Jamaican musher prepares for Yukon Quest
Published Thursday, February 12, 2009
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WHITEHORSE, Yukon — Newton Marshall thought he was in trouble upon receiving a call that began the Jamaican’s odyssey as a dog musher.
In 2005, Marshall was working as a horseback-riding guide for Chukka Caribbean Adventures when a phone call unwittingly changed his life.
“One day, they called me when I was up in the mountains and told me ‘Newton, you have to stop work immediately’ and I said ‘Why? I didn’t do anything wrong,’” Marshall said Wednesday from Hans Gatt’s kennel a half-hour south of Whitehorse.
It turned out the person who took care of some street dogs that Chukka had obtained from a shelter was leaving, and the tour company needed a replacement worker.
“They said ‘Newton, can you look after some dogs?’ I said ‘No problem,’” Marshall said.
Before long, Chukka began giving cart rides using the shelter dogs, company chairman Danny Melville founded the Jamaica Dogsled Team and Marshall was among the chosen few for a brash experiment.
“So Danny thinks he could push it a little further. He said ‘We are going to race abroad,’” Marshall said, before adding “I’d never seen snow before.”
Marshall got his mushing initiation in Minnesota, then wound up last winter at the kennel of Gatt, a three-time Yukon Quest champion.
Gatt said Wednesday that he met Melville at a dinner with Quest officials in Whitehorse, where the businessman invited him to visit Jamaica. Gatt accepted, and once there, “Danny came up with the idea it would be possible to run the Yukon Quest with a Jamaican musher. He needed to find somebody that knew how to do it so he approached me,” Gatt said.
Marshall, 25, is proving to be a quick learner. He placed seventh and won the sportsmanship award at the 2008 Percy DeWolfe Memorial Race. This season, Marshall was 21st among 47 starters at the Sheep Mountain 150 and 13th in an extreme Copper Basin 300 that featured frigid cold, a stretch of open water and sugar-snow conditions. Like any rookie, he’s had accidents but nothing catastrophic.
“I never lose a sled on the trail and in the races,” Marshall said. “And I tip (over) now and then but not much.”
Many Jamaicans have taken notice of Marshall’s pursuits, but no one seems to be envious of the cold-weather camping, long hours of hard work and visits to remote places virtually devoid of civilization.
“My friends think I’m a madman,” Marshall said, a huge smile emerging on his face. “They said I’m sick.”
That mindset doesn’t faze Marshall.
“I’m the first black man and first Jamaican (in the Quest), so I’m quite proud of that,” Marshall said.
Among his fans is Jimmy Buffett, the Jamaica Dogsled Team’s primary sponsor. Marshall has met Buffett three times and receives e-mails from the musician best known for the tune “Margaritaville.”
Buffett likely will be following the Quest online after Marshall takes the starting line Saturday with a team of Gatt’s talented huskies, led by Stony and McCoy (the mongrel dogs in Jamaica were not suitable for the Quest). He’ll also bring with him a race schedule drawn up by Gatt.
“I will just work off the schedule, and hopefully, it will get me to the finish line,” Marshall said.
For Gatt, enlisting Marshall was an “interesting project” that influenced him to come out of quasi-retirement after saying following the 2007 Quest that he might be done with the race.
“I’ve always been up for a crazy challenge,” he said.
Gatt is impressed by Marshall’s ability to pick up quickly on a complex sport.
“When I look back, it is amazing what he had to learn in a short time. Most people take years to gain that knowledge,” Gatt said.
Marshall’s upbeat attitude gives him a good chance of reaching Fairbanks.
“He never gets bummed out, even when things get tough,” Gatt said.
But like any mentor-pupil relationship, there have been ups and downs.
“It took awhile to get across that (dog care) is the main priority,” Gatt said.
After this mushing season, Marshall will return to Jamaica and his cart-mushing job. He’d love to keep racing dogs, though.
“I’ll see what my boss can do. He comes up with all the plans, and I’m just here riding along with him,” he said.
Community Discussion
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good luck Newton I hope you win!!!
he reminds me by the Jamaican bobsled team who won the olimpyc gold medal in 1988...
I'll be rootin' for Newton.
Jamaian bobsled team didn't even finish in the 1988 olympics let alone win gold. This comparison is what they're hoping for in a weak attempt to bring attention to and help save the Yukon Quest race. Hope it works.
Wonder who'll fill in for John Candy when Disney buys the rights for Cool Runnings II?
This is a cool story, hopefully he'll finish with smiles on the faces of both him and his dogs.
On a side note, I'm also glad to see Yuka Honda back on the roster -- Ganbatte ikimasshoi!
How cool! Their "weak attempt to bring attention to and help save the Yukon Quest race," is a good one. I'll be watching to see how the Jamaica Mon does. What a fun twist to bring in a warm-weather cheechacko! Good luck to all the racers! I hope the weather is perfect for your quest.
