Distinctly Montana Magazine

D I S T I N C T L Y M O N T A N A M A G A Z I N E • W I N T E R 2 0 2 0 30 Skijoring is a unique sport in many ways, in part because the skier- rider teams usually come from vastly different backgrounds. at, com- bined with the addition of a horse pounding the track at a dead gallop, means first-time viewers won't quite believe their eyes. Despite its niche vibe, skijoring is growing in popularity. If this is the first time you've heard of the sport, it won't be the last. Skijoring originated hundreds of years ago in Scandinavia, with Lap- landers using Nordic skis strapped behind reindeer as a way of moving across snow-covered terrain. From there, the sport underwent an evolu- tion from necessity to entertainment. By the early 1900s, horse-drawn skijoring was a recreational occurrence in Europe and North America— mainly in New York and New Hampshire. e sport turned competitive as it migrated across the U.S. to Colorado, Wyoming, and Montana. Soldiers returned to their mountain towns and would host their own races in the street, tying a tow rope to the saddle horns of their friends' horses. ey'd race at speeds of more than 30 miles per hour down snow-covered main streets in front of cheering crowds. is is as close to modern skijoring competitions as it gets, with the addition of curved tracks and obstacles popping up in Montana, where we do everything just a little bit extra. While skijoring is found across the country, the majority of U.S. skijoring competitions take place in Montana. Four out of the seven 2019-2020 major Skijoring America events are hosted in Montana, followed by one each in Idaho, Colorado, and Wyoming. by MAGGIE SLEPIAN S TANDING IN THE CRISP MONTANA AIR AGAINST A BACKDROP OF SNOWBANKS, HORSE TRAILERS, AND DISTANT WHITE- CAPPED PEAKS, MEMBERS OF THE CROWD ARE DRESSED IN TWO CONTRASTING STYLES: cowboy boots and earth-tone Carhartts, or floppy beanies and bright synthetic jackets. e casual viewer would have to wonder what the two types of spectators could possibly have in common. e competition itself induces a double-take: every few minutes, a horse thunders down the snowy obstacle course, its rider lifted out of the saddle and crouched low over the horse's neck. A skier is towed on a rope behind the horse, swerving around slalom gates at breakneck speeds and over jumps created from mammoth piles of snow. Skijoring A High-Octane Mashup of Skiing and Horseback Racing

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