2022 Sport champions
(Plus Novice, Switch-A-Roo and Snowboard Winners)
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~ 2023 CALENDAR ~
Another race has announced a date!
Driggs, Idaho
on
January 28 & 29
We are waiting on more than ten
established races to determine their 2023 dates
and
anticipating new races in
Michigan, Idaho, Wisconsin and New York.
While we do not know what challenges the 2023 season
may bring, higher gas prices may cause folks to stay closer to home.
Thus, we encourage race organizers to "cluster" events
on consecutive weekends in states or regions if possible.
We also encourage smaller, "just for fun" races to emerge in 2023!
This past season was SO refreshing to see new venues
with creative prizes and divisions.
MEEKER, CO ~ DEC 31 & JAN 1
RIDGWAY, CO ~ JAN 14 & 15
PAGOSA SPRINGS, CO ~ JAN 21 & 22
DRIGGS, ID ~ JAN 28 & 29
LEWISTOWN, MT ~ JAN 28 & 29
BIG SKY, MT ~ FEB 4 & 5
SARATOGA, WY ~ FEB 4 & 5
PINEDALE, WY ~ FEB 11 & 12
SILVERTON, CO ~ FEB 18 & 19
BELLEVUE, ID ~ FEB 18 & 19
CANTERBURY PARK, MN~ FEB 25
WISDOM, MT ~ FEB 25 & 26
WEST YELLOWSTONE, MT ~ FEB 25 & 26
LEADVILLE, CO ~ MAR 4 & 5
POLE AND SPUR, BLAIRMORE, ALBERTA, CANADA ~ MAR 11
RED LODGE, MT ~ MAR 11 & 12
Go to Skijor USA for a continuously updated calendar
and click on venue names for updates.
Please email loren@skijorusa.com
with any corrections or additional dates.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~ SKIJOR USA AWARDS ~
In absence of a bona fide
National Championship or Skijoring Finals,
Skijor International and Skijor USA
has developed a point system which awards points
to teams, riders, horses and skiers at every race during the 2022 season.
We use placements from each day for the top ten finishers,
so combined times or averages are not considered.
This formula reveals consistency, talent, team work and staying power.
We have decided that
BEST SPORT HORSE & RIDER 2022
is shared by
Dennis Alverson & Scooter
&
Melissa Ostrander & Itchy
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Scooter competed in 9 events across 3 states
and was ridden by Dennis Alverson and Aaron Griffen.
He accumulated 100 points in Sport
PLUS
(with Dennis and Aaron as alternate jockeys)
placed 1st in Switch-A-Roo in San Juan Skijoring
and 3rd in Big Sky Montana.
Dennis eared 105 points as a Sport Rider
with 67 points with Scooter and 38 with Jimmy,
a horse which he moved up to Open after the Silverton race
mid-way through the season.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Melissa attended 4 events in her home state of Montana
and one in Colorado.
She relied on one horse, Itchy, to earn their 82 points combined.
He had one first place finish, two second and two third.
He pulled Nick Bentley, Tara Hines, Foster Kennedy and Mike Miller
to victory with Melissa in the saddle.
Melissa also earned 40 points
in the Open Division with her horse,
The War Pony,
with skiers Foster Kennedy, Cam Fraser, Tara Hines and RJ Klotz.
Melissa also competed once in the Switch-A-Roo
as a snowboarder!
Dennis and Melissa embody the true spirit of skijoring.
Sportsmanship, agility, talented horsemanship and a determination to win.
Congratulations!
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
We have decided to award
BEST SPORT SKIER 2022
to
Nick Bentley
Nick competed at 6 events in 3 states earning a total of 136 points.
(127 behind horses that competed exclusively in Sport Divisions).
Nick finished in the top 3 at every event in which he competed each day
with 3 first place, 2 second place and 2 third place wins
(plus a smathering of other top 10 finishes).
Nick was pulled behind 9 different riders/horses,
yet he also entered as a Sport rider in Chapman Springs, Idaho
and as a Novice Rider in Big Sky, Montana.
He and his horse, Sammy,
placed 6th and 5th respectively overall.
Nick and Sammy also entered
the Switch-A-Roo
in Big Sky and West Yellowstone, Montana
placing 1st in both events with teammates
Aaron Griffen and Foster Kennedy.
Nick embodies the true spirit of skijoring
(while bringing his own Canadian style to the table)!
Sportsmanship, skiing and riding agility, talent and a determination to win.
Congratulations!
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
When it comes to the Sport Division,
there is often a gray area because some riders, horses and skiers
feel compelled to "move up" early in the season
once they have determined that it is appropriate given the skills or times
that they have exhibited at initial races.
Skijor USA would like to acknowledge and applaud
those who have done so voluntarily during the 2022 season.
As many know, this has been a bone of contention in the past.
We feel this should be rewarded, and NOT act as a disincentive to do so in the future.
