Mushing has always been about the relationship between human and dog: trust, communication, and a team that can go places neither could go alone. This episode opens with a Foundation program built on that same idea.

The Team and Trail Foundation’s Lead Dog Access Program uses dog partnership to help people gain independence and get outside. It is not a race-team announcement. Selected participants receive the full Lead Dog training curriculum at $9,600, paid to the Foundation. The Foundation selects up to six people each year.

Priority goes to veterans and people living with PTSD, people with mobility, psychiatric, or autism-related disabilities, and applicants from rural Alaska and other underserved communities.

Apply: https://teamandtrail.com/lead-dog-access-program/

Questions: [email protected]

Donate: https://donorbox.org/team-and-trail-foundation-ldap

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© 2010-2026 by Mushing® All Rights Reserved

In this special re-air from The Dog Driver Show archives, the tables are turned as Dr. Robert Forto interviews his longtime co-host, Kourosh “KP” Partow, about a life spent training, racing, breeding, and learning from sled dogs.

KP traces his journey back to 1987, when an energetic Siberian Husky named Crimson led him to a sled dog club in France. What started with one dog and dryland racing quickly became a way of life. He eventually moved to the United States, began racing Alaskan Huskies in Wisconsin, traveled north to compete in Alaska, and became deeply involved in the highly competitive world of sprint mushing.

The conversation explores the evolution of sprint racing, the influence of European dogs and bloodlines, the glory days of major racing circuits, and KP's progression from four- and six-dog teams to eight-dog and eventually open-class competition.

But some of the most important lessons come near the end of the conversation. KP talks about why the sport needs to bring back the fun, friendships, meet-and-greets, new events, and sense of community that once surrounded sled dog racing. He also offers a simple piece of advice for anyone entering the sport: find a mentor who takes good care of their dogs, respects the animals, and is passionate about mushing.

This episode is more than one musher's story. It's a look at how sprint mushing has changed over several decades and what may be needed to carry it forward.

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© 2010-2026 by Mushing® All Rights Reserved

What does it take to consistently win two of North America's most prestigious sprint sled dog races?

In this episode of the Mushing Podcast, Dr. Robert Forto and Kourosh Partow welcome Anny Malo and Marco Rivest, a team among the most accomplished in the sport. The Quebec-based couple shares how they built a championship kennel from the ground up and what it takes to compete at the highest level across Canada and the United States.

The conversation explores their victories at the La Pas Race in Manitoba and at Wyoming's Pedigree Stage Stop Race, their annual three-month racing circuit covering thousands of miles, and the training philosophy that prepares their dogs for demanding multi-day competitions.

Anny and Marco also discuss breeding decisions, developing elite canine athletes, traveling with up to 40 sled dogs, living on the road in a self-contained trailer, and the teamwork that has made them one of the most respected kennels in sprint racing.

Whether you're interested in competitive mushing, kennel management, race strategy, or the demands of maintaining championship performance year after year, this episode offers an inside look at one of the sport's premier racing operations.

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Apply now to the Team and Trail Foundation funding page and get support to turn your outdoor, education, or community project into a real impact.

Apply for the Mushing® Media Accelerator and get deeper support and expert guidance tailored to your specific sponsorship and media goals. Email us at [email protected]

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You can contact us here: [email protected]

© 2010-2026 by Mushing® All Rights Reserved

In this episode from the Team & Trail archives, Michele Forto opens the November 2001 issue and looks at what the sport of mushing was talking about just months after 9/11. From the sled dog community supporting search dogs at Ground Zero to Doug Swingley’s historic Iditarod run, race calendars, club reports, classifieds, and preparations for another winter, this issue captures a moment in mushing history that went far beyond the finish line.

It is also a reminder of what Team & Trail did best: preserve the everyday record of the sport and the people who kept it moving between the major races.

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Apply now to the Team and Trail Foundation funding page and get support to turn your outdoor, education, or community project into a real impact.

