Along with a new class of honorees, the International Snowmobile Hall of Fame (ISHOF) has announced its speciality award winners for 2025. They include a superior snowmobile club, a dealer dedicated to the sport, a highly accomplished groomer operator and a founder of the sport.

Each will be officially honored at a weekend ceremony in Wisconsin in September. Details about the ceremony are at the bottom of the press release.

Below is the portion of the ISHOF press release dedicated to the specialty awards. To see the regular ISHOF 2025 honores, click here.

Special Award Recipients of 2025

2025 International Snowmobile Club of the Year – sponsored by Woody’s, American Council of Snowmobile Associations, Canadian Council of Snowmobile Organizations and International Snowmobile Council: Sutherland’s Lake Trail Groomers Association from Sutherland Lake, Nova Scotia

The Sutherland’s Lake Trail Groomers Association (SLTGA) has been in operation since 1993. They are located in the higher elevation in Cumberland County, Nova Scotia. They have significant snowfall, so their trails are very busy in the winter season. The other three seasons have plenty of recreational activity from ATVs and side-by-sides as well. The SLTGA grooms 220 km (137 miles). In 2020 they added an additional 30 km (18 miles) and built a cable bridge and re-opened the cable bridge trail. In 2025, they installed two bridges and re-decked two other bridges. They promote snowmobile safety with their website and Facebook posts and hold a safety course annually. They are a huge advocate of directional signing and trail advance warning signage. SLTGA has seen major growth with 65 family memberships in 2018, climbing to 330 family memberships in 2025. This equates to an estimated 1,250 individuals.

The club has done a lot of promotion and fundraising. They have a well-attended “Club Opener” in October, “Winterfest” in February and an “Environmental Clean Up” day where each participant picks a portion of trail and makes certain that it is left in the same condition as when the season started. The SLTGA promotes responsible riding practices and educates members about minimizing their environmental impact. They also ensure that snowmobiling can be enjoyed sustainably for future generations. It is this kind of commitment that makes the Sutherland’s Lake Trail Groomers Association a deserving choice for the 2025 International Snowmobile Club of the Year.

2025 International Snowmobile Dealer of the Year – sponsored by Snow Goer, American Council of Snowmobile Associations, Canadian Council of Snowmobile Organizations and International Snowmobile Council : Toymaster/Red Rock Motorsports from Winsloe, Prince Edward Island

The Toymaster/Red Rock Motorsports dealership has been a fixture in the snowmobile industry on Prince Edward Island (PEI) beginning in 1995. Since then, owner Gary Dunning has contributed to the well-being of snowmobiling in PEI every way he could.

From supplying the Prince Edward Island Snowmobile Association (PEISA) with loaner sleds for government and media rides, to hosting virtual snowmobile club events from his dealership, he has always been a major supporter of PEISA. Gary has also been a huge contributor to the three local grooming clubs, supporting them with their annual fundraisers via reduced pricing and gift certificates. Toymaster/Red Rock Motorsports became the exclusive Arctic Cat franchise for PEI in 1995, and Gary expanded the dealership in 2001 by becoming the exclusive Polaris dealer for PEI as well.

Year after year, the dealership has made significant contributions toward the development and construction of the trails on PEI. Each fall, he provides side-by-sides to all regions of the PEISA trail system for stake and sign installation. Without a doubt, the most important aspect of this dealership is the extremely high level of customer service they provide for their customers. On many occasions over the years, Gary has been known to load a snowmobile or two on a trailer and make a several-hour trip to deliver replacement sleds to customers who may have had an issue. Most of the sales and parts staff at Toymaster/Red Rock Motorsports have been with the dealership for many years and their product knowledge is second to none.

It is this kind of commitment to their customer base that makes Toymaster/Red Rock Motorsports a well-deserved choice for the 2025 International Snowmobile Dealer of the Year.

2025 International Groomer of the Year – sponsored by Arrowhead Groomers, Track Inc., Pisten Bully, & Prinoth, Ltd. : Fred Suchy from Woodruff, Wisconsin

Fred Suchy is the Trail Boss for the Bo-Boen Snowmobile Club of St. Germain Wisconsin,  and has been involved in grooming for 48 years. One hundred miles of trail and a club roster of 1,138 members make them the largest snowmobile club in the state. Fred is responsible for securing easements for all funded and club trails, signing all trails in accordance with the Wisconsin Dept. of Natural Resources (WDNR) guidelines and getting the final approval from the Vilas County Parks and Recreation Coordinator. This also includes trail preparation, brushing and procurement of new trails and re-routing trails if needed.

