Perhaps nothing epitomizes the American West better than rodeo and skiing, two cultures that typically don’t play in the same arena. But a daring sport called skijoring pairs cowboys and cowgirls with skiers and snowboarders in a wild ride behind a horse.
The odd-sounding name is derived from the Norwegian word skikjøring, which means ski driving. Its roots go back hundreds of years to Scandinavians harnessing reindeer and strapping on Nordic skis to cross vast expanses of frozen tundra.
In the modern version, a horse rider tows a skier (or snowboarder) with a 30-foot-long rope hooked to the saddle over a snow-covered obstacle course at breakneck speed. The skier must navigate slalom gates, hit jumps, grab rings and make sweeping turns. Reaching speeds of nearly 40 mph, it’s over in under 20 seconds for the fastest teams depending on the course. Let go of the rope — or crash — and it’s over a lot quicker.
More than two dozen skijoring races are held each winter in mostly Western states, including Colorado, Montana, Idaho, Wyoming and Utah. Skijoring Utah puts on one of the sport’s premier events in Heber City each February. This year, the competition drew 345 teams and nearly 8,000 spectators.
The Deseret News produced a video, “Skijoring: Winter’s Rodeo,” after watching and talking to horse riders, skiers and snowboarders about the sport. You can also read more about skijoring in this Deseret News story.