BETHEL, Alaska – Theo Failor stayed up late Saturday night to welcome daddy home. The 19-month-old was waiting at the Kuskokwim 300 finish line with his mom, Liz, when Mansfield native Matthew Failor crossed the finish line on Sunday morning, just after 4 a.m. AKST. The 42-year-old St. Peter’s High School graduate finished in eighth […]
Liz Failor
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Mansfield native preps for Iditarod with Copper Basin 300 ‘training run’ in Alaska
GLENALLEN, Alaska — Mansfield native Matthew Failor took his sled dog team on a 300-mile training run and camping trip over the weekend. It just happened to be during the 2025 Copper Basin 300 Sled Dog Race, finishing 22nd out of 30 teams during unseasonably warm temperatures. During an interview with Richland Source last week, […]
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Iditarod prep: Mansfield’s Matthew Failor to mush Saturday in Copper Basin 300
WILLOW, Alaska — Matthew Failor seriously considered not racing in the 2025 Idiatrod Sled Dog Race across Alaska. In fact, the 42-year-old Mansfield St. Peter’s graduate didn’t make it official until the last minute, officially entering the “The Last Great Race” on Dec. 2, the final day for admissions. That means Failor will launch his […]
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Failor talks Iditarod, life in Alaska during hometown visit
MANSFIELD — Mansfield native Matthew Failor began his live interview with a warning Thursday night. “I’m not a public speaker, I just scoop dog poop for a living,” joked Failor, an Alaskan sled dog racer. The 2000 Mansfield St. Peter’s graduate sat down with Richland Source City Editor Carl Hunnell for “An evening with Matthew […]
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Matthew Failor honored as best sportsman from 2024 Iditarod race across Alaska
NOME, Alaska — Matthew Failor was in perfect position for another Top 10 finish in the famed Iditarod sled dog race across Alaska. But the 42-year-old Mansfield native was also in perfect position to help a disconsolate young musher, who saw one of his dogs die about 650 miles into the nearly 1,000-mile race from […]
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‘I am happy to be here:’ Matthew Failor finishes 2024 Iditarod race across Alaska
NOME, Alaska — The 2024 Iditarod wasn’t officially over Wednesday until Cadillac kissed Theo Failor in Nome. Actually, the loving licks from the veteran husky to the 8-month old were just a part of the celebration as Mansfield native Matthew Failor — Da-Da to Theo — arrived at the finish line at 5:35 p.m. AKDT […]
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Mansfield native Matthew Failor nearing finish of his 12th Iditarod Sled Dog Race
Editor’s note: Richland Source is posting daily updates on Mansfield native Matthew Failor’s efforts at the 2024 Iditarod Sled Dog Race, which began March 3. Updates post daily at 8 a.m. and may be updated during the day. (UPDATE: Matthew Failor crossed the finish line in Nome at 5:28 p.m. AKDT, finishing 13th among 38 […]
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‘Da-Da!:’ Theo Failor recognizes his father racing in the 2024 Iditarod in Alaska
Editor’s note: Richland Source is posting daily updates on Mansfield native Matthew Failor’s efforts at the 2024 Iditarod Sled Dog Race, which began March 3. Updates post daily at 8 a.m. and may be updated during the day. (UPDATE: Matthew Failor arrived at the Shaktoolik checkpoint Monday at 12:58 p.m. ADT with the 12 remaining […]
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Waiting and resting: Mansfield native Matthew Failor well positioned at Iditarod
Editor’s note: Richland Source is posting daily updates on Mansfield native Matthew Failor’s efforts at the 2024 Iditarod Sled Dog Race. Updates post daily at 8 a.m. (UPDATE: Matthew Failor ended his 24-hour rest period Thursday at 10:04 a.m. AKST (2:04 p.m. EST) and has resumed mushing on the Iditarod trail with still 15 dogs […]
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‘Moving Day’ at the Iditarod: Mandatory 24-hour rest period triggers strategy
Editor’s note: Richland Source is posting daily updates on Mansfield native Matthew Failor’s efforts at the 2024 Iditarod Sled Dog Race. Updates post daily at 8 a.m. (UPDATE: Matthew Failor reached the Ophir checkpoint Wednesday around 1:38 p.m. EST and is now resting his team, which has traveled 352 miles since Sunday afternoon. He is […]