Leonhard Seppala

Leonhard Seppala
Leonhard Seppala with his dogs after the serum run in 1925. Dogs from left to right – Togo, Karinsky, Jafet, Pete, Zeus, Fritz.
Born(1877-09-14)September 14, 1877
Lyngen, Troms, Norway
DiedJanuary 28, 1967(1967-01-28) (aged 89)
Seattle, Washington, U.S.
Occupation(s)Sled dog breeder, racer
Known for1925 serum run to Nome
SpouseConstance Seppala
Children1

Leonhard "Sepp" Seppala (/ˈlɛnərd ˈsɛpələ/; September 14, 1877 – January 28, 1967) was a Norwegian-Kven-American sled dog breeder, trainer and musher who with his dogs played a pivotal role in the 1925 serum run to Nome,[1] and participated in the 1932 Winter Olympics. Seppala introduced the work dogs used by Native Siberians at the time to the American public; the breed came to be known as the Siberian Husky in the English-speaking world. The Leonhard Seppala Humanitarian Award, which honors excellence in sled dog care, is named in honour of him.[1]: 64 [2][3][4]

  1. ^ a b Salisbury, Gay; Laney Salisbury (2003). The Cruelest Miles: The Heroic Story of Dogs and Men in a Race Against an Epidemic. W.W. Norton & Company. ISBN 978-0-393-01962-9.
  2. ^ Alaska Airlines (2010-03-03). "Alaska Airlines To Serve As Iditarod's Official Airline Sponsor". Archived from the original on 2014-01-08. Retrieved 2012-10-14.
  3. ^ "Leonhard Seppala". Store norske leksikon. Retrieved 16 June 2015.
  4. ^ "Leonhard Seppala (Balto's True Story)". Archived from the original on 2020-05-30. Retrieved 2013-11-17.