Mushing

First Paw Media
  • 4.8 (39)
  • WILDERNESS
  • UPDATED BIWEEKLY

Mushing is a podcast from First Paw Media that follows the sport of dog mushing, the Iditarod, and races worldwide. Mushing is hosted by best-selling author Robert Forto (A Musher's Dream) and a team of co-hosts that bring a unique perspective to the show. During the Iditarod race each March, the show is a daily podcast that covers the race with an in-depth analysis you won't find anywhere else. In the off-season, hear interviews with mushers, behind-the-scenes news, and updates. Popular guests: Emily Robinson, Jesse Holmes, Ryan Redington, Barb Redington, Lance Mackey, Brenda Mackey, Jason Mackey, Anna and Kristy Berington, Rohn Buser, DeeDee Jonrowe, and more. Popular Podcast topics: Iditarod race stories and analysis, dryland mushing and off-season racing, interviews with mushers and racers, race preparation and training strategies, sled dog kennel life and dog care, Yukon Quest and other major races, mushing history and heritage, global mushing perspectives (international races), canicross and alternative mushing formats Community and culture in the mushing world, and more.

  1. 29M AGO

    The Tiny Musher: A 9-Year-Old Dog Musher Interviewing the Future of the Sport

    In this episode of the Mushing Podcast, Robert Forto sits down with a very special guest: nine-year-old junior musher Teos, also known as the “Tiny Musher.” Teos has already been racing in junior sled dog events in Anchorage and is gaining attention for interviewing mushers on social media to help promote the sport. Teos shares how he first stepped onto a dog team at six years old and describes what it feels like to race one- and two-dog teams in junior competitions. He also talks about the responsibilities of working in a kennel, from feeding dogs to helping prepare teams for races. Beyond racing, Teos has begun interviewing mushers such as Destiny Lytle, Buddy Streeper, and others, asking questions about their experiences and helping introduce new audiences to dog mushing. His goal is simple but powerful: to help keep the sport alive and inspire others to learn about mushing. Support our Work Like this episode? Share it with your mushing friends! Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share Sign up for our Newsletter HERE 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 podcast@mushing.com Follow Mushing® for more muhsing news, insights, and more: Facebook | X | Instagram You can contact us here: Podcast@mushing.com © 2010-2026 by Mushing® All Rights Reserved

    13 min

  2. 1D AGO

    Iditarod 54 Day 6 Update: Jessie Holmes Reaches the Yukon First and Paige Drobny Chases

    In this Day 6 update from the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, teams are moving onto the long and demanding Yukon River stretch of the trail. Jessie Holmes becomes the first musher to reach Ruby on the Yukon River, earning the “First Musher to the Yukon” award and continuing a strong performance in this year’s race. The episode breaks down the current leaderboard and examines how the top teams are managing their mandatory rests and race strategy as they head deeper into the second half of the race. Paige Drobny continues to run a strong race from Squid Acres Kennel and remains in close pursuit of Holmes. Listeners also hear a detailed musher profile of Paige Drobny, including her background in fisheries biology, her life along the Denali Highway with fellow musher Cody Strathe, and the story behind their well-known kennel, Squid Acres. The show also explores the unique villages along the Yukon River and includes a moment in mushing history recalling the dramatic 1978 Iditarod finish between Dick Mackey and Rick Swenson. Support our Work Like this episode? Share it with your mushing friends! Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share Sign up for our Newsletter HERE 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 podcast@mushing.com Follow Mushing® for more muhsing news, insights, and more: Facebook | X | Instagram You can contact us here: Podcast@mushing.com © 2010-2026 by Mushing® All Rights Reserved

    37 min

  3. 2D AGO

    Iditarod 54 Day 5 Update: Halfway Award, Bison Encounters, and the Race Heads Toward the Yukon

    In this Day 5 update from the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, the field begins moving into the second third of the race as teams head toward the Yukon River. Jessie Holmes claims the Dorothy G. Page Halfway Award after reaching the checkpoint first with a full team of 16 dogs. The episode also covers dramatic wildlife encounters on the trail, including reports of mushers confronting woodland bison while traveling between checkpoints. These incidents highlight the unpredictable challenges of long-distance mushing in Alaska’s wilderness. In addition to race updates and analysis with guest Jonathan Hayes, the show features a musher profile of rookie Joey Sabin and a look back at sled dog racing history, including debates about breed diversity in racing from decades past. Support our Work Like this episode? Share it with your mushing friends! Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share Sign up for our Newsletter HERE 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 podcast@mushing.com Follow Mushing® for more muhsing news, insights, and more: Facebook | X | Instagram You can contact us here: Podcast@mushing.com © 2010-2026 by Mushing® All Rights Reserved