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© 2010-2026 by Mushing® All Rights Reserved

In this special re-air from The Dog Driver Show archives, Dr. Robert Forto and Kourosh Partow sit down with musher Ron Hayden for a conversation about racing, building a team, dryland mushing, and the future of sled dog sports.

Ron also talks about the possibility of traveling to Alaska with Mandy Collins to experience the state's racing circuit firsthand. It's a trip that could put them on some legendary Alaska trails and introduce them to a racing community known for welcoming mushers from outside the state.

The conversation turns toward where mushing may be headed over the next five to ten years. Ron sees continued growth in dryland racing, particularly smaller classes and mono-sports. These events offer a more accessible entry into mushing for people who may not have the ability or desire to maintain a kennel of ten, fifteen, or twenty dogs.

Originally heard on The Dog Driver Show, this episode offers an interesting look back at a conversation about a part of the sport that continues to introduce new people to working with dogs.

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Join the On-Air Media Coaching waitlist for a chance to get coached on the air by Rober and get your podcast questions answered in real time.

Apply now to the Team and Trail Foundation funding page and get support to turn your outdoor, education, or community project into a real impact.

Apply for the Mushing® Media Accelerator and get deeper support and expert guidance tailored to your specific sponsorship and media goals. Email us at [email protected]

Follow Mushing® for more muhsing news, insights, and more: Facebook | X | Instagram

You can contact us here: [email protected]

© 2010-2026 by Mushing® All Rights Reserved

What does it take to keep an elite sled dog kennel thriving through one of Alaska's coldest winters?

In this episode of the Mushing Podcast, hosts Dr. Robert Forto and Kourosh Partow welcome accomplished open-class musher Riley Parker from Salcha, Alaska. Riley shares what it is really like to manage a kennel of 35 sled dogs while balancing family life, racing, gardening, and running a growing herbal business.

The conversation explores how Riley and her kennel partner divide responsibilities while Gary is away flying as a professional pilot, how they adapted their kennel during weeks of temperatures approaching 60 below zero, and the planning required to keep the dogs healthy and conditioned through one of the harshest winters in recent memory.

Riley also discusses developing young race dogs, preparing for Alaska's biggest sprint races, breeding decisions that have shaped their kennel for years, homeschooling their son through mushing, and why building strong relationships with dogs begins long before race day.

From championship racing to growing medicinal herbs and producing local honey, this episode offers an inside look at one of Alaska's mushing families and the lifestyle that supports success on and off the trail.

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Join the On-Air Media Coaching waitlist for a chance to get coached on the air by Rober and get your podcast questions answered in real time.

Apply now to the Team and Trail Foundation funding page and get support to turn your outdoor, education, or community project into a real impact.

Apply for the Mushing® Media Accelerator and get deeper support and expert guidance tailored to your specific sponsorship and media goals. Email us at [email protected]

Follow Mushing® for more muhsing news, insights, and more: Facebook | X | Instagram

You can contact us here: [email protected]

© 2010-2026 by Mushing® All Rights Reserved

In this episode, we pull the September 2006 issue of Team & Trail off the shelf and discover just how much of its wisdom still holds up nearly 20 years later.

From Susan Butcher’s sense of belonging in Alaska and her remarkable comeback after the 1985 Iditarod to her role as one of mushing’s greatest ambassadors, this issue captures a pivotal era in sled dog history. We also revisit lessons on organizational leadership and the sport's survival, along with a young Lance Mackey boldly declaring that the coming season would be his year.

The names and races may change, but the questions about perseverance, leadership, belonging, and believing in your team remain remarkably familiar.

Join us as we head From the Archives and rediscover the stories preserved in more than 60 years of Team & Trail.

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Apply now to the Team and Trail Foundation funding page and get support to turn your outdoor, education, or community project into a real impact.

