~ Towed Down Memory Lane ~
March 5, 2020
Three of the major skijoring races occurring this month,
Leadville, CO on March 7 & 8
Red Lodge, MT on March 14 & 15
&
Kremmling, CO on March 28
have more in common than you may think,
and it all comes down to history!
Skijor USA asked five of our sport's most time-honored and decorated
athletes, Paul Copper, Tony Fox, Kenny Hilton, Jerry Kissell and Dana Stiles,
(we listed them in alphabetical order since they share equal status)
to reflect on their years of competition at the highest level
at races that many of us may attend this year.
The resulting anecdotes and historical facts paint a rich picture of
our sport's heritage, drama and staying power.
They also speak of the rivalry and camaraderie that defines
our exciting and unique sport to this day.
We hope that you enjoy this trip down memory lane and that it makes your time at the upcoming events even more special.
Some of the questions answered below are:
When and how did the Leadville race begin?
Is Kremmling a new race?
What and where is the oldest annual skijoring race?
Did teams ever race side by side?
Did skiers and riders switch places while racing?
Where was the first race held under lights at night?
Who started the long jump competition?
Were certain races always held down main streets or in rodeo arenas?
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~ LEADVILLE, COLORADO ~
FUN FACT #1
Leadville had its "origins" in Steamboat, Colorado.
According to Tony Fox's History of Skijoring,
1949 – Two close friends sat in a booth at the Golden Burro Café in Leadville Colorado discussing the upcoming winter festivities during the annual Crystal Carnival festival. The year was 1949, and the task at hand was to come up with something new for the carnival. Over several cups of coffee and pie, the two decided to take a trip to the Steamboat Springs winter carnival to see if they could glean any new ideas. While in Steamboat, Tom Schroeder and "Mugs" Ossman first witnessed the sport of Ski Joring, a horse-and-rider pulling a skier. Tom and Mugs were impressed by the prospect of ski joring, however, they couldn’t understand why anyone would want to go that slow! Mugs raised Quarter Horses for speed, and Tom, being the feisty Irishman skier he was, knew that there was not a horse alive fast enough to "lose" him on a pair of skis. They went out to the Ossman Ranch just north of town and tried ski joring for the first time. The snow in the pasture was deep, but the sport of Ski Joring was born and continues to this day.
Mid 1950’s – Jody Manly begins to compete in ski joring competitions in and around Leadville. Skijoring races are being held in the downtown streets of Leadville at this time.
*Steamboat's Winter Carnival and skijoring is in its 108th year!
FUN FACT #2
Leadville's race was not always held down "main street".
1970’s – Skijoring in Leadville is moved from the downtown streets to the back streets (Poplar Street). TF
"The Leadville race over the years had been run out on Evergreen Drive (west of town), along North Harrison Avenue by the baseball fields, and along the highway (Popular Street) across from the laundry mat business." JK
"When I first started in '87 by the ball fields there was also some kids playground equipment not far off the track. I remember a swing set that could come into play if you missed a jump!
When we raced across from the laundromat up by the train tracks the base snow was always mixed with coal. Great on the equipment. The jumps didn’t look as big as they are now but had more of a kicker. You might go 15 feet straight up before the rope corrected your angle and yanked you back down." KH
* Other towns like Silverthorne, Colorado and Sundance, Wyoming hold races down "main streets" as well.
FUN FACT #3
Leadville did not always have two sets of jumps!
Jerry Kissell recalls,
"When I started competing and before there was one track, one set of jumps, all competitors used it. We also took practice runs with snow machines prior to the race starting to check lines, jump angles and safety."
*Many races are now once again opting for a course with one set of jumps to save on costs and adopt a new 3D race format.
FUN FACT #4
At one time, Leadville had the skier and rider switch!
"Kremmling and Leadville had done a rider skier switch race, Hilton and I (Jerry) teamed up in Leadville for that event, it was comical if nothing else." JK
"When Jerry and I did the relay we had one of the fastest horses on the tour that season. The owner was Deb Colburn out of Kremmling. The horse's name was Duck. We had the slowest time as Jerry ended up halfway to downtown before they could get him stopped!" KH
Paul Copper also related a similar story in which he admitted there was no time to change from ski boots to cowboy boots, so the skier jumped on the horse and away they rode, no doubt without stirrups!
