If you’ve never heard of Skijoring, just picture a winter rodeo on steroids – and add in ski junkies.
If that doesn’t clarify it for you, it’s probably because, half the time, a blizzard obscures the view.
Case in point.
While it might not be the most well-known sport, the unique mix of trick skiing and cowboy exhibitionism may make Skijoring the epitome of Albertan culture.
“It exemplifies everything about Alberta and Canadian winter,” Sam Mitchell, founder of Skijor Canada, told the Globe and Mail.
“Having that horse thunder by you and then that sound of the skis carving and the smack after a jump, you just can’t help but get excited,” he told Inside Hook.
The idea of landing an Ollie while being towed by a thousand-pound animal racing at full speed through a snow drift – may seem like a newfangled idea that likely came out of a few too many Big Rock Trads brews.
But the sport has been around long before the Big Rock Brewery started in 1985.
Crazies Unite!
Skijoring originates in Scandinavia among the northern Sami people, who have used reindeer to tow people on skis for centuries.
But the horse-powered take on Skijoring has grown into a cultural phenomenon all its own in the Rockies.
“Just an absolute mashup – it’s old and new, high tech and old school. Nobody is excluded. Everyone is welcome. I say: Bring us your crazy. We love it.”
The best part of the sport is that it mixes different activities that you wouldn’t normally think to combine – and it does the same thing with people, bringing them together.
“The most unlikely pairing of, like, crunchy old stunt riders and pick-up men and ranchers and these hotshot ski park rats, and they were so suspicious of each other coming in,” laughed Mitchell.
“They came back from their first round just like absolutely grinning.”
Alberta Style
Plus, the show doesn’t end with the mashup of activities nor the crazy mix of competitors – let’s not forget the outfits.
Honestly, if we were ever to put the most iconic Albertan style on a runway – Skijoring would set the standard.
“We’re talking woolly chaps over ski tights and a whole mix of old-school and high-tech gear. It’s a sight to behold.”
Truly, a delight to the eyes and soul. Enough said.
With more support, the sport has the potential to grow exponentially.
Major skijor enthusiasts are even making moves to bring it to a world stage!
If the Olympic Games are awarded to Salt Lake City, Utah, in 2030 or 2034, they hope to see Skijoring as a demonstration sport or at the opening ceremonies.
Regardless of its Olympic potential, for local Albertans, skijoring is growing among the horse crowd and people who skijor with dogs.
“The best thing about this sport is that it draws together groups of people who don’t normally intersect, but when they meet, they implicitly understand the abilities of the other person. The riders and the sliders appreciate each other,” said Mitchell.
There are opportunities for all Albertans to get in on this budding “cocktail of skills, athleticism, adrenalin, style and fun.”
It’s one heck of a drink. Cheers to new winter fun!