Apply for the Mushing® Media Accelerator and get deeper support and expert guidance tailored to your specific sponsorship and media goals. Email us at [email protected]

Follow Mushing® for more muhsing news, insights, and more: Facebook | X | Instagram

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© 2010-2026 by Mushing® All Rights Reserved

On this special re-air from The Dog Driver Show archives, Dr. Robert Forto and Kourosh Partow talk with musher Eddie Duque for a conversation about dogs, racing, the mushing community, and what it takes to keep the sport moving forward.

Eddie shares his perspective on the attitude and commitment that go into working with sled dogs, along with his thoughts on where mushing could be headed over the next five to ten years. For Eddie, the future comes down to something bigger than winning races. It means leaving a legacy, welcoming younger people into the sport, volunteering, creating fun events, and introducing dog mushing to the wider community.

Originally heard on The Dog Driver Show, this conversation remains just as relevant today as mushers consider how to preserve the traditions of the sport while building its next generation.

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Join the On-Air Media Coaching waitlist for a chance to get coached on the air by Rober and get your podcast questions answered in real time.

Apply now to the Team and Trail Foundation funding page and get support to turn your outdoor, education, or community project into a real impact.

Apply for the Mushing® Media Accelerator and get deeper support and expert guidance tailored to your specific sponsorship and media goals. Email us at [email protected]

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© 2010-2026 by Mushing® All Rights Reserved

What was it like racing 28-dog teams behind wooden sleds before GPS, modern braking systems, and high-tech equipment?

In this episode of The Mushing Podcast, Robert Forto and Kourosh Partow sit down with one of the sport's true legends, Terry Streeper. With more than five decades in sled dog racing, Terry reflects on the evolution of sprint mushing from the 1970s through today.

He shares stories about racing across Canada, Alaska, the Midwest, and Europe, discusses why great leaders mattered more than big teams, explains how Alaskan Huskies changed over the years, and offers his thoughts on the introduction of pointer crosses into competitive racing.

The conversation also explores the decline of local races, rising costs, unpredictable winter weather, dryland racing, and what the future may hold for the sport Terry has dedicated his life to.

Whether you're a longtime musher or simply fascinated by sled dog history, this is an insightful conversation with one of sprint racing's most respected voices.

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Apply now to the Team and Trail Foundation funding page and get support to turn your outdoor, education, or community project into a real impact.

Apply for the Mushing® Media Accelerator and get deeper support and expert guidance tailored to your specific sponsorship and media goals. Email us at [email protected]

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You can contact us here: [email protected]

© 2010-2026 by Mushing® All Rights Reserved

The future of one of Norway’s most important sled dog training areas is at risk.

On this episode of the Mushing Podcast, Dr. Robert Forto and co-host Kourosh Partow sit down with Blanka Csizmadia to discuss the fight surrounding Hamar Sled Dog Club and the trail system that has become an important training destination for sprint and mid-distance mushers in Norway and across Europe.

For decades, volunteers have maintained an extensive network of groomed trails, a clubhouse, equipment, and an arena that has hosted European and world championship competition. But years of disputes involving the privately owned land have left the club facing major legal costs and a financial crisis that could threaten its ability to continue operating.

Blanka explains how the dispute developed, why the club is now raising money, and what losing the facility could mean for sled dog sports throughout the region. She also shares why support from mushers around the world matters, even for those who may never run a team on these trails.

This episode is about more than saving one sled dog club. It is about volunteerism, access to trails, preserving mushing infrastructure, and what can happen when the larger sled dog community comes together to protect the places that keep the sport alive.

Learn more about the world of dog-powered sports at Mushing.com.

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Apply now to the Team and Trail Foundation funding page and get support to turn your outdoor, education, or community project into a real impact.

Apply for the Mushing® Media Accelerator and get deeper support and expert guidance tailored to your specific sponsorship and media goals. Email us at [email protected]

Follow Mushing® for more muhsing news, insights, and more: Facebook | X | Instagram

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© 2010-2026 by Mushing® All Rights Reserved