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Willow, Alaska

Andy Moderow, 18 years old. Born in Anchorage, Alaska, and is a lifelong Alaskan. The Moderow family began mushing in 1989 when the Willis family (a local mushing family and sled builders) introduced them to the sport. The Moderows share the same love for the dogs and the sport. "Mushing has brought my whole family close together over the years," said Andy. A member of the Anchorage Alaska Sled Dog Racing Association and the Chugiak Dog Mushers Association, Andy participated in junior sprint racing from 1997 through 2000 and ran the Jr. Iditarod four times.

He is a handler for Iditarod veteran Martin Buser and training a mix of his family's dogs and some of Martin's, which he will run in this year's Iditarod. Andy says, "Eight years ago I was Martin Buser for Halloween and today I'm living at his kennel".

Andy will finish high school this year through the Atheneum School, a small innovative school that teaches through original sources as opposed to text books. He says without that school, he wouldn't be able to run Iditarod during his senior year. Next year Andy plans to go out of state for college. His plans aren't certain beyond college but he says he will have "at least a few dogs with me wherever I go." And, he says, "I will return to Alaska." Andy enjoys photography, school and anything outdoors.

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