Yet another Seavey is making noise in the dog mushing world.
Not former Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race champ Mitch Seavey of Sterling. And not Mitch's son, Dallas, who's among the favorites in this year's race. Not family patriarch Dan Seavey, a racer in the first Iditarod in 1973 who plans to return this year for a run to Nome with his son and grandson. Not Mitch's other sons, Danny and Tyrell, both Iditarod veterans, either.
Look instead at Conway Seavey, 15 and the youngest Seavey, who on Sunday captured his first Jr. Iditarod title, finishing at Willow Lake at 3:52 p.m. Young mushers between 14 and 18 race 80 miles from Wasilla to Yentna Station and camp overnight before returning to Willow the next day. The top five finishers as well as the Humanitarian and Sportsmanship Award winners earn scholarships.
"Coming from where I come from, it's hard to avoid mushing," Conway acknowledged in a press release from the Iditarod Trail Committee.
Last year, Conway was finished 10th in the same race.
"Last year was a very eventful race. Merissa (Osmar) and I took a five-hour detour 40 miles from the finish line -- we were in second place at the time.
"This year, if nothing else, I plan to finish the race without getting lost so the jokers in my family will give me some peace," Conway said.
Despite his victory, Conway, a homeschooled ninth grader, has other career plans. Becoming a singer, songwriter and producer holds greater appeal than life in a dog lot.
"Singing is what I live for. Mushing is a fun side job. I don't see myself mushing after high school. I'm way smarter than that," he said.
And maybe it is smart for Conway to steer clear of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. After all, a Jr. Iditarod champion has never gone on to capture the big race in the 35 years the race has been run for mushing teenagers -- despite the heavy involvement of the sport's biggest families, including the Seaveys, Redingtons, Mackeys, Smyths, Kings and others.
For all his Iditarod success, Lance Mackey was unable to ever capture a Jr. Iditarod.
Even odder, perhaps -- 1987 Jr. Iditarod champion Dusty VanMeter did go on to win Alaska's other big winter race, wrapping up his fourth Iron Dog title on Saturday.
Contact Mike Campbell at mcampbell(at)alaskadispatch.com