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After training in deep snow and bitter cold, ex-reality show star seeks to win the Iditarod again

Holmes, who trained 4,500 miles this winter, faces intense pressure to repeat as champion amid shrinking financial support in the Iditarod, race organizers said.

  • On Sunday, defending Iditarod champion Jessie Holmes left Willow with 33 other competitive mushers and took the early lead a day later on the Willow to Nome route.
  • Pressure to repeat as champ comes from mushing history, where only Susan Butcher and Lance Mackey have won back-to-back titles, Holmes said he feels 'burning at him.'
  • Holmes lives in a remote homestead near Denali with nearly 40 dogs, and his TV work paid for better gear and land, he said.
  • Sponsors and prize pools have shrunk amid activist pressure, despite a Norwegian billionaire sponsor boosting prize money, and Jessie Holmes has not earned riches or paid appearances since his last year's win.
  • Last year, Holmes's victory paid him just over $57,000, and the outcome will influence his future and opportunities for young mushers, he said.
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The Toronto StarThe Toronto Star
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After training in deep snow and bitter cold, ex-reality show star seeks to win the Iditarod again

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — Riches and paid appearances haven’t followed Jessie Holmes since he won the world’s most famous sled dog race, the Iditarod, last year.

·Toronto, Canada
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KVUE broke the news in Austin, United States on Monday, March 9, 2026.
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