One of Fred’s recent accomplishments was to redesign the grooming routes to minimize duplicate grooming of the same section of trail. This saves fuel and time which in turn reduces the club’s operating expenses. Another significant measure that is a credit to Fred’s leadership is his appointment of a maintenance supervisor and a crew of four volunteers to meet at the clubhouse every Monday morning to perform scheduled maintenance on the grooming equipment.

The Bo-Boen Club holds snowmobile safety classes annually. Fred is a certified WDNR snowmobile safety instructor, always eager to teach his part of the curriculum to their students. He is quick to volunteer for the club’s numerous fundraising activities. Fred has contributed to snowmobiling by grooming trails, fundraising, teaching safety and participating in club, county and state leadership programs. He actively promotes interaction with our legislators for favorable sustainability for the sport of snowmobiling. For these reasons, Fred Suchy has earned the distinction of becoming the International Snowmobile Groomer of the Year for 2025.

2025 Edgar Hetteen Memorial Award of Merit – sponsored by Elmer Cone Family and the Iron Dog Brigade : L.H. (Hardy) Olson from Langruth, Manitoba

Hardy Olson was born in Langruth, Manitoba, in 1918. As a young adult he became a bomber pilot during World War II, flying the Wellington bomber out of Bournemouth, England, where he encountered many challenging experiences. Hardy was set to fly a plane dubbed the “Lancaster” for the invasion of Japan when the war ended.

While always eager to selflessly serve as a pilot, he was happy to return home. Soon after the war, Hardy and his wife, Elsie, raised two children and, like other veterans who made it home, helped build Canada. Hardy was a self-taught engineer with an inquisitive mind and a natural skill set. His engineering work in the early days of snowmobiling started while under the employment for H.C. Paul Ltd., marketing chainsaws, outboard motors and a snow machine known as the Autoboggan. He worked closely with his colleagues and eventual friends, Allan and Edgar Hetteen and David Johnson of Polaris in Roseau, Minnesota, where the Autoboggan was manufactured.

Hardy left H.C. Paul, after being recruited by Carl Kiekhaefer to work in R&D on the original Mercury snowmobiles. This is where Hardy developed his most significant contribution to the snowmobile industry. He was issued a patent on October 8, 1974, for the “swing-frame rear suspension” which utilized shocks for a very advanced comfort level for operator and passenger. Hardy also worked on track designs that were smaller, simpler and easier to maintain. He was responsible for a molded rubber track that implemented an internal tooth drive design which prevented ice buildup in the drive assembly quite significantly.

Unfortunately, Hardy’s untimely passing in 1986 (only 68 years) old left little opportunity for many to get to know him better. Hardy understood that these snow machines (with proper engineering) were not only utility vehicles but also could be just plain fun to ride. He brought a recreational touch to the snowmobile industry and that is what made the sport so popular. Through his engineering prowess, Hardy Olson made remarkable contributions rendering him very deserving of the 2025 Edgar Hetteen Award of Merit.

Induction Ceremony Set For September

Join us for ISHOF Induction Weekend in Eagle River, Wisconsin, on Friday and Saturday, September 19 & 20, 2025. We invite you to honor the Class of 2025 and Special Award Recipients with a banquet and induction ceremony in their honor. The International Snowmobile Hall of Fame (ISHOF) Induction Ceremony Weekend celebrates and honors those involved in the sport of Snowmobiling; recognizing a new class being inducted into the Hall.

Join the celebration: We invite all industry representatives, dealership personnel, club members, motorsports enthusiasts, friends, fans and supporters alike to attend the ISHOF annual special event weekend.

You can join this year’s ISHOF Induction Weekend with fun activities in Eagle River, Wisconsin. The festivities begin on Friday, September 19, 2025, with a Pirate Ship Cruise, Fish and Chicken Buffet and special award presentations for Club, Dealer, Groomer and the Edgar Hetteen Memorial Award of Merit honorees. Saturday there will be a formal New York strip or chicken dinner to officially honor the Class of 2025 as they’re inducted into the Hall on September 20, 2025.

Both the Friday and Saturday meals will be at Eagle River Inn & Resort, 5260 Hwy. 70 West, Eagle River, Wisconsin. Saturday event is a semi-formal affair so please dress accordingly for the event. Show your support for the newly inducted Hall of Fame Class of 2025 and all special award recipients by registering online www.ishof.com to attend. All major credit cards are accepted for secure online payment with immediate receipt and event information provided to you via e-mail with your paid registration. NOTE: Registration is required for all guests and supporters to attend. Registration opens soon and closes on September 9, 2025. Thank you for your support. See you in September.