FOR AULD LANG SYNE
for “old times, especially times fondly remembered,”
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Skijor USA & Skijor International
wish each of you a
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
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~ FIRST RACE OF 2023 ~
This past weekend. the skijoring season got off to a rip-roaring start in
Meeker, Colorado.
The photographs above taken by Bailey Waldref show
what a fun and exciting event it was!
Richard Raymer, of Saratoga, Wyoming
(pictured in the Viking costume)
not only won 3rd in the average in Sport 2D pulling
Ozzie Hay of Rock Springs, Wyoming,
he also won the award for Best Dressed Rider.
Craig Kopasz, who placed 1st in the average in Sport 2D,
and also from Saratoga, Wyoming,
won Best Dressed Skier.
Lang Schuler, skier, and Skylar Ball, rider, appear in the other photographs.
Find more fun photos on Skijor USA's Facebook page!
https://www.facebook.com/skijorusa
and check out Bailey Waldref's portfolio at:
https://baileywaldref.smugmug.com/Skijor-2022-Day-1/n-qXgs3K/
&
https://baileywaldref.smugmug.com/Skijor-2022-Day-2/n-F7d76V/
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Highlights
A Sport For All Ages
The youngest competitors, like Ashlyn Raymer, were 5 to 6 years old,
in other words mere Kindergarteners!
The oldest competitors, both skiers, were Bill Binnian (71) of Palisade, Colorado
and
Sam Decker (70), of Eagle, Colorado and Jason Decker's Mom.
She dressed in hot pink and was determined to pick up the pace on Sunday.
Sam said,
"This is the first and last time I will be doing this. . . "
We'll see! Sometimes the skijor bug bites you and you can't stop!
New Venue
Rather than at the Rio Blanco County Fairgrounds,
the race was held at Ute Park this year,
the site of the Classic Sheepdog Championship Trials every September.
This allowed for an innovative track design featuring a dog leg curve to the right,
requiring the riders to check their horses' speed a third of the way down the track
as skiers navigated a bank turn and then skied across
the course to collect rings on Sunday.
There was also an elevated table top area with rollers and gates on top.
Rope management was challenging throughout for the skiers
who had to climb lots of rope at certain places and let out all slack in others.
Skijor Club Med
If you see a pink flamingo at a skijoring event, STOP!
This is where you will find the best tailgate in town.
The wives of competitors TJ Simmons (Katrina), Richard Raymer (Abby),
Jason Decker (Crystal), Will Faust (Melissa), Tug Birk (Devra) and Skylar Ball
(Rachel) cheer on their hubbies AND their "skijorable" offspring.
Best Horse
It doesn't happen very often,
but this weekend, a horse named Luigi
decided to pull his skier over the finish line
without his rider. TJ Simmons was pulled from his horse
when he dallied the rope on the wrong side (Oops!),
but Luigi did not stop. Jason Decker skied over the board to
achieve a time of 23.75 and a clean run!
Most Penalties
Tyler Stobaugh was itching to let her horse, Bo, run
and run he did, like the wind!
Skier, Colter Fretwell, went along for a joy ride this time
amassing a whopping 46 points.
Lang Schuler was able to hold on to Bo on his run Sunday.
The team clocked a 20.75, the 4th fastest time in the Open with only
Tate Rogers', Seven, and Jed Moore's, Zombie,
beating them out.
Richard Weber swept the Open Division with skiers
Tyler Smedsrud, Colin Cook and Lang Schuler
riding horses Frank and Beans, McCloud and Serge.
He was able to check his horses where it counted, and it paid off.
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We would like to congratulate everyone who participated
and acknowledge the winners of each division.
These placements are based on averages
after a two day competition.
