Whitefish Skijoring competition going down this weekend, spectators welcome
Ali Ray leads Byron Glaze down the track during Whitefish Winter Carnival Ski Joring at Big Mountain Ranch in 2017.
The annual Whitefish Skijoring competition is this weekend, Jan. 28-29, and will occur at the Sapa family farm off Highway 2 near the Blue Moon.
Skijoring is a competition where racers on skis are pulled through a course by a horse over jumps and turns.
The rope can be no longer than 50 feet and skiers must have at least one ski on and be standing upright when they cross the finish line.
The Whitefish Ski Joring event has been around since the early years of the Whitefish Winter Carnival and back in the day used to be right on Central Avenue in downtown Whitefish. It took a hiatus for several years, but came back to Whitefish in the early 2000s.
The event is expected to draw both local and national competitors. Some professionals tour the United States attending competitions across the West.
The event for racers kicks off Friday, Jan. 27 with live registration at the Blue Moon from 6 to 9 p.m. with live music and dancing afterward.
On Saturday, Jan. 28, the gates open at 10:30 a.m. Tickets are $10 per person, with children under 12 free. Opening ceremonies are 11:30 a.m. and races start at noon and will run until 4 p.m. or later.
There’s a Calcutta at the Blue Moon from 7 to 9 p.m. where folks can “buy” teams for the final races on Sunday, Jan. 29. Race times and gate openings are the same as Saturday.
There will be food trucks and adult and soft beverages available at the venue as well as fire pits to keep people warm. Whitefish Skijoring is a 501(c)3 nonprofit.
The races are broken into classes, including novice, sport and pro, with an estimated total purse of $30,000.
The event is sponsored in part by NuWest Builders, Logan Health and Republic Services. To learn more or sign up, visit: https://www.whitefishskijoring.org/