    54 min

  4. 3D AGO

    Day 4 Iditarod Coverage: Race Standings, Matt Hall Profile, and Expedition Class Discussion

    In this Day 4 update of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, teams are settling into the strategic middle portion of the race as many mushers begin taking their mandatory 24-hour rests. Jessie Holmes earns the Alaska Air Transit Spirit of Iditarod Award for being the first musher to reach McGrath. day-4-iditarod The episode also features an in-depth conversation with musher and biology teacher Jonathan Hayes from Maine. Hayes shares insights from his 30 years of dog mushing, including his participation in the Centennial Serum Run expedition and his work preserving the historic Seppala Siberian sled dog bloodlines. day-4-iditarod The discussion dives into race strategy, including how mushers plan their run-rest schedules, how trail conditions influence decisions during long-distance races, and how the new Expedition Class may affect the future of the Iditarod. The episode also includes a musher profile of Matt Hall and a historical look back at the 1976 Iditarod race. Support our Work Like this episode? Share it with your mushing friends! Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share Sign up for our Newsletter HERE 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 podcast@mushing.com Follow Mushing® for more muhsing news, insights, and more: Facebook | X | Instagram You can contact us here: Podcast@mushing.com © 2010-2026 by Mushing® All Rights Reserved

    51 min

  5. 4D AGO

    Iditarod Day 3 Update: Jessie Holmes Leads, First Scratch Reported, and Tough Trail Conditions

    In this Day 3 update from the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, teams are pushing through challenging terrain across the Alaska Range as leaders approach the race’s early checkpoints. Jessie Holmes currently holds the lead while several mushers rest and prepare for their mandatory 24-hour breaks. The episode covers the first scratch of the race after rookie musher Jaye Foucher suffered a crash that destroyed much of her sled and equipment near Rainy Pass. The discussion also highlights the impact of heavy snow and difficult trail conditions that are testing mushers, gear, and teams. Listeners also learn about mandatory gear requirements, the historic checkpoint village of Takotna and its famous pies, and the story of Expedition Class musher Kjell Inge Røkke. The episode wraps with a look back at a memorable moment in Iditarod history and the ongoing evolution of sponsorship and merchandise in the race. Support our Work Like this episode? Share it with your mushing friends! Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share Sign up for our Newsletter HERE 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 podcast@mushing.com Follow Mushing® for more muhsing news, insights, and more: Facebook | X | Instagram You can contact us here: Podcast@mushing.com © 2010-2026 by Mushing® All Rights Reserved

    28 min

  6. 5D AGO

    Iditarod 54 Day One Update: Leaders Push Past Rainy Pass and Expedition Class Raises Questions

    The 2026 Iditarod is officially underway, and the first 24 hours of racing are already shaping the early storylines. Defending champion Jessie Holmes leads the field near mile 188 as teams push through Finger Lake, the Steps, Rainy Pass, and the Gorge on their way toward Rohn. Early reports from the trail indicate strong winds reaching up to 50 miles per hour across the Alaska Range, creating challenging conditions for mushers and their dog teams. Robert and Michele Forto break down the early race standings, discuss how tightly packed the field remains, and analyze the significance of the first major trail section. They also examine the debut of the new Iditarod Expedition Class, a program allowing non-competitive participants to experience the thousand-mile trail through a pay-to-participate model. The conversation explores the financial realities facing the Iditarod, including new funding streams and sponsorship challenges. The hosts also profile rookie musher Richie Beattie and share a memorable moment from Iditarod history featuring Joe May’s record-setting 1980 victory. Support our Work Like this episode? Share it with your mushing friends! Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share Sign up for our Newsletter HERE 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 podcast@mushing.com Follow Mushing® for more muhsing news, insights, and more: Facebook | X | Instagram You can contact us here: Podcast@mushing.com © 2010-2026 by Mushing® All Rights Reserved

