Horses, Cowboys & Skiing Oh My!

From its nose and mouth come wisps of steam. Muscles twitching in excitement, ready for the start of the race. With a strong kick in the ribs, they’re off! The cowboy hat flies off as rider, horse, and skier rush through the course, tackling obstacles and turns at lightning speed. What am I talking about? Skijoring! It’s European and Western at the same time. An event the likes most of us have never seen or even heard of!

What The Heck Is Skijoring?

In Europe, people used horses and skis as a mode of transportation. It’s understandable that the term is derived from the Norwegian word kjøring, meaning to “drive.” If you combine that with the term “ski”, Skijoring roughly translates to “Ski driving”, which is a competitive sport where a skier or snowboarder is pulled by a person riding a horse through an obstacle course filled with jumps, bumps, and turns. Talk about an adrenaline rush! It’s pure chaos and just as exciting to watch in person.

Where To Watch Skijoring

Like most other sports, there is a Skijoring tour every winter across North America. The largest race on the schedule is held in Whitefish, Montana. Skijoring has been part of their Winter Carnival since the 60’s but due to insurance problems was stopped in the late 70’s. With the resolve of a mountain town spirit, a local businessman by the name of Scott Ping helped bring back this amazing event in 2003. One of the unique items of the Whitefish event is the Calcutta.

What Is A Calcutta?

It’s an opportunity to bid on teams to see how you think they will do during Sunday’s event. You can buy a team by being the top bidder for the team. If the team you bet on has the fastest time on Sunday, you win! Money is awarded for the top 3 teams in each division: Open, Sport, and Novice.

Whitefish, MT Festival Dates

Saturday – February 22, 2025

11:30 am Opening Ceremony, 12:00 pm Main Event – East Of The Blue Moon On Highway 2

7:00 pm Calcutta – Blue Moon

Sunday – February 23, 2025

11:30 am Opening Ceremony, 12:00 pm Competition – East Of The Blue Moon On Highway 2

7:00 pm Award Ceremony – Blue Moon

Full List Of Skijoring U.S. & Canada Races

If you can’t make it to the Whitefish Skijoring event, don’t worry. There are several stops all across the country! Let us know if you make it to a race and share your experience.

January 10^th & 11^th * Ridgway, Colorado

January 18^th & 19^th * Lewiston, Montana

January 18^th & 19^th * Banff, Alberta

January 25^th & 26^th * Pagosa Springs, Colorado

January 25^th * Topsham, Maine

February 1^st & 2^nd * Saratoga, Wyoming

February 7^th & 8^th * Big Sky, Montana

February 8^th * Steamboat Springs, CO

February 8^th * Sheridan, Wyoming

February 8^th & 9^th * Pinedale, Wyoming

February 14^th & 15^th * Heber City, Utah

February 15^th * Sundance, Wyoming

February 15^th & 16^th * Silverton, Colorado

February 15^th & 16^th * Hailey, Idaho (Sun Valley)

February 22^nd & 23^rd * Whitefish, Montana

February 22^nd & 23^rd * Driggs, Idaho

March 1^st & 2^nd * Leadville, Colorado

March 8^th * Crowsnest, Alberta

March 8^th & 9^th * Red Lodge, Montana