Photo courtesy of Hugh Neff

Hugh Neff was born in Tennessee, raised in Illinois, and moved to Alaska in 1995. He began mushing soon after his arrival, competing in his first race in 1998: the Minto 90. His interest in the sport grew when working as a dog handler for Lester Erhart, Gareth Wright and Jerry Riley. He is a two-time winner of the Yukon Quest and has run 15 Iditarods since 2004, claiming two top ten finishes and a Rookie of the Year award. His first Kobuk 440 run was in 2003, and he has returned just about every year since, eventually earning the championship title in 2022. He belongs to Jim Lanier’s Northern Whites Kennel, and his dogs come from Erhart, Garnie, Attla, and Jansen lines. His inspiration for mushing comes from an unrelenting love of the the sport, and from the legacy of Alaskan folk singer-songwriter Hobo Jim. He would like to thank Jim Lanier, Skip Nelson, and his many supporters worldwide.

​Kennel: Northern Whites Kennel Handler: Jim Lanier Age: 55 Mushing Since: 1995 Location: Chugach, Alaska  Number of Dogs: 16 Sponsors: ADS-B Technologies & Others Previous Races: Iditarod, Yukon Quest, Kobuk 440 Finnmarksløpet 1000 (Norway) Awards: Kobuk 440 Champion (2022), Iditarod Rookie of the Year (2004), Yukon Quest Champion (2012, 2016), Finnmarksløpet Rookie of the Year (2013)