Photo courtesy of Michelle Phillips

Michelle Phillips was born and raised in the Yukon, Canada, and began running dogs 25 years ago. She first became interested in mushing because she loved the animals, and loved traveling with them. She has since run the Iditarod nearly every year since her rookie year in 2010, and has run the Yukon Quest many times since 2001, eventually becoming the 2023 champion in the 450-miler. She has been acknowledged with awards by several races for her excellent sportsmanship and dog care. Her last time running the Kobuk 440 was in 2008. When she returns to the race, she looks forward to visiting the villages and seeing the beautiful scenery. She would like to thank her dog handlers and her husband, Ed.

Kennel: Tagish Lake Kennel Handler: Renee Cook Age: 54 Started Mushing: 1998 Location: Carcross, Yukon, Canada  Number of Dogs: 12 Key Dogs: Indy, Dougall, Cleo and Lambo Sponsors: Alaska RV Discovery Tours, Avery Brohman, and dog sponsors Other Races: Iditarod (11x), Yukon Quest (9x) Awards: Herbie Nayokpuk Award (Iditarod), Yukon Quest Veterinarian's Choice, Yukon Quest Sportsmanship Award