Open
1st: Richard Weber riding Frank and Beans
pulling Tyler Smedsrud
2nd: Richard Weber riding McCloud
pulling Colin Cook
3rd: Richard Weber riding Serge
pulling Tyler Smedsrud
4th: Richard Weber riding McCloud
pulling Lang Schuler
Sport 1D
1st: Lauren Urista riding Tarzan
pulling Kevin Wilder
2nd: Kaley McLean riding Chopper
pulling Ben Hessling
3rd: Deanna Wood riding Tilly
pulling Craig Kopasz
Sport 2D
1st: Tel Gates riding Clutch
pulling Jerry Kissell
2nd: Kimber Cook riding Badger
pulling Tug Birk
3rd: Jed Moore riding Yo-Yo
pulling Tug Birk
4th: Tyler Smedsrud riding Three
pulling Kevin Wilder
Novice
1st: Lisa Weiss riding Peaches
pulling Jed Moore
2nd: Hollis Lloyd riding Peppy
pulling Joe Lloyd
3rd: Karli Lloyd riding Trace
pulling Joe Lloyd
4th: Holly Binnion riding Bootsie
pulling Matt Byers
Youth
1st: Lauren Urista riding Outlaw Josie Wales
pulling Jackson Kopasz
2nd: Kaley McLean riding Moff
pulling Kaleb McLean
3rd: Cody Stickler riding Jess
pulling Hudson Hummel
4th: Rylan Ivy riding Cash
pulling Rio Birk
For complete results including
times, penalties and placements for each day go to:
https://www.meekerskijor.com/
and click on Archived Results
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Our thoughts and prayers are with
Jay McLaughlin
who sustained an injury on Saturday.
Jay's horse, MerDude, is fine, but Jay has a road to recovery ahead of him.
Jay, you have all of our support.
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Meeker Skijor
streamed on Facebook live
and
Announcer Branden Edwards
kept the crowd engaged throughout the event.
He also presided over the Calcutta and MC'd the Awards ceremony.
We will be seeing Branden in Ridgway, Pagosa Springs, Big Sky & Craig as well!
We are thrilled to have a professional rodeo announcer on board for our races.
He is quickly becoming an integral part of our enthusiastic community.
If anyone needs Branden's services email him at
brandenedwards@me.com
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~ NEW DATES & NEW EVENTS ~
~ NEW HAMPSHIRE ~
Last February, a skijoring event called Skijor Galore was held in
Waterville, NH.
Skijor USA has contacted the organizer
to see if they will be having another event in 2023.
With the American roots of skijoring being in
Lake Placid, NY and Hanover, NH,
(Skijor Internațional haș vintage postcards and photos from 1914)
we are hoping that New England's skijoring circuit will grow!
~ CANADA ~
Skijor Canada
announced that Skijordue, a competitive race, will be held on
February 25
at the Calgary Polo Club
in Okotos, Alberta.
This is arguably the most colorful and exciting event on the calendar
given Sam Mitchell's commitment to think outside the box
and encourage spectators and competitors,
aka her "skijorlings"
to dress to the hilt in fur, chaps, wild rags, wool coats and cool shades.
Check out her photo album on the Skijor Canada website
and GET INSPIRED to achieve your own look!
This is in addition to the exhibition event on
January 28
in Banff, Alberta
For more information for both events go to:
https://www.skijorcanada.com/
We are still waiting on dates for
Grande Prairie, Alberta
better known as Thunder In The Pines.
~ POLAND ~
Skijor USA and Skijor International
have been in touch
with organizers in the Podhale Region of southern Poland!
The traditional series of highland sports competitions is called the
Parady Gazdowskie
and they will run from
January 15th through February 26th.
In Poland two types of skijoring are practiced,
one with a rider, called ski-skiring
and one without a rider, called skiring.
There are also races with horse drawn wooden sleds.
This is called Kumoterki.
The circuit travels through 6 villages,
Szaflary, Bialy Dunajec, Poronin, Ludźmierz, Bukowinę Tatrzanska and Kościelisko
and culminates in Zakopane, a world class ski resort.
All are located in the picturesque Tatra Mountains
which form a natural border between Poland and Slovakia.
To follow these events, go to their Facebook page
https://www.facebook.com/KumoterkiPL
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(as an aside. . .)
Jed Moore
who competed as both rider and skier
this past weekend in Meeker, Colorado
is of Polish descent.
In fact, his grandmother comes from Zakopane!
Jed placed 3rd in the average in the Sport 2D
riding his horse, Yo-Yo, and
as a skier, he placed 1st in the average in Novice
having his friend, Lisa Weiss, ride his horse, Peaches.
I have to wonder if Jed reined or "drove" his horses from behind on skis
how would he do? With a little practice I bet he would be surprised,
and, no doubt, we'd all be impressed!
Loren Zhimanskova maintains that her passion for skijoring
stems from her 100% Polish ancestry.
In fact, her DNA results show that her ancestors come
from the Tatra region where skijoring
has been practiced for a century.
Are there any other competitors or skijor enthusiasts with Polish roots
in our skijoring family?
Let us know!
