SKIJOR 2022
December 6, 2021
~ 2022 RACE CALENDAR ~
So far, there are 20 events planned in the USA & 2 planned in Canada and Switzerland!
To see details, click on each race below.
RIDGWAY, CO ~ JAN 8 & 9
PAGOSA SPRINGS, CO ~ JAN 22 & 23
BUTTE, MT ~ JAN 22 & 23
WHITEFISH, MT ~ JAN 29 & 30
SOLDIER HOLLOW, UT ~ FEB 4 & 5
BIG SKY, MT ~ FEB 5 & 6
SARATOGA, WY ~ FEB 5 & 6
ST. MORITZ, SWITZERLAND ~ FEB 5,12 & 19
CANTERBURY PARK, MN~ FEB 12
PINEDALE, WY ~ FEB 12 & 13
SUNDANCE, WY ~ FEB 19
SHERIDAN, WY ~ FEB 19
SILVERTON, CO ~ FEB 19 & 20
HAILEY, ID ~ FEB 19 & 20
MEEKER, CO ~ FEB 19 & 20
SKOWHEGAN, MAINE ~ FEB 26
GILLETTE, WY ~ FEB 26 & 27
WISDOM, MT ~ FEB 26 & 27
BUFFALO, WY ~ MAR 5
LEADVILLE, CO ~ MAR 5 & 6
POLE AND SPUR, BLAIRMORE, ALBERTA, CANADA ~ MAR 12
RED LODGE, MT ~ MAR 12 & 13
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~ A NEW CONCEPT ~
With 5 races in Colorado, 5 races in Montana,
6 races in Wyoming, then 4 in other states combined,
Skijor USA would like to propose and sponsor a new concept.
State Teams
The idea is for team captains,
voted upon by competitors in that state,
to put forth their strongest teams at season's end.
Both rider and skier must be full-time residents of that state.
The other four states would each chose a team captain
and enter teams as well.
These teams, representing their respective states,
would compete against one another
in a Championship round.
The number of teams entered would depend on
if there was a single Championship event
or if this event would need to be combined with an
existing event.
Skijor USA has secured two more Tiffany
crystal horse head trophies to be awarded
to one rider and one skier
should this be adopted in 2022 or 2023.
Skijor USA hopes to meet with its Advisory Committee soon to brainstorm this potential new format further.
Please send any feedback to loren@skijorusa.com
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Skijor USA will not be "sanctioning" races in 2022,
however, we will endorse races which meet certain criteria.
This no longer includes a requirement
to use the 3D Format
nor a specific track design.
It is based on safety and consistency
with acceptable track lengths and conditions, spectator safety, regulations and rules.
We will adjust our website accordingly once
the Advisory Committee has reviewed and agreed to changes.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~ NECK & NECK ~
Exciting news!
50 to 100 years ago, races in
Hanover, NH, Jackson, WY and Aspen, CO,
for example,
raced teams side by side down the length of the course.
Competitively, this format is challenging for riders and skiers.
Visually, this format is very exciting for spectators.
The Canterbury Park & Skijor Canada
events brought this format back to modern racing in recent years.
In 2022,
both Canterbury Park and Gillette, Wyoming's
events will be held at race track venues with wide enough courses and
professionally designed spectator viewing areas
for this format to make a comeback safely.
Unlike years ago, it was the first to cross the finish line who won,
today teams will be timed individually,
but the event will have the impression of "neck and neck" racing.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~ INTERNATIONAL SCENE ~
Switzerland, Canada & Poland
White Turf
This iconic event in St. Moritz, Switzerland began in 1907,
and will resume racing in 2022 after a one year hiatus due to COVID 19.
The event will be held on three consecutive Saturdays this year
however, rather than on the traditional Sundays.
The dates are February 5, 12 & 19.
www.whiteturf.ch
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
The Pole and Spur
The first Canadian race of 2022 has been announced!
The 5th Annual Pole and Spur will be held in Blairmore, Crowsnest Pass, Alberta on March 12th.
www.poleandspur.com
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Skijor Canada or Skijordue
This event is still TBD.
We will let you know as soon as we have more information.
www.skijorcanada.com
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Kumoterki Parada Gadowska
In Zakopane, Poland,
the tradition of winter carnivals or "parades" in the Tatra Mountain region continues.
While we do not have dates yet for 2022, these events typically run from mid-January through the first week of March.
Skijor USA has been following the work of one photographer
Wojtek Kwiatkowski
who attends these events annually and brings them to life.
Check out his AMAZING photographs of horses on the Facebook link below:
https://www.facebook.com/WojtekKwiatkowskiEquinePhotography/photos
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Ukrainian Skijoring Festival
Check out the recent posts and photos from Ukraine!
They are advertising Sheridan, WY!
As we see repeatedly throughout history,
the tradition of skijoring has stood firm through the most difficult of times.
Our thoughts are with our Ukrainian friends
as the Russian military amasses troops along their border.
https://www.facebook.com/Ukrainian-Skijoring-Festival-207558742772292/
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~ MEDIA EXPOSURE ~
Outside Bozeman Magazine
Skijor USA was asked to contribute an article about skijoring in southwestern Montana by Outside Bozeman Magazine.
It hit the stands in early December!
Wisdom's event and others are featured.
Skijor USA is grateful to Dennis & Diane Havig
for their insight and generosity.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Denver International Airport Exhibit
An exhibit entitled, Colorado Winter Festivals, opened at DIA in November and Leadville Skijoring is featured!
Duffy Counsell took the lead in gathering up equipment, photographs and memorabilia to fill several cases.
Loren Zhimanskova was happy to contribute a 1963 Leadville Skijoring program from her vintage skijoring collection which will remain in Leadville Skijoring hands. Others such as Paul Copper, Joe Manly, Jr., Brennan Counsell and the Elks Lodge also contributed items.
Be sure to view the exhibit on the bridge from the Main Terminal to Terminal A (an area open to the public) during your holiday travels.
The exhibit runs through March.
A photo of one case is pictured above,
but you can go to the site through Leadville's Facebook page
to see more photos
Scroll beyond The Cowboy Downhill images.
https://www.facebook.com/LeadvlleSkiJoring/
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~ VINTAGE COLLECTION ~
As mentioned above, Loren has been amassing an impressive collection of vintage photographs, postcards, posters, advertisements and other skijor memorabilia for the past 10 years.
The collection continues to grow with some of the latest additions being:
1906: a skier being towed by a motorcycle in Norway
1907: Travkjoring or Skijoring with a horse at Trondheim, Norway
1911: Skijoring in Saint Moritz, an Illustration of women competing
(pictured above)
1929: Darmouth College Winter Carnival Skijor Race
1933: Neck and Neck Skijoring, one of four extreme sports trading cards
(pictured above)
1947: Innsbruck Skijoring Badge*
*This is very significant since this shows that skijoring races continued to be held in Innsbruck even during wartime, an especially harsh winter and a food shortage. North Tyrol was annexed by Allied forces after the Nazis were pushed out of Austria. The French oversaw this part of Austria in 1947.
1954: Aspen Winterskol Ad featuring Skijoring
USSR Ski Racing with a motorcycle pin
&
a Yosemite National Park catalogue advertising skijoring as an activity
Someday, all of these pieces will come together in an exhibit
which will either travel to skijoring events and/or
be featured in ski museums or historical societies. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
JOR ON! and Stay safe and healthy!
Loren Zhimanskova,
President, Skijor USA, Inc. & Skijor International, LLC