Second-place Yukon Quest musher Hugh Neff is penalized two hours
Originally published Monday, February 23, 2009 at 12:00 a.m.
Updated Monday, February 23, 2009 at 1:18 p.m.
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Stumble It!CENTRAL — It seemed the Yukon Quest was set up for a dramatic showdown during the last 160 miles of trail after William Kleedehn and Hugh Neff arrived in Central three minutes apart on Sunday afternoon.
Then Neff was assessed a two-hour penalty for mushing on the road instead of the trail near Central.
“Mr. Neff chose to stay on the road for approximately 5.7 miles, at which point he was seen by numerous people and pulled his sled over to the actual trail,” race marshal Doug Grilliot said. “Mr. Neff admitted that to me.”
When asked why Neff was assigned a two-hour penalty instead of perhaps 15 or 30 minutes, Grilliot said “we thought that was fair, through much discussion.”
Neff followed the road purposely and told Grilliot that, the marshal said.
“This is very inclusive of sportsmanship. It not only hurt the team ahead of him, it also hurts the team behind him,” Grilliot said.
The situation would be different if Neff had returned to the trail quickly.
“This is very different from accidentally getting off the trail for a certain amount of time, dragging your dogs back onto the trail that is very well marked, and continuing. That happens to everybody at some point in the race,” Grilliot said. “A willful act like this to enhance your own position is not acceptable.”
Members of the media informed race officials of the violation, Grilliot said.
Kleedehn turned around and saw Neff in the road as he approached Central, but did not file a protest, Grilliot said.
The place where the infraction occurred is on the Circle Hot Springs Road, which the Quest trail follows for several hundred yards before returning to a timbered trail, Grilliot said. Neff simply stayed on the road, where his team could travel faster, for an extra 5.7 miles. Neff violated the trail procedure rule that states: “All teams must follow the trail as marked or as instructed by the race marshal.”
Neff’s penalty will be served today at the Two Rivers Checkpoint, the final stop 45 miles from the Fairbanks finish line. Neff will have to stay there 10 hours instead of the mandatory eight.
The penalty was announced Sunday night shortly after Neff and Kleedehn left Central on their way over Eagle Summit to the Mile 101 dog drop; therefore neither was available for comment.
After a nearly five-hour rest, Neff left Central at 7:55 p.m. with nine dogs; Kleedehn departed five minutes later, also with nine dogs.
Because so little trail remains and Kleedehn’s team has shown better speed, Neff will have a tough task if he even tries to make up the time penalty.
His only chance could be to tackle Eagle and Rosebud summits consecutively, instead of stopping at Mile 101 dog drop, which is typical.
But that would mean a taxing 115-mile run with a team that has already been taking less rest than Kleedehn’s in order to keep pace.
Before the time penalty was announced, Neff said his best chance to win would be to get a lead in the mountains. “If it comes down to the last day and we’re neck and neck, I’ll (lose),” Neff said, referring to the 45-mile run to the finish line from the Two Rivers Checkpoint at Twin Bears Campground. “I really don’t want to be in that situation, but it could very well end up being that. We’ll have to see what the dogs do in the mountains.”
Neff has an edge climbing because Kleedehn has a prosthetic left leg that makes ascending 3,685-foot Eagle Summit and 3,640-foot Rosebud Summit more difficult. Neff is able to get off the sled and hike to aid his dogs, while Kleedehn can offer less assistance.
“I don’t know if it’s any type of advantage having two legs compared to William’s one, but if it is, then I’ll take advantage of it,” Neff said.
Said Kleedehn: “It slows me down unbelievably.”
Not that he’s asking for sympathy. “If it would be frustrating, I’d never have bothered running (dogs) in the first place. It’s just the way it is, and I don’t even think about it.”
History doesn’t indicate Neff is faster over Eagle Summit. In 2005 — when both mushers were running in the top five — Kleedehn traveled to Mile 101 from Central in 5 hours, 16 minutes. It took Neff 5:23.
Kleedehn, while eating a steak at the Steese Roadhouse, complimented his friend Neff and his dog team. Kleedehn consistently has had a two-hour lead in recent days, only to see Neff cut short his rest, follow Kleedehn out of checkpoints and stay in range.
“His team is really amazing to me. With that little bit of rest all along through the race, he just bootied up when I left, regardless of how late he came after me into the checkpoint,” Kleedehn said.
Neff said his dog team — led by 3-year-old sibling leaders Watson, Walter and Annie — simply have found their rhythm and gotten into a groove.
“I don’t really train like this,” Neff said as he downed a hamburger and fries. “It’s just the way we’ve been running. I’ve been hanging with William now since McCabe Creek (last Monday).”
