Paul F. Gebhardt

Paul Gebhardt is an Iditarod musher that stands apart from many of his competitors in this 1,100 mile ultra-marathon. While his race record is well known – he has two 2nd place finishes, a 3rd in the 2006 race and numerous top-ten Iditarod finishes to his name – it is Paul's understanding of genetics and dog care that make him stand out. After selling out most of his Kasilof-based kennel, and taking a hiatus from the Iditarod in 2002, Paul has demonstrated a remarkable ability to breed and develop a high-caliber dog team in a very short period. Many of his bloodlines trace back to his Golden Harness Award winning-leader, Red Dog, and with two *Leonard Seppela Humanitarian Awards to his name, Paul has proven his devotion to his canine athletes. Unlike most competitive mushers that focus on their kennels as an exclusive profession, Paul is a true "working man's musher". He is a General Contractor that specializes in custom homes and commercial properties, and together with his wife Evy, operates Aspen Hollow Lodging on Alaska's Kenai Peninsula for seasonal tourists. Paul lives in a custom log home that he built himself, and is one of the few mushers to build his own dog sleds as well.

Paul is an avid hunter, and true to his Minnesota-born heritage on a family dairy farm, enjoys raising pheasants and horses, as well as gardening. The couple has one adult daughter, Kristin, and are active in their community, including a strong presence with the Tustumena 200 Sled Dog Race, of which Paul serves as the volunteer race marshal. Paul has been racing the Iditarod since 1986, and has won various mid distance events including the Copper Basin 300 and the Tustumena 200. He has also won the Humanitarian Award in the Copper Basin, the Spirit of Alaska award in the Iditarod, the First to the Yukon Award (2x) and the Fastest Time from Safety to Nome in the Iditarod.

What's this? The Iditarod awards just one of these annually, in a selection process that is voted upon by the professional veterinarians working along the race trail. Through a point system, each dog is graded at the finish line, and during the race, the veterinarians assess each team. The mushers actually carry a "vet book" along the trail, in which each dog's condition is tracked by the team of vets along the trail. Factoring in all of these elements, the vets then determine which competitive musher, in the Top Twenty finisher tier, is deemed to have taken the best care of their team overall. In the mushing arena, there is no greater honor that to be the recipient of this award – it is viewed as a higher recognition than even winning. There are similar Humanitarian Awards in other mid distance races as well.