This is just what this race needs; something like this that is a true human interest story. Stay warm and safe Newton!
Oh brother! ...........here we go!!!!!!!Next we'll prbably have girl mushers!
I have been attempting to run sprint races. My home town is Key West! You can bet I'll be at the finish line when Newton rides in. This isn't some gimmick. I have been following Newton's Journey for quite some time.
http://www.jamaicadogsled.com/index.htm
Jamacians, girls mushers... what's next, blind mushers? This is a great way to get cheap advertising. Imagine what ESPN will do with this one! Of course we will need to make sure Newton will not freeze solid on the way...
Newton pulls in in 21st place.
I follow mushing quite a bit, and this is no gimmick, this guy has been training a lot and I think its great since the Quest is an international race! If you have the time you should read up on some of his other races, he's training with one of the greats and is doing pretty darn good himself!
You understand that where you place in the Yukon Quest is perspective right? How many teams start..how many teams scratch and how many teams FINISH.
This is a race of Finishing the Journey set before you. Those more experienced and loaded with sponsors may very well be in it to finish in the Money so to speak, but for many who enter, arriving in Fairbanks will be a WIN!
I wish you the best of luck mush mon! hey I would love one of those jackets! and yes by the way nosunlight there has been a blind musher and I admire her spirit as well! Blessed be on your journey to all of those in the Quest! Hey Mr. Buffett thank you for sponsering Marshall, maybe come see him cross the finish line?
I think there's an opportunity here for the Atlanta Falcons to support a guy deserving of support. Unlike their boys, Michael Vick, and Jonathan Babineaux, this guy apparently knows his dogs, appreciates them, and will be a positive in the "dog-world". Don't hold your breath though, waiting for their support. The Atlanta "fans" have no problem with the way their boys treat their dogs. Who's buying the "Margaritas" when Newton finishes? (In ninth place!)
Since the moderator seems unable to spot racist, sexist, and remarks targeting disabled as inappropriate by the commenters I felt a need to speak up.
Here it is the 200th birthday of Lincoln and 100th anniversary of the NAACP and we still see comments like "Next we'll prbably have girl mushers!" Which is a a pretty bold way of saying a black Jamaican (read racist) and a women (read sexist) have no place in this white man's sport (which ironically isn't historically a white man's activity...!).
FYI folks. Ms Sadoris (sp?) is both female and legally blind and has competed in the iditarod - more than once.
Kinda sad that some folks prove Darwin's theroy of evolution wrong on a regular basis in these threads....
I hope he is more welcome than the Jamaican Bobsled team was for the first time. And, I'm proud to say it looks like he is far more welcome.
I am looking forward to shaking this young man's hand after he crosses the finish line - best of luck to you Newton!
I hope he wins, "Mon!" :D
akrun-
Don't read anything into this great story that does not belong, I do not see any racism or sexism undertones. 2deep2long was only making a joke here. You on the other hand seem like the one who is trying to stir things up by raising the racism and sexism flags. The thread was doing fine before that.
It is a super human interest story merely because Newton is from a part of the world far removed from Alaska and the mushing world, therefore he would seem like a very unlikely entrant. A sheep famer from the Outback would probably get the same attention, or a Beduin from the Middle East.
Shame on you. And Newton, go get em!
What a great idea to give someone waaaaaay outside the mushing community a chance to do something this fantastic. Just hope he does well, but on any account it has to be a lifetime event for anyone. See you at the finish line here in Fairbanks, Newton!
Just FYI people, the "mushing community" is all over the world, if you look into it Newton has mushed before this, there are people all over that mush, you don't necessarily need snow, any dog powered activity can fall into the mushing community.
fyi they have girl mushers and i believe they are champions too
I have GOT to get one of those coats (Mush Mon) or at least the logo. I'm looking at this article with a crowd of islanders around me and they're going nuts over it. I've given the Quest website out to at least 25 people tonight so they can follow him. Can someone turn me on to how to get that logo?
Akrun- It's my theroy you're a women that prbably needs a good tongue-lashing. Chill sweetheart. You'll find someone. (Everyone gets it, but you!) Did you check the 10:04 post Directly above your 11:56 post?
Hey Jamaica! We've got a dogsled team!!!
Good luck to Newton Marshall, I look forwards to seeing him finish.
I have nothing but respect for everyone who chooses to take the less traveled path. Keeping the old (read better) ways alive provides perspective on just how fortunate we really are to be alive today.
Akrun- It's my theroy you're a women that prbably needs a good tongue-lashing. Chill sweetheart. You'll find someone. (Everyone gets it, but you!) Did you check the 10:04 post Directly above your 11:56 post? This is such fun!!
Newton, just starting this race is more than I've done in all my years in the North. And the same is true for most of us up here. So you're already ahead of the majority of Alaskans no matter where you place.
Have a great run, and to swipe a Jamaican word, make it irie!
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