Brent Sass

Sometime near 2am on a -40 night as the pack of mushers racing in the 2004 Yukon Quest stormed the Circle Checkpoint, Brent Sass, a checkpoint volunteer, was hooked on competitive dog mushing. Brent selected the 2006 Yukon Quest 300 as his first race and shocked spectators as he convincingly won the race, which was marred by a major storm event that eliminated many mushers from both the 300 and 1,000 mile races. To Sass’ credit, he not only won the race, but managed to assist a musher who had lost his team in the storm to the next checkpoint.

Since that time, Sass has raced in the Copper Basin 300 twice (4th/5th), and has completed the 1,000 mile Yukon Quest two times, finishing 5th in the 2008 running. Brent’s trail-manner has not gone unnoticed, he has been recognized in the press numerous times for his unselfishness on the trail as he has put his race on hold to assist other mushers in need. In 2008, he was formally recognized by the Yukon Quest when he was awarded the ‘Spirit of the North Award’.

Sass extends his annual training season by trucking his crew of about 40 dogs north of Fairbanks 340 miles to a remote arctic camp he establishes and mushes out of for the month of April. In the vast arctic environment, Brent and his ‘Wild and Free’ team are given opportunities for gee/haw training, puppy training, yearling training, and are exposed to harsh climatic elements, all of which prepare them mentally and physically for the demands of Brent’s primary focus; winning the Yukon Quest.

In the off-season, Brent runs a successful cabin construction business in Fairbanks, Alaska. His cluster of rental cabins are a popular site for Fairbanksans who love dogs and want to be near the excitement of a competitive racing kennel.

Brent also works in the summer for Trail Breaker Kennel where he carries on the legacy of Susan Butcher as he speaks about dog mushing to thousands of interested tourists each week. As a young musher, Sass was profoundly influenced by Butcher and applies much of what he learned from her to his intense training and racing strategy.

In 2009, Brent is registered for both the Yukon Quest and the Iditarod. Additionally, he intends to race in the Sheep Mountain 150, Copper Basin 300, and any other mid-distance races he can. To follow Sass’ racing season and learn more about his ‘Wild and Free’ kennel, log on to: www.wildandfreealaska.com.