About Us
Wisconsin Trailblazers Sled Dog Club (WTB) is an active non-profit organization in Wisconsin and the greater Midwest region of North America. Founded in 1969, WTB has made it their mission to actively support the sport of sled dog racing in order to familiarize the general public with it and with the sled dog as a working animal; to organize competitive sled dog racing in Wisconsin in an atmosphere of sportsmanship to determine superior skills among dogs and drivers; to promote cooperation among club members to improve our mutual knowledge of the art of sled dog driving; to encourage legislation for the benefit and improvement of the sport of sled dog racing.
WTB has organized dozens of events involving numerous communities around the state contributing to their overall mission.
We believe all sled dog enthusiasts can embrace who they are, can define their future, and can impact the communities they're a part of.
Our President
Abby Heistad started her sled dog sports journey in 2003 as a junior musher in the Wisconsin Trailblazers. Through her years as a junior musher, she gained great confidence in sprint sled dog racing and transitioned into 2-dog skijor and dryland racing disciplines as she approached her high school years. After taking a short break during college to focus on her studies, her marketing business, and competitive archery, Abby returned to the sport, eager to be a part of a community she has always been passionate about.
She is now the president of WTB, having previously held the Corresponding Secretary role, and also serves as the Region 7 Director for ISDRA. She focuses her efforts on helping both organizations with various communications and social media. In her professional career, Abby's skill sets align with the areas in which she assists both organizations. If you want to get in touch with her to discuss relevant news to share with the club, reach out to her on Facebook or by email at info@witrailblazers.org.
First Vice President
My name is Melissa 'Mel' Omernick. I live in Gleason, WI with my husband Keith and our kennel of 27 sled dogs. Keith and I had our very first sled dog race together in1995 at the Nicolet race. (I think I beat him). So I've been racing sprint sleddogs for 28 years and plan to for many more. I work as an Emergency Room Nurse in Mer-rill, WI. Keith and I enjoy mountain biking and cross-country skiing. I do a couple local mini triathalons to stay in shape for skijor/ sleddog racing. I LOVE dogs! I enjoy racing and doing well, but LOVE spending time with my dogs. The 2nd best part of racing with my dogs is spend-ing time with my friends and family. I have been very blessed to be a part of The Wisconsin Trailblazers Sled Dog Club. I hope to serve our community of racers and recrea-tional mushers to the best of my ability.
Second Vice President
Phil Ruhl is a longtime Wisconsin Trailblazers member and musher. Most well known for maintaining the Track 52 Sled Dog trails in Langlade County with his wife, Kim, Phil has also been instrumental in assisting with the Doty races, among others, over the years. His passion for sled dog sports runs deep for many years and we are fortunate to have his technical experience on the board with trail grooming, racing, organizing events, and more!
Treasurer
I am Amelia Gagliano, the current treasurer of the Wisconsin Trailblazers Sled Dog Club since February 2020. I co-own Top of the Hill Huskies with my mom in Phelps, WI where we have been working with our pack of Siberian huskies since 2012. We attended our first WITB race in 2014 and began offering sled dog experiences to the public in 2021. As a lover of sled dogs, I am passionate about supporting our sport and educating others about our amazing canine athletes whenever the opportunity arises. I am excited to be a part of the Trailblazers board and will continue to work hard to make our club the best it can be for our members and, most importantly, the dogs. I look forward to meeting and working with everyone and hope to see you on the trail!
Corresponding Secretary
Anna Marmann got started in Sled Dog Sports down in Georgia nearly 8 years ago where she founded Georgia Urban Mushing to grow the sport in the southeast and is still a Race Director and Race Marshal for the South every year. She recently moved to the Midwest and married her best friend in the sport where combined they have 7 Siberian Huskies, 6 Eurohounds, two bunnies, a senior cat, and 6 hermit crabs. She also extra loves race weekends when her step kiddos get to participate in the Junior classes.
Anna has served on numerous boards and councils in the sport including ISDRA Director At Large, IFSS North American Continental Director, USFSS Director At Large, GLSDA Board Member, Georgia Urban Mushing Founder, and now Corresponding Secretary for Wisconsin Trailblazers Sled Dog Club. She is also very active in the Siberian Husky local and national organizations along with local AKC Breed Clubs. Anna has represented with her Siberian Huskies in multiple IFSS World Championships including flying her team over to Spain in 2023.
She races with her Siberians in most classes including sled, rig, bike, scooter, and canicross. When not competing in sled dog sports, Anna’s Siberians love competing in other AKC sports. Luckily she enjoys her career in the Automotive Industry which helps fund all of these entries and expenses!!
Recording Secretary
My name is Elisabeth Beattie, and I started my sled dog journey about 9 years ago when I met my now mentor, Donna Koepp. I love training and racing my Siberian huskies as well as skijoring with my hound. I work as a credentialed veterinary technician in a dairy practice in the Green Bay, WI, area.
I’m passionate about animal welfare and building relationships with people, whether it be through caring for their livestock, pets, or working dogs. In my free time, when I’m not working or playing with dogs, I enjoy camping with family, mountain biking with friends, and exploring the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.
At Large Board Member
Nicolette Scarfo is a sled dog musher from Tennessee who began building her team in 2020. She moved to Wisconsin two years ago to continue growing her program and to be closer to the majority of the competitive Midwest races.
Nicolette competes in several classes including sled, bike, scooter, and canicross. She has a variety of breeds in her kennel including 1 AKC Siberian Husky, 2 Alaskan Huskies, 4 Eurohounds, along with her senior dogs. She has shown to be very competitive in both All Breed and Registered Breed classes, including high accomplishments at the 2025 IFSS World Championships and several season medal rankings over the last three years. During the off-season, Nicolette loves to travel and compete in Obstacle Course Races with her sled dogs which require a high level of teamwork between the human racer and the dog to work together through hundreds of physical demanding obstacles and challenges.
Outside of sled dog sports, Nicolette participates in group mountain bike and trail running meetups. She is looking forward to getting further engaged in the Wisconsin Trailblazers Club and supporting our sled dog community this season!