*Ridgway, Colorado and Skijordue near Calgary, Alberta, Canada now offer similar races within events where riders and skiers switch places, though not necessarily during the same run.
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~ KREMMLING, COLORADO ~
FUN FACT #1
Kremmling is NOT a new race! "Kremmling had races in the mid 1980's, the events were held at the fair grounds and at the airport." JK
"It was pretty wild in the '80's with their format, but sometime in the early '90's it was cancelled. It was brought back in 1996 out at the fairgrounds but only lasted a few more years." TF
"Seemed like 1990 when we first raced by the fairgrounds . The course ran behind the bleachers along the fence line. There were also some small out buildings that came into play. In the mid 90s out by the airport. They never had consistent snow to do a race every year. That was always a tough course. Having the fastest horse was not always in your favor. Some of the riders Kremmling and Leadville
Tom Hill and his sons Mark and Matt. Leigh and Deanne Murphy and their daughter Sabrina. Paul, Jerry and I had the pleasure of skiing behind these guys. All excellent riders. Also the Menhennetts and Farrells." KH
*Skijoring events are being reinstated in many western towns and introduced in many new towns across the United States.
FUN FACT #2
The competitors from Leadville and Kremmling teamed up,
and they WON!
"Jerry, Kenny and me were the only three skiers in 1996 at Kremmling, with a handful of riders from the Hill family. I had only just started skijoring the year prior and hadn't met Jerry or Kenny yet. They bragged a lot at the bar the night before and had their eyes on the championship coat hanging on the wall above the bar. The next day came and I took 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place - all the money - but we three became fast friends. They got their revenge on me later that year up in Red Lodge when we all started traveling together. I had never been to Red Lodge, and they had me so psyched out I crashed on my first and only run. They were both already legends up there and went on to sweep all of the money." TF
*In today's skijoring competitions, riders and skiers are often from the same state or region and go head to head with teams from other states and regions. In other words, state and team pride is alive and well!
For more information about the 2020 Kremmling race contact:
Dakota Docheff at (970) 471-4695 or dakotadocheff@gmail.com
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~ RED LODGE, MONTANA ~
FUN FACT #1
While Red Lodge is the longest running annual skijoring race, the Leadville skiers and their riders "upped the ante" and set new records!
"Late 1980’s – Ski joring in Leadville ceases to exist because competitors and spectators started to lose interest. It was said that many folks didn’t like that the same “few” skiers and riders were always winning the money. That, combined with the fact that the races were moved out of town, led to an overall decrease in the event’s popularity. At this time, the only ski joring race occurring in North America was the Red Lodge race.
*Footnote – it should be pointed out that in the late 80’s and early 90’s, two competitors from Colorado, Jerry Kissell from Leadville and Kenny Hilton from Granby, went to Red Lodge and completely transformed the level of competition at this race. Prior to their arrival, finishing times at the Red Lodge race were in the 25 second range. On the exact same course in their first year, Jerry and Ken finished 1st and 2nd overall respectively with times in the 17 second range, and completely blew the minds of everyone in Red Lodge. Credit must also be paid two the riders who towed these two gentleman to such incredible times. Tim Hockhalter from Montana and Kim Sheets from Cody, Wyoming were incredibly brave to steer their horses around the tight turns of the round track format and were really two of the pioneers that helped shape the great action in Red Lodge." TF
FUN FACT #2
Red Lodge was not always held in the rodeo arena.
"My first year there was '89. We raced in the rodeo arena. This was a major challenge for us as our Colorado and Cody WY teams were running twice as fast as the rest of the field . The fencing and gates along the outside of the course were right in your face! We had the Hills and Murphys up there from Kremmling. It was our first horseshoe shaped track we had run. We did the sprint straight away behind the stands. It was an all-out horse race even though there was a skier behind them. It caused some tension with the locals as a horse race will. I think it was the first and last there. The next few years I raced with Bill and Kim Sheets from Cody. Hooked up with them thru Tim Hockhalter. We were pretty happy when it got moved outside the arena in 1991(?). KH
*This proves that tracks can vary over the years even within the same venue. Straight or gently curved tracks are becoming more and more the norm which is a positive trend when it comes to skijoring safety.
FUN FACT #3
Red Lodge started horses all at once.
"Paul Copper, Jody Manly and myself first went to Red lodge in 1988. No horses. We arrived about 6:30 am on Saturday of the event, found some cowboys from Cody Wyoming and teamed up.