Even if Neff makes up the two-hour penalty, Kleedehn traditionally is a strong closer who would likely outrun him down the home stretch. On the last day in 2005, Kleedehn nearly chased down Lance Mackey (coming up eight minutes short) and put more than an hour between himself and Neff, that year’s third-place finisher.
Kleedehn tested his team’s speed when he let Neff pass him Sunday morning on Birch Creek.
“As soon as (Neff’s) team was in front, (my dogs) were barking, and I had to stand with both feet on the brake not to run over the top of them ... so I’m not too scared in case he would be in front of me,” Kleedehn said.
Kleedehn stayed ahead by navigating tricky sections of jumble ice and glare ice on the Yukon River between Dawson City and Circle. Though Kleedehn said he crashed dozens of times, the jumble ice was not as bad as feared — the glare ice was worse.
“I’m a little bit bruised and battered, but I’m still here,” said Kleedehn, adding that he’s been sleeping no more than an hour a day.
Kleedehn is being led by female leaders Breeze and Marimba and male leader Fajita. Only Breeze has run the Quest before, though all three ran the Iditarod last year.
Kleedehn’s first Quest victory in 12 attempts is in reach, though when asked how hungry he was to win, he responded: “Disappointedly little. It would be nice, but I’m not sacrificing a single one of my dogs in order to achieve that. When I win dog races ... the dogs do it, and it’s not my ego that does it.”
Contact staff writer Matias Saari at 459-7591.
Community Discussion
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With all due respect to the race marshal, 2 hours is not enough. Blatant cheating is what Neff did. His little detour was premeditated and he knows it. I'd make him sit in Central a minimum of 6 hours.
Cheater!
It's Kleedehn's Race to win......I agree with the Penalty....5.7 miles on the Road....that cut several hundred yards of trail off Neff's "version of the trail", not that he "gained" any time on Kleedehn or his dogs!!
I'm just rooting for Martin Buser to "reel in" a couple more mushers and place in the Top Five!
Buser's run a First-Class Race and isn't running the Iditarod this year....unlike Mackey and Gatt!
I give Martin Buser alot of credit for Sticking With the Quest when I'm sure he could have done an "about-face" and Re-Entered the Iditarod after the Quest Announced the "Guaranteed" Purse would be less....
Reel them in, one by one, Martin!!
It would appear that Mr. Neff is living up to his nickname "Huge Mess". He started his career by cutting corners and he will probably finish it the same way.
As far as I'm concerned he should have been disqualified.
“Mr. Neff chose to stay on the road for approximately 5.7 miles”
“This is very inclusive of sportsmanship. It not only hurt the team ahead of him, it also hurts the team behind him,”
“Neff followed the road purposely and told Grilliot that, the marshal said”
Race Rule 33, in part, reads: “Any competitor or athlete worthy of the name realizes that all people—officials, volunteers, sponsors, media, and fans—are equal participants in this event, and that it is the musher’s responsibility to define the upper limits of human performance. A true Sportsman is an inspiration to all witnesses.”
It is pretty much understood by dog drivers that if you inadvertently come off the official trail, you can avoid all penalties if you turnaround go back to where you came off the trail and get back on the official trail. No foul committed. Some race giving organizations even say so in their rules.
Mr. Neff knew he was not on the trail, he knew the surface he was on is the road between Circle and Central. I guarantee that he knew these two facts and I guarantee that he knew what he was suppose to do as soon as he came up onto the road, but he choose to continue.
He willfully broke Race Rule #6: “All teams must follow the trail as marked or as instructed by the Race Marshal.” And by doing so he gained advantage over those in front of him and all those who are behind him.
“A willful act like this to enhance your own position is not acceptable.” (The Race Marshal)
So we have a driver who blatantly and willfully violates Race Rule 6, gains an advantage, and in doing so grossly violated the intent of Race Rule 33. And what does he get for this? 2 Hours!
You loose a mandatory piece of equipment: 30 minutes per item.
You destroy your sled on the trail and have to replace it: 8 hours.
You have to replace “items relative to the safety of the dog teams and mushers (i.e. sled break, mittens, etc) and you get: 30 minutes.
You fail to sign out of a checkpoint and do not return to sign out and you get: 2 hours.
You sign out of a checkpoint, but do not leave within 60 minutes you get: 2 hours.
A two hour penalty will not greatly impact Mr. Neff’s payday which most likely will be in the $16,500 to $20,000 range.
And he will get this even after he CHEATED! Blatantly and Willfully!
The one thing the Quest had better pray does not happen is that Mr. Neff crosses the finish line 1st.
This decision sends a lot of messages to many different groups: the other driver’s, the fans, the entire sport of dog racing, and to current and potential sponsors of the Quest.
Hey Neff, maybe your dogs need better training, trails VS. roadways. What do you think the first clue was, ultra-smooth trails and cars coming at you?
