Julie Alonzo, president of WE United, with event host and clinician, Brandy Von Holten
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Skijoring originated in Scandinavia as a form of winter transportation behind reindeer. Later, it was adopted in mainland Europe in countries such as France, Switzerland and Poland behind horses. Equine skijoring arrived on the North American continent as a recreational activity as early as 1915 in Lake Placid, New York, then after WWII, Western states such as Colorado, Wyoming and Montana began to transform it into an action packed competition. At first, these events were held down main streets and often the horses raced side my side each pulling a skier. Today, single horses pull a skier through a course of gates, jumps, and rings. Competitors race for prizes based on the fastest combined times with the fewest penalties. Most importantly, skijoring is a great reason to get outside during the winter in the American West, ride your horse, strap on your skis or snowboard, see your friends and family, socialize, and support local communities and charities.
I grew up in Perm, the big industrial city in Ural Mountains, Russia. We had a prominent horse race track that specialized in harness races. I was an exercise rider there through my school years. The rest of the time between school and the race track I was cross country skiing, as we lived at the edge of the city and the forest was literally around the corner. However, I’ve never seen those two activities put together until I got to see an equestrian skijoring race in the American West.
Seven-year-old Kimber Cook of Ridgeway, CO is the youngest member of Team Jax and rides Lady. This was Kimber’s first year competing in skijoring alongside her mom and uncle. In the summer months she competes as a barrel racer and was the overall champion in her Gymghana series. Kimber lives on cattle ranch where she helps her parents work the cattle moving them from pasture to pasture.