The other day I was checking in a truckload of workers, and noted a young man with the last name of Attla. "Are you related to George?" I asked. Another villager in the truck looked astonished and asked "Do you know George?" My response was "Everyone who loves sled dogs knows George Attla."
Back in the heyday of sprint racing the "Huslia Hustler" was a king of the trail. His crown was not indisputed - George had to defend it against the very best in the game. Guys like Doc (Roland) Lombard, Gareth Wright, Bobby Vent, Lester Erhart and who knows how many others did their level best to knock that crown from his head, but he stayed at the top of his game and showed mushers throughout the north that a man doesn't need a whip to train the very best sled dogs in the world.
There is an excellent article in today's issue of the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner that provides a nice synopsis of George's sprint racing career. Just click on the link to read how "Setbacks Don't Keep Legendary Musher off the Runners." BTW, at nearly eighty years of age, George is still out training dogs, and still winning races.
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