Therefore, points earned by horses and riders in Sport (prior to moving up)
and points earned by skiers behind horses (that eventually moved up)
are considered in the final Sport calculations.
Here are the top ten in each category
Sport Teams
Melissa Ostrander / Itchy / Nick Bentley
Kaley McLean / Moff / Ben Hessling
34 points
Michael Miller / Gus / Nick Bentley
27 points
TJ Simmons / Turbo / Jason Decker
25 points
Dennis Alverson / Scooter / Nick Bentley
23 points
Melissa Ostrander / Itchy / Tara Hines
21 points
Kevin Frueh / Pop A Top / Tara Hines
20 points
TJ Simmons / Hawaii / Ben Hessling
Michael Miller / Gus / Foster Kennedy
Jed Moore / Pete / Kevin Wilder
Tyler Peterson / Super Dave / Josh Glick
19 points
Sport Riders
Dennis Alverson 105
Mellissa Ostrander 82
TJ Simmons & Jennifer Butler 65
Michael Miller 57
Kaley McLean & Richard Raymer 49
Kristin Beck 48
John Hyde, Monica Plecker & Justin Addison 36
Kayla Teichert & Leah Mitchell 35
Aaron Griffen 33
Jed Moore 32
Sport Horses
Scooter 100
Itchy 82
Gus 55
Hawaii 40
Jimmy 38
Lefty 37
Z 36
Moff, Eleanor Wood and Fast 35
Junior 33
Hooey 31
Sport Skiers
Nick Bentley 136
Kevin Wilder 124
Nick Becker 91
Foster Kennedy 76
Ben Hessling 70
Tara Hines 69
Jason Decker 57
Ozzie Hay & Lance Nelson 48
Alina Gemza 44
James Rowen 41
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
HONORABLE MENTIONS
(Riders, Skiers & Horses to keep an eye on in 2023!)
Kevin Wilder
earned an impressive 124 points in the Sport Division
with 3 first place, 3 second place and 4 third place wins in 2022.
Foster Kennedy
split his points between Open and Sport
electing to move up half way through the season.
With a combined total of 159 between both divisions
this is second only to Tyler Smedsrud, the Open Champion Skier.
Tara Hines
earned the most points of any female skier with a total of 69.
She had 3 first place and 2 second place finishes
at the three events she attended.
TJ and Turbo, Michael Miller and Gus, Kristin Beck and Lefty
and Kevin Frueh and Pop A Top
proved, once again, to be at the top of their game in Sport.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~ SEASON OVERVIEW ~
The 2022 Skijoring Season
hosted 22 events.
Sadly, 5 were cancelled due to lack of snow or other challenges.
Within these events, there were the following divisions.
16 Open
15 Sport
15 Novice
9 Snowboard
9 Junior
5 Switch-A-Roo
3 Women
1 Century
1 Pee Wee
1 Freestyle
1 Long Jump
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Thirty-one competitors participated in the
Switch-A-Roo
which shows the extraordinary talent of our skijoring athletes.
Dennis Alverson, Nick Bentley, Aaron Griffen and
Fiona and Phoebe Alverson
are notable 2022 winners.
This format has made a comeback!
It was included in events nearly twenty years ago
near Durango, Colorado at Vallecito Lake.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
In the Open and Sport Divisions
150 riders,150 horses and 150 skiers
placed in the Top 10.
The Novice Division
attracted over 350 competitors
and
The Snowboard Division
attracted over 150 competitors.
An additional 100 horses supported the Novice and Snowboard Divisions.
Only a handful of these participants competed in Sport or Open
(mostly to offer pulls on additional horses)
meaning that OVER 500 new athletes
and 100 new horses
wanted to give our sport a try when given the opportunity.
Through these divisions,
it is evident from the rosters that the next generation/spouses
are eagerly embracing the sport.
Caitlin Moore, Bella Adkisson, Milo Dietemeyer, Kimber Cook,
Samuel & PJ McConnell, Jennings Fraser, Arley Douglas,
Amanda Abbott and Abby Raymer
are names all familiar to us since they are related
to Sport and Open competitors.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
In Snowboard,
Kalei Pitcher
dominated with 147 points,
nearly 100 more than her closest competition!
Kalei attended three events, San Juan, Pagosa Springs and Big Sky
and took home 4 First, 4 Second and 1 Third Place finishes.
She snowboarded behind many riders including
Trae McInroe and Trent Sanders
who were the top two riders in the Snowboard Division
with 63 and 60 points respectively.
Congratulations to Kalei on an extraordinary accomplishment!
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
And to the rest of the field. . . Over 500 strong and growing. . .
you, too, are recognized for helping the sport to expand!
We hope you had fun in 2022,
and
we would like to see you again in 2023.
THANK YOU
to the events which are opening this door
to newcomers as well as to the next generation.
It is imperative that we continue to do so
for the growth of skijoring!
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
JOR ON! and Stay safe and healthy!
Loren Zhimanskova,
President, Skijor USA, Inc. & Skijor International, LLC