Here’s one for you.  What do you get when you cross skiing with rodeo and drag racing?   

Skijoring!

What exactly is skijoring? Well, it started in Scandinavian countries as a means of winter transportation using Nordic skis behind reindeer. Like virtually every other form of transportation, human ingenuity being what it is, it wasn’t long before someone decided to see who could skijor the fastest and competitive skijoring was born.

Skijoring found its way to North America sometime in the early 1900s when tourists who had experienced it in Europe decided to bring it to winter carnivals in the U.S. With the acute shortage of reindeer on this side of the pond, the horse became the preferred means of propulsion. Since then, motorized vehicles like snowmobiles have also been used but to experience it in its purest, most wild west form, you really need to see it with horses.

Here in Colorado, skijoring has been going on in towns like Steamboat Springs since as early as 1915. In 1949, a couple of Leadville locals decided to turn things up a few notches by throwing jumps and ring grabs into the mix. They set up the whole circus downtown by dumping tons of snow on the street and the granddaddy of all skijoring events was born. 

I had heard of Leadville skijoring for some time but had never actually seen it.  And I was exactly this week years old when I learned that there is a whole skijoring circuit in North America. Like rodeo, participants travel all over the U.S. and Canada, primarily to small mountain towns, to risk life and limb aboard charging horses for cash prizes.  Seemed like something we needed to experience first hand.

The week leading up to the event this year had been freakishly warm and we were seriously concerned whether it was even possible to have a skijoring event under the conditions.  When we arrived in Leadville Saturday morning it was sunny and already above freezing.  Great for comfortable spectating but seemingly sketchy when you’re planning to run a bunch of thousand-pound hoofed animals at full speed down the street. But true to form, the Leadville locals had laid out a smooth, rock-hard layer of snow and six-foot high jumps all the way down Harrison Avenue, Leadville’s main street.

We staked out a spot against the fencing next to the last jump on the course. While we were waiting, a couple of the skiers walked down to inspect the jumps.

The festivities started shortly after noon with the national anthem. The U.S. and Colorado flags were, of course, presented on horseback.

Then the horses and riders made their way to the start line.

After a few more minor delays it was skijoring time!

Here’s some GoPro footage from the 2024 event showing both the skier’s and the rider’s perspective. Check out that horse booty!

The speed, the flying snow, and the sound of the horses’ hoofs made it an amazing thing to watch in person. I think everyone that showed up to spectate would agree.  And while I can see the appeal of doing it, I think I’ll stick to regular, gravity-assisted skiing.  It seems a whole lot safer and there’s no horse to feed.