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Zoya finished 53rd of 95 mushers in her rookie
year 2008 Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. She didn't
race in 2009 and scratched in 2010, 2011, 2012 and
2015.
Bio
Results
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Contact: www.dogsleddenali.com
Bio
Zoya DeNure, 39, was born and raised in
Wisconsin. She spent 12 years in the fashion
industry working primarily as a runway &
fashion model. In 2002, tired of the pressures and
triviality of that lifestyle, she rented a storage
unit in Madison, Wisconsin, stacked it with
furniture, shoes, dresses, and headed to Alaska
with a carry-on and the dream of running, living
and breathing sled dogs. Her Siberian husky, Ethan,
traveled with her.
Ethan has since passed, but the dream is still
alive. Zoya is married to fellow dog driver John
Schandelmeier, and now splits her time between
homes at Maclaren River and Delta Junction, Alaska.
She has two daughters; Jona, seven and Olivia, two.
The family operates a rescue/rehab facility for
unwanted sled dogs and is striving to focus
attention on positive training techniques. Zoya
loves the sport of sled dog racing, enjoys time on
the trail with her team and is determined to
succeed in the Iditarod.
Zoya had some initial success racing sled dogs
finishing her rookie year, but has had several
rocky years in her Iditarod quest since. She is
determined to turn it around in the 2016 Iditarod
and is embarking on an ambitious training regimen
with a respectable Iditarod finish in mind.
Zoya DeNure, 36, was born and raised in
Wisconsin. As a young girl, she traveled the world
as a fashion model walking the runways in Milan,
Italy and Shanghai, China. After 12 years in the
field, Zoya was ready for a change. Soon after
returning home from Italy, she bought a Siberian
Husky named Ethan and from there, new dreams
realized. “Dogs make me very happy!” Zoya
read everything she could about mushing and the
Iditarod sled dog race. The late Susan Butcher
inspired her and Zoya shared Susan’s passion
for animals and adventure. Heading north to a dog
yard in Alaska, seeking a more basic lifestyle away
from all the city hub-bub, seemed like an easy
decision. Now, nine years later; “I live my
dream in the mountains, with my family and sixty
sled dogs. My office is outside with canines and
nature.” Zoya owns and operates Denali Highway
Tours & Cabins; a cabin rental retreat on the
Denali Highway. The family kennel, Crazy Dog
Kennels, takes in unwanted sled dogs;
rehabilitating them with a positive training
program. Some dogs go on to the races & others
go on to be house dogs. “We also have our own
breeding program and have been working on building
a competitive Iditarod race team over the last six
years. I’m excited to hit the trail.”
She, her husband, John Schandelmeier and their 3
year old daughter, Jona, split their time between
homes in Paxson, AK and Maclaren River. Zoya enjoys
running, writing, yoga, music, hunting, fishing
& time with family.
Zoya DeNure, 33, was born and raised in Black
River Falls, Wisconsin. She worked as an
International runway model for twelve years,
working in such place as Shanghai, China and Milan,
Italy.
On one of her trips back home, she watched a
sled dog demonstration; fascinated by these amazing
animals, she quit her job and trekked to Alaska in
search of her new destiny. She worked for
well-known musher Bill Cotter for one year before
piecing together her own dog team; some purchased
from other mushers, some rescues.
In 2003, she met her husband, John
Schandelmeier, and together they founded a
rescue/rehabilitation kennel for unwanted sled
dogs.
2008 found Zoya competing in and finishing her
first Iditarod Sled Dog Race with mixed team of
rescues and her own race dogs; "there is no
difference—dogs are dogs whether they come
from the Shelter or from our yard." Zoya's 2010
team will again be a mix of dogs; "I expect to be
more competitive this time, now that I know what I
am getting in to; I can focus on where I need to
improve."
Zoya, John and their 7 month-old daughter, Jona,
reside in Interior Alaska near the town of Paxson.
Zoya enjoys writing, yoga, and keeping fit; but
above all, her time with dogs.
Results
Zoya finished 53rd of 95 mushers in her rookie
year 2008 Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. She didn't
race in 2009 and scratched in 2010, 2011, 2012 and
2015.
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