into a road?
Killed by bear, hogs, big cats, or other game they were pursuing?
How about lost hounds that died in the woods because they were seperated from the pack and couldn't find their way back?

As SR Patch said, don't judge them because I don't want them judging me.
The officials handled the situation right. They took care of the problem and I am sure they will be watching him closer in the future. You are looking at one man's stupidity/anger/etc. and making an opinion on all the participants.

I don't want someone in Alaska, some big city, or anywhere saying, "Running rabbits is stupid and should be against the law"

I don't hit my dogs, never have, probably never will. So if you some idiot abusing his beagle are you going to pass judgement on me?

The Iditarod race is held to comerate a life saving run to Nome alaska of a serum to help save people!!In my opion sled dog racing helps perserve the cooperation back to the begining of time between humans and dogs to...servive!!! heck thats part of why I love to hunt with dogs! I'll bet these dogs go nuts waiting to be hooked into the harness just like my hounds go crazy when they see me getting ready to go hunting.So a guy losses his cool he'll pay the price in embarasment.
I've followed this race for years the mushers take very good care of there dogs.I've seen them drop out because of sick tired or hurt dogs.
I'm not sure why this was posted here but many breeds of dogs were working dogs (if not all) If you don't like the fact these dogs were doing what they were born for you are square in the wrong place!!


The Spirit of Alaska! More Than a Race… a Commemoration
The race pits man and animal against nature, against wild Alaska at her best and as each mile is covered, a tribute to Alaska’s past is issued. The Iditarod is a tie to — a commemoration of — that colorful past.

The Iditarod Trail, now a National Historic Trail, had its beginnings as a mail and supply route from the coastal towns of Seward and Knik to the interior mining camps at Flat, Ophir, Ruby and beyond to the west coast communities of Unalakleet, Elim, Golovin, White Mountain and Nome. Mail and supplies went in. Gold came out. All via dog sled. Heroes were made, legends were born.

In 1925, part of the Iditarod Trail became a life saving highway for epidemic-stricken Nome. Diphtheria threatened and serum had to be brought in; again by intrepid dog mushers and their faithful hard-driving dogs.

The Iditarod is a commemoration of those yesterdays, a not-so-distant past that Alaskans honor and are proud of.

Crawling into bed with the antis and siding against any kind of performance dogsport event is not condoned by me. Neither is abusing the "4 legged athletes" that are involved in these events. Animal abuse is wrong in any venue. Ididarod dogs love what they do just as my beagles love running rabbits through briar fields that shred their ears and tails. They are the best cared for and conditioned animals on the face of the planet. One man's admitted mistake at the end of this exhausting event should not cause discredit to a truly great dog sport.

Sorry for the double post

TOUCHSTONEBGLS wrote: One man's admitted mistake at the end of this exhausting event should not cause discredit to a truly great dog sport.

I agree! The Iditarod is the ultimate competition teaming a man and his dogs against the worst in nature. The VS channel has been airing a show recapping this year's race. Just watching one show makes me wish I had a chance to attempt to compete.

Like patch Said ON THE ICE could mean that they were in Danger and if the only way that this man could get his Dogs off the Ice was by Getting them Up and Moving Wouldnt you do what you had to do.
Say you had a Dog that just layed down in the middle of a Busy Road Would you just leave it????? Or Do what you had to do to get it up and moving?
I know a lady personally in the northwest Who has Compeated in Sled Dog races For years. To lie Down on the team could mean Death to the TEAM not just the one Dog..
Now I wont Condone beating a Dog But i also Wont climb in bed with the Antis over something like this that we Dont have the Whole Story Just what has been reprted And Who is to Say it aint all another Scam by the Antis Hmmmmmmm....

yeah TC i agree we were not there. and beating a dog has many interputation. just like when i catch one of my beagles running a deer, i wouldnt say i beat them but the will get punished very hard. there isnt a man here who hasnt had to disapline a hound one way or another. i would like to see the guy who started this post explaine his last sentence. and when did he become larger then life to judge another man for something he loves.

SilverZuk wrote:Is that last sentence yours?

Overall, I would say they handled it the right way.
The only thing I hate is the bleeding heart PITA comments.

If you didn't have that level of competition, you would never have a pure bred dogs that perform the way they do.

Regardless if they are sled dogs, rabbit dogs, or any other type of hound.

I find myself agreeing w/ you a lot

Yes! the sentence was mine.....I just thought article from cnn website would be interesting to some people,,I simply said how I feel,,,,It's up to others to choose how they feel,,,,

WrongsideRandy wrote:Yes! the sentence was mine.....I just thought article from cnn website would be interesting to some people,,I simply said how I feel,,,,It's up to others to choose how they feel,,,,

I can not say if he was being cruel to his dogs . I have friends that believe , trash breaking my hounds with an E-collar is cruel .This is because they are not hunters and do not understand the sport. I will withhold my judgement on the musher ,because of lack of knowedge about the sport.