10 December, 2024
~ MORE TO SKIJOR 2025 ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~NEW RACE DATES ~
The 2025 Calendar of Events
continues to grow!
Six have been added so now 30 have committed to dates.
Topsham, Maine ~ January 25
brought to you by
www.skijortopsham.com
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Chewelah, Washington ~ February 1 & 2
brought to you by
Melody Riders Saddle Club
and 49 Degrees North
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Pinedale, Wyoming ~ February 8 & 9
brought to you by
Main Street Pinedale Skijoring
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Skowhegan, Maine ~ February 22
brought to you by
Skowhegan Skijor
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Cold Lake, Alberta, Canada ~ March 8
brought to you by
Skijoring for MS
and Cold Lake Agricultural Society
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Bondurant, Wyoming ~ March 15 & 16
brought to you by
Little Jennie Ranch
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Dates for Skijor Due in Calgary are yet to be determined,
but mid-February is likely,
and an official announcement
could come as early as next week. . .
brought to you by
Skijor Canada
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
UPDATED 2025 SKIJOR EVENTS
JANUARY
MEEKER, CO ~ JAN 3, 4 & 5
RIDGWAY, CO ~ JAN 10, 11 & 12
PAGOSA SRRINGS, CO ~ JAN 18 & 19
LEWISTOWN, MT ~ JAN 18 & 19
TOPSHAM, ME ~ JAN 25
ESTES PARK, CO ~ JAN 25 & 26
FEBRUARY
BOULDER, MT ~ FEB 1 & 2
SARATOGA, WY ~ FEB 1 & 2
CHEWELAH, WA ~ FEB 1 & 2
SHERIDAN, WY ~ FEB 8
STEAMBOAT SPRINGS, CO ~ FEB 8 & 9**
CRAIG, CO ~ FEB 8 & 9
BIG SKY, MT ~ FEB 8 & 9
MARSH VALLEY, ID ~ FEB 8 & 9
PINEDALE, WY ~ FEB 8 & 9
HEBER CITY, UTAH ~ FEB 14 & 15
SUNDANCE, WY ~ FEB 15
SILVERTON, CO ~ FEB 15 & 16
BELLEVUE, ID ~ FEB 15 & 16
SKOWHEGAN, ME ~ FEB 22
DRIGGS, ID ~ FEB 22 & 23
CANTERBURY PARK, MN ~ FEB 22 & 23
WISDOM, MT ~ FEB 22 & 23 TBD
MARCH
BROWNING, MT ~ MAR 1 & 2
LEADVILLE, CO ~ MAR 1 & 2
COLD LAKE, ALBERTA ~ MAR 8
RED LODGE, MT ~ MAR 8 & 9
STEELE RANCH, WY ~ MAR 7, 8 & 9
BONDURANT, WY ~ MAR 15 & 16
** Steamboat Springs Winter Carnival
ALL RACES ARE ORGANIZED INDEPENDENTLY
and SKIJOR USA proudly supports them all.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2025 RACES STILL LIKELY TBD
COLUMBIA FALLS, MT
GRANDE PRAIRIE, ALBERTA
aka Thunder In The Pines
BLAIRMORE, ALBERTA
aka Pole and Spur
There is also word of a few more events brewing
so SkijorUSA will let you know more as we know more!
For a continuous up-to-date calendar
and links to each event visit
SKIJOR USA
https://www.skijorusa.com/
Click on each event to get more information.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~ SKIJOR SUMMIT ~
Last December,
a group of organizers and advisors
got together in advance of the season
in Las Vegas during the NFR or National Finals Rodeo.
This December,
some of the same skijor family members
were in Vegas once again.
Ted Slathar of Canterbury Park
Nick Smith and Sean Jurgens of Estes Park Skijor
Jed Moore Champion Rider and Skier
Lane and Erica Hutchings Champion Riders
This year,
Erica, formerly of Leadville, CO, and Lane, formerly of Jackson, WY,
are cheering on two of their young children,
Alexis and Gavin,
who are competing on a national level in several events
as well as their son,
Tristan Hutchings
who is once again riding bulls.
So far Tristan has finished in the money all three nights!
Fourth on Day 1 and Second on Days 2 & 3.
No ride on Day 4 and Day 5.
Follow him on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/tristen.hutchings/
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
While no formal skijor meetings were held in Vegas this year,
our hope is to have another SKIJOR Summit in December of 2025.
Instead, this year,
A VIRTUAL SKIJOR SUMMIT
will be held this coming weekend
December 14 & 15,
3 PM to 4:30 PM both days.
Attendees can join via conference call.
Details will be announced.
We will involve as many organizers
and athletes, volunteers and sponsors as possible in hopes of
providing a variety of insightful perspectives.
Rather than have SkijorUSA set an agenda, we would like for the
attendees to submit talking points in advance.
SkijorUSA will play the role of facilitator and mediator.
Some invitations will be sent out shortly via email, or please contact us
directly to express interest in attending.
Email loren@skijorusa.com
or call 646.209.0229.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~ A TEAM OF THREE HEARTBEATS ~
Our friends at Horseboarding UK
posted a link to a short film on YouTube:
HORSES & THE SCIENCE OF HARMONY
which we encourage all skijor athletes to watch
especially skiers
who may not be as familiar with horses as their rider teammates.
We believe the insights this film offers
can improve both your chances of success and safety.
The film is narrated, in part, by a champion rider from the UK,
Bubby Upton,
who rapidly rehabilitated from a serious back injury
to STILL place in one of the most demanding
equestrian competitions in the world.
The point of the film, however, is to educate
people about a HORSE'S perspective
elaborating on HOW a horse sees, smells, hears, feels sensations,
and how their brain functions as opposed to that of a human.
This insight can IMPROVE your ability to
work more fluidly as a team of three heartbeats in skijoring.
It will build awareness from a safety and emotional standpoint as well.
Please watch
HORSES & THE SCIENCE OF HARMONY
Some highlights include the fact that
the connection between humans and horses, our "collective psyche",
goes as far back as 35,000 years.
It seeks to answer questions like "Can a horse be a happy athlete?"
Shortly after minute 12, (if you wish to fast forward),
it begins to explore how a horse perceives the world through their senses.
It explains HOW their eyes, ears, noses and brains actually work,
range of view, depth and color perception,
ultrasonic sound perception,
heightened olfactory senses and reaction to even the slightest touch.
Did you know that a horse can detect the weight of five individual dandelion seeds!
Not even human fingertips are that sensitive.
The film then explores how a horse's brain may work
together with the human's riding him/her
and possibly how their biochemistry may even join together.
This section ends at minute 36, so ONLY 24 minutes of your time!
At minute 42, the documentary turns to horses and pain.
It identifies 24 signs and suggests that a combination of 8 of any of these
signs leads to the conclusion that the horse is in pain.
At minute 50, the film discusses Family, Freedom and Forage:
three elements a horse needs to be happy.
It then ends with a discussion on trust
and Bubby's victorious ride.
ENJOY and JOR ON!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ulkLHqHZ3g
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Loren Zhimanskova,
President, Skijor USA, Inc. & Skijor International, LLC