| Our Family |
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Andrea & Sven before the start of
the Earl Norris Sprint Race, Willow. |
This is the home of all our dogs and Sven and Andrea
Haltmann.
In Willow, we
found the "perfect place" . We live about 2 hours north of Anchorage
in the middle of an awe- some trail system for sleds as well as ATVs. We
have remote gravel roads for the best free run training and amazing spots
for winter camping.
We have a very young sled dog kennel with the goal to run the Iditarod in
2008.
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Sven Haltmann |
Sven Haltmann
was born 1977 in Appenzell, Switzerland and is married to Andrea Haltmann - Hambach. As a boy already very energetic, he loved to be outside, in the woods, in the mountains and on the snow. |
| In 1985 a friend bought a Siberian husky but didn't really do too much
with him. Sven spent almost every free minute with "Leiff" and
got invited to do a skijoring race.
With absolutely no experience and no
training they completed and had a great time with each other, even though
they finished 3rd to last. Now he was hooked.
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Sven and Leiff skijoring in Switzerland 1990 |
He came to Alaska in 2001 to learn more about mushing and got a good knowledge
base on how to run a kennel.
Alaska, sled dogs, the possibilities, meeting Andrea were just too much and
Sven decided to stay and do everything possible to be at the starting line
of the Iditarod in 2008.
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Andrea Haltmann |
Andrea Haltmann was born 1976 in Warrenton, Missouri,
1 hour west of St. Louis. Her only sister, Christina and her parents,
Edward and Verena, still live in that area. She grew up around animals,
including cats, dogs, cows and horses.
After graduating from Truman State
University, she started Vet school in Columbia, at the University of Missouri.
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Intending to become a mixed animal practitioner and moving to California,
she traveled up to Alaska 2 months before graduation and never looked
back. She started working at Big Lake-Susitna Veterinary Hospital right
after graduation and is starting her sixth year there. She and Sven
married in August of 2003 and moved to Willow the next spring. In the summer, the garden and flowers take up most of her time. She has
started running and finished several races in 2005,2006,2007 and 2008.
(including the Equinox Marathon in Fairbanks
In the winter, she takes pottery classes and piano lessons. She started
cross-country skiing and skijoring and hopes to begin mushing this winter
as well.
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Blaze
Blaze was a surprise. Nadja, Sven's sister came to visit in 2004 and brought Blaze as a gift.
Now, Sven is not the only Swiss in the house anymore.
Blaze was born about 1 mile away from where Sven was born. |
Blaze |
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The cats Leo and
Lulu
The cats arrived from friends and rescue places. Lulu and Leo work
great as the wake-up crew, pillow and blanket warmers and always check on
the dogs from the living room window! |
Lulu |
Leo
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