    33 min

  7. 6D AGO

    2026 Iditarod Willow Restart: Teams Hit the Trail, Trailgate Stories, and Early Race Strategy

    The 2026 Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race officially began from the Willow Restart and the teams are now on the trail heading toward the Alaska Range. In this episode of the Mushing Podcast, Robert and Michele Forto report directly from Willow, Alaska, after spending the afternoon in the staging area speaking with mushers, handlers, and fans before the start of the race. They share the atmosphere of the restart, including tailgate-style trail cooking for Paige Drobny’s team, conversations with sprint racers Bailey Vitello and Keaton Loebrich about sled design and race strategy, and an interview with rookie musher Jody Potts-Joseph from Eagle Village. The episode also features insights from the new Expedition Class mushers discussing why they chose to attempt the race and what this category could mean for the future of long-distance dog mushing. The show concludes with a musher profile of Wade Mars and a historical look back at Libby Riddles’ historic 1985 Iditarod victory during the new “Moment in Mushing History” segment. With the first miles already behind the teams and early leaders emerging on the tracker, the race has officially begun, and the strategies for the first night on the trail are starting to take shape. Support our Work Like this episode? Share it with your mushing friends! Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share Sign up for our Newsletter HERE 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 podcast@mushing.com Follow Mushing® for more muhsing news, insights, and more: Facebook | X | Instagram You can contact us here: Podcast@mushing.com © 2010-2026 by Mushing® All Rights Reserved

    35 min

  8. 6D AGO

    The First Iditarod Race: Rod Perry’s Story from the Historic 1973 Trail

    What was it really like to race in the very first Iditarod in 1973? In this episode of the Mushing Podcast, host Robert Forto continues his conversation with Rod Perry, one of the original participants in the inaugural Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. Rod shares firsthand stories from the historic race that helped shape Alaska’s most famous sporting event. Rod describes the atmosphere at the start of the race, when only a small crowd gathered at Tudor Track in Anchorage, long before the Iditarod became a global phenomenon. He explains how mushers assembled their teams from whatever dogs they could find, often borrowing animals or pulling together mismatched teams with little training. The discussion explores what it was like to race across Alaska in those early days. With few checkpoints, limited supplies, and almost no established infrastructure, mushers relied heavily on wilderness survival skills. Rod also recounts the story of his legendary lead dog, Fat Albert, and how that dog helped carry his team across the state. The episode also explores how dramatically the race has evolved. Early mushers ran with patched gear, homemade sleds, and minimal nutrition for their dogs, while modern racers compete with specialized equipment, professional training programs, and elite canine athletes. Rod concludes by describing the emotional moment of reaching Nome after nearly a month on the trail and reflecting on how the first Iditarod helped launch one of the world's most iconic endurance races. If you are interested in the history of dog mushing, the origins of the Iditarod, or the stories of the pioneers who helped build the sport, this episode offers a rare look into one of the most important chapters in sled dog racing history. Support our Work Like this episode? Share it with your mushing friends! Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share Sign up for our Newsletter HERE 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 podcast@mushing.com Follow Mushing® for more muhsing news, insights, and more: Facebook | X | Instagram You can contact us here: Podcast@mushing.com © 2010-2026 by Mushing® All Rights Reserved

    40 min
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4.8
out of 5
39 Ratings

About

Mushing is a podcast from First Paw Media that follows the sport of dog mushing, the Iditarod, and races worldwide. Mushing is hosted by best-selling author Robert Forto (A Musher's Dream) and a team of co-hosts that bring a unique perspective to the show. During the Iditarod race each March, the show is a daily podcast that covers the race with an in-depth analysis you won't find anywhere else. In the off-season, hear interviews with mushers, behind-the-scenes news, and updates. Popular guests: Emily Robinson, Jesse Holmes, Ryan Redington, Barb Redington, Lance Mackey, Brenda Mackey, Jason Mackey, Anna and Kristy Berington, Rohn Buser, DeeDee Jonrowe, and more. Popular Podcast topics: Iditarod race stories and analysis, dryland mushing and off-season racing, interviews with mushers and racers, race preparation and training strategies, sled dog kennel life and dog care, Yukon Quest and other major races, mushing history and heritage, global mushing perspectives (international races), canicross and alternative mushing formats Community and culture in the mushing world, and more.

Information

  • Channel
    First Paw Media
  • Creator
    First Paw Media | Mushing.com
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    247
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2010-2026 First Paw Media
  • Show Website
    Mushing
  • Provider
    Robert Forto

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