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~ IN THE NEWS ~
The Prairie Star
based in
Great Falls, Montana
ran an article on December 30th entitled
Skijoring Season Kicks Off for Montana Competitors
Here are some excepts:
Josh Abbott
Abbott said he has been skijoring since 2014 and really enjoys the teamwork opportunities the sport provides.
"They say there are three heartbeats in skijoring – the rider, the horse, and the skier,” he explained. “I really enjoy working with the horses and giving them a stage to show their abilities. It’s also great to see how it all works together."
Dennis Alverson
Dennis Alverson of Livingston, Mont., participates in the sport along with his daughters, Fiona and Phoebe.
“For us, this is all about family time, 100 percent,” he said. “My daughters are competitive and they get that from their mom.”
The Alverson girls stepped into the sport class last year and were competing against competitors that were 18 years and older, although the girls were only 12 and 14.
“The girls are ripping skiers and got me into this eight years ago,” he said. “We do other horse activities in the summer, so this winter event really fills it in.”
Loren Zhimanskova
Zhimanskova said skijoring offers some elements that are already popular in the western U.S.
“Ranchers and cowboys love to be with their horses and they love competition,” she noted. “So this gives them something fun to do in the winter months. It has adrenaline and being outdoors, but it also is very social, a lot like the rodeo circuit.”
Hosting skijoring events can also give a needed boost to rural communities that would otherwise see their tourist activity come to a halt during the winter.
“These events are one of the things that resort towns can really rely on in the winter by bringing in visitors,” Zhimanskova noted.
To read the full article go to:
https://www.agupdate.com/theprairiestar/news/state-and-regional/skijoring-season-kicks-off-for-montana-competitors/article_c2914670-8157-11ed-b31d-475cbc184c72.html
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~ ON SOCIAL MEDIA ~
It is great to see the enthusiasm and creativity
on skijoring websites and social media pages this season!
Perhaps some caught the Leadville Skijoring video
on Wrangler's Instagram page!
A MUST SEE
is the YouTube video
posted on Sheridan, Wyoming's Skijoring website.
The 100% True History of Skijoring and
the Birth of the Sheridan Wyo Winter Rodeo,
is narrated by a bearded "historian"
who sits fireside in a leather chair with brandy snifter in hand.
While he pontificates on the subject, scenes are acted out.
It is HILARIOUS!
Click below to view:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_YxeD9a8g3o&t=2s
or go to:
https://www.sheridanwyoming.org/festivals-events/sheridan-wyo-winter-rodeo/
This race is February 18 & 19. It promises to be a BLAST! ! !
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Skijoring Utah
posted an awesome promotional video
on Facebook and Instagram
for their race in Heber City.
This race keeps raising the bar in so many ways!
Mark your calendars
for February 27th & 28th.
(Friday & Saturday)
Click below to view:
https://www.instagram.com/p/CmvKGvghraD/
or
https://www.facebook.com/skijoringutah/videos/1362628801156891
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Skijor Canada
features a great YouTube video on their website.
It shows just how exciting and multi-faceted their event truly is.
Scenes of skijoring side by side, teams of horses pulling couches on skis,
beer tents and fondue pots and people dressed to the nines "skijor style"
make this a wonderful way to get a glimpse of how much fun
we all have at skijoring races!
Click below to view:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tg5hjXqifDU&t=27s
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~ BABIES 'R' US ~
We are thrilled to share some great news
with the skijoring community.
Amanda & Josh Abbott
Sarah McConnell & Tyler Smedsrud
Kelly & Lang Schuler
are expecting!
We wish Amanda, Sarah and Kelly
all the best throughout their pregnancies and deliveries
&
we look forward to welcoming the newest
members of the skijoring community into the fold!
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~ SKIJOR USA ADVISORY COMMITTEE ~
An Advisory Committee meeting
will be held in the coming weeks to discuss the final structure of the
Skijor USA Invitational.
Now that the first race of the season is complete,
we will begin to award points to riders, skiers, horses and teams
that participated and finished in the top tier of
Sport & Open at Meeker Skijor.
We will also be designating state affiliations.
As each race unfolds, the list will grow.
Competitors may be asked to designate horses soon
since only two horses will be allowed per rider per division.
Skiers may also be limited as to how many riders
they can be pulled behind to earn points.
Stay tuned for a detailed outline in our next newsletter!
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A BIG THANK YOU
to
everyone who opens the newsletter.
We are at over 50% open rate on Mail Chimp
which is very impressive!
JOR ON!
Loren Zhimanskova,
President, Skijor USA, Inc. & Skijor International, LLC