Buddy Streeper wins Rondy sled dog race to secure his 10th world championship title

Blayne “Buddy” Streeper won the 2023 Fur Rendezvous Championship Sled Dog Race on Sunday — for the tenth time.

Streeper finished the 2023 Fur Rendezvous Championship Sled Dog Race on Sunday with a total time across three days of 4 hours, 22 minutes and 20 seconds.

“These guys,” he said about his dog team,” they could do it again tomorrow. There ain’t a doubt in my mind that they would, and that’s how I built up this team and it’s just a pleasure to come to Anchorage and race.”

Greg Taylor came in third on Sunday but took second place in the overall race with a total time of 4:32:23. Michael Tetzner finished fourth on Sunday and third in the race, with a less-than-a-minute total time difference between him and Tetzner.

All mushers enjoyed the perfect cold weather and snow, said Streeper, originally of Fort Nelson, British Columbia.

“It was an awesome run and a beautiful setting,” Streeper said. “We love being part of the history and this setting, and we had a great time. What a wonderful day.”

Securing the lead from Day 1, Stepper started with a young team of 20 dogs on Friday. He ran 18 dogs on Saturday and finished the race with 16 dogs on Sunday, with his whole team healthy and ready to come back next year.

“Every run I want to have a good run. Every run, I want these dogs to work well, and work as a team,” he said. “I don’t want to jump up and down and wave my hands, you know, that’s not the mentality I have. I want to have a normal day, and my normal day wins 10 world championships because that’s the standard that I have.”

After Streeper won the championship last year, he passed eight-time winner Roland “Doc” Lombard. Now that he is the 2023 champion and has 10 first-place finishes under his belt, he is tied with mushing icon George Attla.

“We’ll come back for 11″ next year, Streeper said. “Eleven is the goal, not 10.”