I do believe a lifetime ban is in order for this blatantly displayed cheating. Let's now watch all the young mushers that look at this, and the amout of "road travel" that Neff had, as well as the light slap on the wrist he had been given.
Shame on you Neff!
(This comment was removed by the Newsminer.com staff. Please see our User Agreement for further information.)
nosunlight,
I know of no race giving organization that has any penalty that carries a life-time ban except for animal abuse/cruelty during the race or being convicted for the same in a court of law.
Many RGO's do allow for "denial of entry for cause" to prevent the entry of someone into the race. But the "cause" really has to be something.
In fact if Mr. Neff was to have been disqualified and forfeited all winnings this year there would have been no reason to deny him entry into future Yukon Quests. He broke the rules, paid the price, ok.
In the conduct of a dog race disqualification and forfeiture of all winnings is the ultimate penalty for serious rule violations.
I agree with you that this decision has the potential to increase the possibility of ignoring the rules by others in the future.
Now, my opinions about this decision are based upon that was reported in this article and what are "quotes" from the race marshal. There may be mitigating circumstances, but for the life of me I can't think of any. He was on the Steese for approximately 5.7 miles in broad daylight and he knew he was not suppose to be there.
I have followed the quest for many years and remember Neff's first one which he started with 12 dogs and limited budget (he was drying booties along the way). That year he won the Spirit of the North award.
Since then he seems to always stir up some sort of controversy. He was DQ'd one year and later the Quest changed it to a Scratch. The current Eagle mandatory rest is due in part to Neff's arrogance and dislike of the Quest Vets... the list goes on.
The Quest is always short of mushers - recently hovering around the 30-team mark and I believe is reluctant to penalize these sort of veterans that show up year after year - regardless of the lack of sportsmanship and dog-care.
I think a longer time penalty should be assessed - perhaps in the 4-6 hour range seems more reasonable.
Lighten up, this is not the first time of dog race shinanigins. Stories abound of old timers, depositing "in heat" bitch urin on trails, moving trailmarkers and on and on. I'm not sticking up for Huge, he did what he did and he got a fair penalty according to the race marshal. My only beef is now his dogs get two hours more rest then those racers behind him. His penalty should be adjusted at the finish line.
exQPC,
Respectfully, I must correct something you wrote:He was DQ'd one year and later the Quest changed it to a Scratch.
Mr. Neff has never been disqualified from the YQI, nor has he ever been disqualified from the YQI and then the YQI changing the DQ to a "Scratch".
Neither of these things occurred. Trust me on this.
DakotahJohn,
Martin Buser is running the Iditarod this year. As are Schnuelle and Neff. Brent Sass did enter but later withdrew.
I find it hard to believe that the DNM can't find anything better than the YQ to put as their headline story every single day for the past week.
2 hour penalty! Ludicrous! Neff should be DQ'ed from this years race, and not receive any winnings. I agree that a lifetime ban from the Quest would be overkill. And he should be allowed to race in other races. But 6 hrs, 10 hours, etc. is too little. So 2 hrs. is a joke. One thing is for certain. I wouldn't buy a used car from Hugh Neff!
This is not such a clear cut case of breaking rules as many of you think. First, "The place where the infraction occurred is on the Circle Hot Springs Road" So Hugh was not traveling down the Steese from the Birch Creek bridge as Willomitzer guessed on the Quest site (and as I initially supposed -- this would have gained Hugh much more of an advantage). In fact, this trail he didn't take parallels the Circle Hot Springs Road just a few yards away from the road itself starting near the lodge, and in fact goes back onto the road a mile or two from the checkpoint. I have run this trail myself in the YQ and YQ250 several times. It does not cut any distance off but simply provides a faster running surface, and I guess it probably gained Hugh 15 minutes tops.
Second, running dogs on a road (even with cars coming at you) is common in many races, including the Quest (e.g. the stretches into and out of Central). In the Kusko 300 while running several miles through Aniak on roads I would ask drivers of cars I passed where the trail turns off the road to get out of town. Professional dog drivers are certainly used to mushing on roads when required, and a fast road surface provides a big temptation (for dogs and mushers) over a trail in the ditch a few yards away. I almost did exactly what Hugh did on this stretch. I am not saying that Hugh didn't break the rules, but it does not seem a big deal. The 2 hour penalty is far more than what he gained, and with this penalty he obviously took himself out of any chance of winning this year.
