Twelve people and their dogs will compete for half a million dollars in a new Amazon Prime series — and not only are two of the teams from Utah, one of the episodes was filmed here.
Former world champion skier Lindsey Vonn (who competed in her first Olympics at the 2002 Games in Salt Lake City) is the host of “The Pack,” which will start streaming on Amazon on Nov. 20. It’s sort of like “The Amazing Race” with human-and-dog teams — contestants tackle challenges at various sites around the world, including California, Mexico, Costa Rica, Austria, Italy, Switzerland, France and England.
And in the season finale, the final three teams compete in “one last epic showdown” in Utah.
According to Amazon, “teams will have to depend on their understanding of one another’s strengths and weaknesses and prove to have the strongest bond in the pack.”
The show was filmed before the COVID-19 pandemic began.
The Utah contestants are:
• Mark LeBlanc, 31, a mechanical engineer and photographer, and Ace, a 10-year-old border collie. They “love to push themselves to the limit in the mountains,” according to Amazon, participating in rock climbing, backcountry skiing, mountain biking and trail running.
(Photo courtesy of Maria Jose Howell/Amazon Studios) Bozley and Mitra Najibeh Yosri on "The Pack."
• Mitra Najibeh Yosri adopted Bozley, a mixed-breed dog, nine years ago in Utah, and he accompanied her when she moved to Southern California. They enjoy cuddling, hiking and sharing food.
The winners will get $500,000, and another $250,000 to donate to the animal charity of their choice. According to Amazon, the production donated another $250,000 to various animal charities — including the Utah Animal Adoption Center — in each place where the show filmed.
