Love to ski or snowboard and have a dog, horse or reindeer with extra energy this winter? Then you may be interested in learning more about skijoring! Join us as we explore a brief history of the sport.
According the Skijor International, Laplanders (Sámi) have used reindeer and Nordic skis for hundreds of years to travel across the snowy distances. Skijoring behind horses gained popularity in the early 20th century, becoming a popular activity in Switzerland and France, eventually finding its way to North America. On February 19th 1928, skijoring made its only Olympic appearance as a demonstration sport.
The modern tradition of racing is believed to have originated with Tenth Mountain Division soldiers returning home from World War 2. These veterans were responsible for forming ski clubs, ski resorts and ski areas all around the US.
Fun fact: Leadville, Colorado has been skijoring down
The Extreme Horse Skijoring event was a great way to spend a Saturday watching gorgeous horses pulling skiers and snowboarders at up to 40 miles per hour over jumps as they sprinted to the finish line.
The timed races are comprised of 4 classes, Open, novice, youth, and snowboard. Racers compete for against each other side by side, holding a 7/8” thick rope that is 35 foot long. The objective is simple, go as fast as you can, don’t miss getting any rings, gates or jumps and don’t crash (easier said than done).
Fun fact: Check out the Extreme Events MN site for complete rules / more info
The final class for this event was the Freestyle, where contestants are judged on their jump (they use the extreme track for maximum air). Racers are quickly accelerated to launch speeds by galloping horses, releasing the rope as they hit the jump. This allowed for a variety of aerial stunts, including twists, backflips and one skier that was able to perform a double backflip.
In addition to skijoring with reindeer and horses, we learned that skijoring with your dog has grown in popularity. Some local park areas even have designated trails for dogs. This is a great activity to enjoy the crisp winter weather with your favorite 4 legged friends.
