NOME, Alaska — Former reality television star Jessie Holmes repeated as champion in the annual Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race.

Holmes, who has appeared in 123 episodes of the reality show “Life Before Zero” between 2015 and 2023, finished the approximately 1,000-mile race at 9:32 p.m. local time. He completed the grueling course in 9 days, 7 hours, 32 minutes, 51 seconds, the Anchorage Daily News reported.

Holmes is the third musher in the history of the 54-year race to repeat as champion the year after winning for the first time, according to The Associated Press.

The others were Susan Butcher in 1986-1987 and Lance Mackey in 2007-2008. Both would win four Iditarod titles.

Holmes is also the sixth musher to win back-to-back titles, achieving it on two different courses, according to Alaska Public Media. He won the 1,130-mile race in 2025 -- a reroute out of Fairbanks because of a lack of snow. This year’s competition began out of Willow on March 8.

Holmes’ 12-dog team was led by 3-year-old Zeus and 8-year-old Polar, the Daily News reported. He fed his entire crew large ribeye steaks after he completed his paperwork.

“Dogs first, man, dogs first,” Holmes said in the finish chute after his win. “They deserve all the glory.

“It’s a blessing to be out here. I was just so full of gratitude and gratefulness being welcomed into all these communities, and being out in all this beautiful country with the most amazing dog team I’ve ever seen.”

Holmes won approximately $80,000 for this year’s win, the AP reported. He was awarded slightly more than $57,000 last year.

Holmes made his Iditarod debut in 2018 and finished seventh, according to the Daily News. He has entered and finished every race in subsequent years. He has placed in the top 10 seven times and finished in the top five in the last five races, the AP reported.

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