That year I won both days and the overall of course. The next year (1989) we traveled with our Kremmling Cowboys and competed. In 1989 they had added some events. A horse race (straight with the skier on a rope) mass start, first skier to cross the line was the winning team which Tommy Hill, my rider, and we won. We took first one day of the skijoring, but dnf on the other. Our returns to Red Lodge netted victories in '91, '92, and '93 as well. These were with Tim Hockhalter from Cody, who I had won with in 1988. He and I won 4 championships in 6 years (maybe more interesting we one our first 4 together as a team up there)." JK
*Races like White Turf in Saint Moritz, Switzerland continue to start multiple horses at the same time, and currently Canterbury Park, Minnesota runs teams side by side. This was also common place over 50 years ago in the US as evidenced in historical photographs.
FUN FACT #4
Red Lodge established both the Long Jump competition.
"I remember that being the first long jump contest A two foot wide track leading to a 7 foot pile of snow with the famous red mud landing Red Lodge is known for." KH
"I will have to check the plaque, but I believe that was the first long jump year, but it may have been in 1990, in which I won, beating out Kenny Hilton by 6 inches. (The only time I beat Kenny in a long jump contest, horse driven)." JK
"Ken also established the longest ever recorded long jump contest distance by over 10 feet further than the previous record, and he went on to win the long jump contest for something like 12 consecutive years from that first year! Red Lodge renamed the Long Jump trophy after him for this incredible feat!" TF
*Today many races include a long jump competition while others have added freestyle competitions for both skiers and snowboarders such as Canterbury Park, MN. Skiordue near Calgary has a special exhibition event where riders also do tricks while pulling freestyle skiers off jumps.
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OTHER FUN FACTS
WINTER PARK, COLORADO
"Winter park did do a night race,1986 (I think), Paul Copper took first place with his last run (and the last run of the race), I was 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, and 7th. The race was held out near the town of Frazier at a small resort just off the highway. Big bonfires and flood lighting was set up. It was a fast track, and I had my wisdom teeth pulled the day before." JK
"To add to Jerry's story about the Winterpark race, as it was told to me by Jody Manly who built their track, there were a handful of US Olympic ski racers on hand who were bragging about their skills and thought they'd easily cruise to victory. Apparently, not a single racer made it past the first jump (as the story goes) and Paul, Jerry and Kenny cleaned up. That story always made me smile - wish I had been there." TF
*Skijoring Utah held their Friday race under lights this season, and Saint Moritz, Switzerland held a Night Turf event several years ago.
JACKSON HOLE, WYOMING
"Paul Copper and Jeff Dahl entered the Jackson Hole race in 1999 as a team and they took turns riding and skiing. As I vividly remember, they didn't have time to switch out of their ski boots so they rode with them on! That was a real hit with the locals and us racers. That may have been a 'first'!" TF
*The historic photo on the left above c1930 also proves that Jackson ran teams side by side down Broadway in front of the Wort Hotel.
ASPEN & VAIL, COLORADO
Dana Stiles recalls, "Several of us were asked to participate in the 1999 World Alpine Ski Championships Opening Ceremonies (the first year that Vail hosted it). We did a square dance on horse back to the remake of Cotton Eyed Joe. And then later did a skijoring demonstration at the end. Dana, Matt Johnson of Eagle and Dan and Jesse Eckert of Wolcott's 4 Eagle Ranch were some of the participants, while Jan Jouflas of the Wolcott Yacht Club directed the "chaos"! If anyone recalls who skied, please speak up!
*There is also a tale of a skijoring event near Aspen in conjunction with the annual snow polo event. While this was short lived, a photograph of skijoring with teams running side by side on the right above is evidence that the sport had been popular in Aspen many years prior.
HAILEY, IDAHO
Wood River Extreme Skijoring was the first race to have riders capture rings on the course. This season, Skijoring Utah also introduced this tradition, though, for safety reasons, the ring for the rider is larger than the rings captured by the skiers.
We hope you enjoyed this trip down Memory Lane!
THANK YOU to all who shared these memories
&
Here's to making more this weekend in Leadville
where many of us will once again gather as a family.
JOR ON!
Loren, Jerry, Dana, Josh, Clay, Paul, Kenny & Tony
Photos courtesy of Skijor International, LLC
Quotations are attributed to persons according to initials.