Finally, this rule about always having to follow the marked trail is not the same in every dog race. The most notable example I know of is the Percy DeWolfe which follows part of the Quest trail on the Yukon River from Dawson to Eagle and back. With every major bend in the river there is usually an overland trail that cuts distance off from the river trail, and in the prerace meeting when someone asked about these "cutoffs" they told us we can take them if we want to, and however we can get from Dawson to Eagle and back is fine. Also there are places on the Iditarod trail where knowledgable veterans can (and do) take small short-cuts. In the old days when there were no snowmachines putting in trails in advance, mushers would take all kinds of different ways to get to the next checkpoint. Unfortunately (as I'm sure Hugh would say), that isn't done anymore.
In human-powered adventure races there usually are no marked trails and the skills of navigation and orienteering are used much more so than in distance dog racing. Personally I very much wish that long-distance races like the Quest and Iditarod were the expeditions they used to be in their early days, and in such a format getting riled up over what Hugh did is just simply ridiculous.
Just finishing the Quest with one leg makes Kleedehn a "winner" in my book, allot of people can't even finish it with two. GOOD LUCK!
Wth possessed Neff to do that? "Cold" getting to his higher-reasoning?
Weird. (well at least he freely admitted to it, it was still a dumb thing to do but I'm sure nobody has to tell Neff that. I hope he's not too sore from kicking himself in the arse all the way into town. Lesson learned?)
Ok, why my comment was removed I do not know.
I said before, he ain't the brightest bulb in the box. And this just goes to show you all that.
Just another slap on the wrist. Let's see what kind of abuse his dogs will have after he tries to make up for 2 hours.
I wonder if hes wearing bunny boots this time, or is he wearing sneakers again like he did 5 years ago for the Quest and frost bit his feet AFTER many others donated bunny boots to him!!
I have heard several stories from different races over the years where mushers have gotten off the trail, run a loop backwards, or taken the wrong trail. In any instance, if the mushers are to be compared fairly, than they should have run the same trail. I think that a penalty should be applied whether the infringment in unitentional or not. In this case, where the musher took a different trail intentionaly, a heavy penalty is in order. If by some chance Huge Mess were to win this one, it would not be an honerable win, he deserves a penalty that insures that honest mushers do not have to compete with dishonest ones.
Hi wrongalot
Respectfully I know YQI does not list Neff having been DQ'd but at the time a lot of people saw it this way. I remember it that way. DQ's are political - so I can see why it would now be denied. A simple search came up with these two links to articles that reference Neff's 2001 "scratch". In 2006 he was handed the scratch form to fill out in Dawson, if he didn't he'd have been DQ'd - which amounts to a DQ doesn't it...
Call it what you want though - I would not be proud of either situation, and now we have the 2009 fiasco...
Here are the links.
http://www.skagwaynews.com/022406yukonqu...
http://www.sleddogwatchdog.com/yq_media_...
Wrongalot, wrong again, he was DQ`d. Was there. Saw it, blah blah. The worst dog care you can imagine on a race. Eaglerock00, you got it right with... Just another slap on the wrist. Let's see what kind of abuse his dogs will have after he tries to make up for 2 hours...Its a sorry reflection on this great event when individuals like this can continue to participate. More like Crying Eyes Kennel.
It is appalling that he was penalized 2 hours. Buser came into a checkpoint on the road by accident earlier in the race, was he penalized 2 hours?
In long distance races mushers routinely get off the trail and come into checkpoints in different ways. 2 hours is ridiculous if it effects the outcome of the race. Penalize him in prize money, not position.
Here is one for you: if it was Lance Mackey would have he been penalized 2 hours?
In the Iditarod if a musher comes into a village on a road instead of the trail by accident they do not get penalized, it happens all the time. One year in a video they show swenson cutting off a huge part of the trail right outside willow, wasnt penalized.
Looks like a bunch of people are airing sour grapes here, including the Yukon Quest.
Karma may not be instant, but it will getcha.
Go Hugh Go! race like you will never get another chance. Go like the wind grasshopper. Hopefully see you in the winners circle. It's like Nascar it's only cheating if you get caught, and you got caught so now it's pedal to the metal. Push, shove and bump you way up front.
"In the old days when there were no snowmachines putting in trails in advance, mushers would take all kinds of different ways to get to the next checkpoint. Unfortunately...that isn't done anymore.
Personally I very much wish that long-distance races like the Quest and Iditarod were the expeditions they used to be in their early days..."
nobreakup,
I couldn't agree more.
And that from someone who used to use big ol' dogs just to get around, and to get wood and water/ice.
if it was Lance Mackey would have he been penalized 2 hours?
Lance has gotten off the trail in several races. He's always returned to the spot where he deviated and finished the race on the proper course, which is of course the accepted and expected procedure. Neff didn't do that. In fact, he admitted he purposely ran the road. Lance may have been a bit geographically confused from time to time, but to my knowledge he's never intentionally cheated.
I think I'd almost prefer the race marshall had required Neff to run his team back, and then returned on the proper trail. That would certainly be consistent with many race's rules.
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