POINT OF ORDER QUESTION

[Milehigh]

Thank you for posting Sabs statement. It rings so true. Sad to see this prevailing attitude invading something as great as this race so full of comradery. I'll bite my tongue and get off my soapbox.

[Heidi]

From what I've read on facebook I think some people don't like the hypocrisy. They stick to the rules for some mushers, but not for others.

But from my understanding of the rules, I don't think the order of this year's race should be affected. Again based on the rules - at most - possibly a fine.

Frozen, I totally agree with your assessment; it seemed like that to me too (while watching the live coverage).

As far as Seb... I appreciate his posts about the race as he's a gifted writer, but dang, I was rather surprised at some of his replies today (on other people's fb pages). That, more than anything, made me really sad.

[Frozen Chosen]

The race marshal, made the decision that there would be no infraction and stated that the race is run on merit, not on technicalities.

Di, wouldnt you think that having this important vet book in your sled is also a point of "merit"? To me, following the rules are just as mertitous as having a good team of animals...in fact, speaks of one's integrity...which to me is far more mertitous than having a top notch team...

[MelanieGouldFanBrian]

Of course when I posted this question on here, it was just that, a question. A simple point of order. Only after I asked it did I notice on FB that many others also had thoughts on it. Some well meaning. Some rather nasty. I was astounded to see one former musher tell somebody they were "out of their mind" for asking about a rule that seemed to them to be disregarded. Who would have suspected it would have people forming cliques and building barriers?

Tangles posted a great reply laying out much welcomed answers about race etiquette and how things are done at a finish, which I really appreciated. Then he did one thing that showed he is a typical race fan just like the rest of us. He mentioned Brent Sass's DQ for having an 'illegal' device and how he disagreed with it. I well remember when this happened how we all thought it was unfair. Still do. But in the end it was still a rule, and Brent, right or wrong, was caught up in it and paid the price. As fans, we do think with our hearts as well as our heads. And I think it's right that we ask questions and express our opinions about things that seem oddly askew. I myself still have questions about it.

[Di*]

The race marshal, made the decision that there would be no infraction and stated that the race is run on merit, not on technicalities.

Di, wouldnt you think that having this important vet book in your sled is also a point of "merit"? To me, following the rules are just as mertitous as having a good team of animals...in fact, speaks of one's integrity...which to me is far more mertitous than having a top notch team...

Most definitely Frozen, just think the marshal was speaking to the merit of musher helping musher, rather than to Dallas's own merit.

Also didn't agree with the harsh treatment of Brent in the DQ the other year. Maybe they learned from the outcry after that event and decided to deal with this with more common sense than legalistic bent?

However it happened, he did have the vet book when they got around to checking for it, so in the end there was no problem. Kudos to Nic, speaks volumes to his character!

[flowerpower]

Karen Ramstead :They did follow their own rules.
Nick handed Dallas the vet book before he (Nick) checked in.
Yes, you are supposed to have the vet book at all times, if you don't it must be 'made right' before you check in, which was done here thanks to Nick's great sportsmanship.
Look at it like the situation with Linwood loosing his team - a musher needs to be with their team too, but sometimes 'stuff' happens on a 1000 mile wilderness race.

Strikes me as rather ridiculous that all the affected mushers are partying together in Nome and the fans are burning up the internet with pettiness.

[CynCyn37]

I think that once again, the ITC has done this to themselves by not providing enough information. From reading some of the comments, this seems to be something that happens more often than we know. All of the negativity makes me sad. It has gotten more intense over the past several years.

Here are two comments that make me think this happens more than we know:

Gerald Sousa: As far as the vet books go I gave my book to a vet and told them where to place it when they were done. Needless to say they forgot and I left without it. It was returned to me a couple days later. I was informed it was my responsibility for the book. After that I locked it to the sled via a cord and the vets had to write in it at the sled. Problem solved.

See answered: Ha I did the same thing... and yet mine walked away as i had tied it with a tugline and snap. Also got it back 2 checkpoints later.

[mamamia]

I think that once again, the ITC has done this to themselves by not providing enough information.

BINGO!

If the ITC had been immediately forthcoming about what had happened and why they made the ruling they did all of this could have been avoided. Even in their recent communication clarifying the situation there was secrecy. They still didn't fully disclose how the book happened to be left behind. It is this culture of secrecy that contributes to a lot of their problems.