Wild & Free Mushing has certainly made it’s mark in the world of sled dog racing but not without its challenges. This team is one to watch and as I type this post Brent Sass and the Wild & Free dogs are hopefully having the time of their lives on the trail this evening.
I have enjoyed watching this team grow and form into a solid unit training along the trails near Eureka, aK. Brent is one of few mushers who wears a helmut after a serious head injury a short while back…he won’t mush without it now and I applaud his choice.
Following the emotional high of winning the Yukon Quest last season, this season Brent paid an emotional tribute at the Quest Banquet to his Golden Harness lead dog Basin whom he recently lost unexpectedly. Brent & the team came through the chute on Saturday with that infectious smile & excitement and it was a joy to watch him as he pulled the snow hook and headed down the trail.
Something that Brent touched on during the musher banquet was that this journey isn’t just about the musher. It IS about the handlers, the sponsors, the media, the fans and especially the dogs that make up this mushing family… he thanked the Bear’s Den/ Mama Bears Wild & Free Fan Community for their support and noted it takes a community to get these teams to the starting line, down the trail and across the finish. The joy, spirit & that sentiment which Brent exuded at the starting line is infectious and makes Wild and Free one of the teams to watch. Brent’s moniker is “I Believe”… and he makes us all believe too…
Enjoy a few photos from the Yukon Quest start of Brent, his dogs and their handlers!
