DRIGGS, Idaho — The annual Teton Valley Skijoring event held over the weekend of Feb. 22 to 23 in Driggs brought out approximately 150 skier/horse teams from all over the West.
Skijoring, a timed winter sport that combines rodeo and ski racing, involves a horse pulling a skier or snowboarder navigating an obstacle course of jumps, gates and hanging rings. The skier holds a tow rope behind the horse, often reaching speeds of up to 40 mph.
The word skijoring comes from the Norwegian word skikjøring, which means “ski driving.”
Competitor and Jackson resident Amy Gardiner told Buckrail that Teton Valley Skijoring Executive of Director Bridget Sweeney and her team put on a “fantastic race” in spite of the snowy weather on Sunday.
“Every year, the crowds and participants grow,” Gardiner said. “And the cash payouts and awarded belt buckles get bigger as well.”
Gardiner said that she rode her horse Harrison during the skijoring competition with ski racer Danielle Haige in tow. The team placed fourth overall in the Women’s Novice Division. Gardiner also pulled Teton Valley Skijoring board member Sean Riley in the snowboard division.
“Riding your horse across a snow track as fast as you can, while towing a skier or snowboarder who is trying to manage a horse’s rhythm, jumps, kickers, rings and gates is exhilarating to say the least,” Gardiner said. “The penalties make or break your standings — two seconds for a missed gate and five seconds for a missed ring. So a clean run is the goal. Similar to ski racing, it is highly competitive.”
Gardiner said that the sport has cultivated a wonderful cross-culture of alpine and western communities.
“It’s great to see cowboys talking race strategy with ski racers,” Gardiner said.
The top overall finishers in each category are as follows:
- Junior Division: Rum Runners, with Kai Daft skiing and Emma Groth riding, placed first overall with a time of 45.69 seconds.
- Novice Division: Swan Valley Skijoring 1, with Ethan Arnold skiing and Vanessa Heileson riding, placed first overall with a time of 50.38 seconds.
- Open Division: Team Rednecks, with Jim Ryan skiing and Richard Louis Weber, placed first with a time of 41.45 seconds.
- Snowboard Division: I’ll Be Your Huckleberry, with Jakobe Chacon skiing and Katherine Licht riding, placed first with a time of 51.38 seconds.
- Sport Division: Go Faster, with Jack Dale riding and Dylanne Free riding, placed first with a time of 47.05 seconds.
A full list of the winners can be seen here.
