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"A mistake is evidence that someone tried to do something"
Old English Proverb

www.isdra.org
22702 Rebel Road
Merrifield, MN 56465

(218) 765-4297


Race Veterinarian
Jerry Vanek, DVM, HuskyVet Consulting, Bemidji, Minnesota

In 1992, Dr. Vanek began volunteering as a race trail veterinarian. Over the next 13 mushing seasons, Dr. Vanek served as a Chief Veterinarian or Trail Veterinarian at over 50 sled dog races, more than any other veterinarian in the world. He has officiated at multiple Iditarods and Yukon Quests, ten Beargreases, and a number of times at the UP 200, Can-Am Crown, Race to the Sky, Great Trail, and others, including the IFSS World and Junior World Championships.

Also in 1992, Dr. Vanek joined the International Sled Dog Veterinary Medical Association and became one of its Charter Board Members when it reorganized a year later. In addition to his membership on the board, he has served as the ISDVMA’s second president, its public relations chair, and as the only scientific program chair or co-chair for every international meeting the ISDVMA has ever held.

In 1993, Dr. Vanek was honored to serve as the sled dog veterinarian on the Mount Vaughan Antarctic Expedition.
Race Marshall
Rick Harvey, Oakfrost Kennels, Marshall, Michigan
Rick is the president of the Great Lakes Sled Dog Club based in Michigan and has presided over some of the largest fields of sled dog competitors in recent history.

Rick is a professional firefighter for the City of Battle Creek, Michigan, where he has been for 25 years. He is also co-owner of Oak Frost Kennel Distributors with his wife Margaret. He started racing sled dogs in 1987 and has been very active with both of the Michigan-based sled dog clubs, the Mid-Union Sled Haulers and the Great Lakes Sled Dog Association. Rick has been Race Marshall for MUSH, GLSDA, and the Kalkaska Winterfest for many years, of which all GLSDA and Kalkaska Winterfest races are ISDRA sanctioned.

Rick has a reputation of being a fair and respected Race Marshall, able to handle sometimes stressful situations at races with diplomacy while following the ISDRA rules.
Lead Announcer
Merv Hilpipre, Hilpipre Auction Company, Cedar Falls, Iowa
Merv is a licensed auctioneer in the states of: Minnesota, Illinois, Wisconsin, North Dakota, Missouri; Indiana; Ohio; Kentucky; Tennessee; Pennsylvania; West Virginia; South Carolina; North Carolina; Mississippi; Texas. He has been a member of the NAA for over 40 years. Merv also holds membership in the Canadian Auctioneer Association.

In 1995 the State of Iowa Auctioneers Association inducted Merv into the Hall of Fame.

He has always loved dogs. Merv has been raising and racing sled dogs since 1971. He has competed in Alaska, Canada, Minnesota, Colorado, New Hampshire, New York, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Iowa. Merv has been at the starting line over 500 times in various divisions. He has been 3rd in the Anchorage World race two times. He was ranked in the top 5 of the World ten years straight.

Competition has always been a way of life for Merv. He says, “One step from Heaven is an auction and a dog team!”
Chief Timer
Margaret Harvey, Oakfrost Kennels, Marshall, Michigan
Margaret Harvey has been an office manager for a real estate office in Marshall, Michigan for 18 years. She also is co-owner of Oak Frost Kennel Distributors with her husband Rick. Margaret started racing sled dogs in 1987, and competed in classes ranging from 3- and 4-dog up to 8-dog during the years she raced.

In 1989, Margaret began timing races with the Mid-Union Sled Haulers and when her family began racing with the Great Lakes Sled Dog Association she volunteered to do timing for that club as well, and soon became Chief Timer and has held that position for many years. She began using the ISDRA RaceWorks timing program from the time it was created, and has become proficient with the program and annually conducts training seminars at the ISDRA meeting. Margaret has held many board positions with the 2 Michigan-based clubs over the years, including President. She is currently the ISDRA Region 6 Director.
Logistical & Volunteer Coordinator
Nancy Cross, Brainerd Community Action Council, Brainerd, Minnesota
Nancy Cross is the Executive Director of Brainerd Community Action, the major force behind the annual Brainerd/Baxter Fourth of July celebration and sponsor of the annual Arts in the Park, Little Miss and Mister 4th of July Pageant and the annual Battle of the Bands.

Brainerd Community Action provides support, coordination, cooperation and collaboration for sponsored and co-sponsored community events. The purpose of the corporation is to establish unity of purpose within the community and to obtain personal involvement by the greatest number of the community's people and to enrich the live of its entire citizenry by defining its problems, assessing its resources, and working toward solutions in concerted efforts.
Trail Boss & Co-organizer
Maury Duval, Seal Tech Seal-Coating & Paving, Brainerd, Minnesota
Originally from Fargo, N.D., Maury has been organizing sled dog events in the Brainerd Lakes area for 5 years as well as fielding teams for his 6 children, ages 4 to 18. Maury’s wife also races - when she’s not pregnant.

Formerly a Paramedic, Maury is responsible for initiating the Paramedic advance license category for Brainerd Ambulance. Maury received his Paramedic training from FM Ambulance Training Center in Fargo, rated #1 in the nation.

For the past 13 years, Maury has been the owner of Seal Tech, a Brainerd Lakes area asphalt maintenance, crack sealing, striping and paving company. Maury also works with Camp Confidence for dog sled rises, hunts pheasants and enjoys ice fishing in the winter time.
Event Co-organizer
Dave Steele, ISDRA, Merrifield, Minnesota
Dave is the Executive Director of the International Sled Dog Racing Association and co-organizer of the East Meets West Dryland Challenge.

The International Sled Dog Racing Associational was formed in 1966 by Canadian and American mushers to organize and unify the sport of sled dog racing. Today, ISDRA annually represents over 100 days of sled dog racing and thousands of individual performances on snow and ‘dryland’.

Dave has been in sled dog sports since 1971, racing throughout the lower 48 states and Canadian provinces. A family affair, Dave’s wife Theresa, daughters Connie and Laura and son Dave have raced throughout North America.

Dave has worked in the central Minnesota area as a psychologist and consultant for human services since the early ‘80’s, but for the last 9 years has devoted his efforts full-time to the growth of ISDRA and the development of dog-powered sports.