The 11th annual World Skijoring Championships is here. A signature event of the annual Whitefish Winter Carnival, the exciting skijoring competition is ready to go, Jan. 23-25. A registration party is at Casey’s Pub and Grill in downtown Whitefish starting at 6 p.m., Jan. 23. Competition begins the following day at noon at the Whitefish City Airport and continues through Sunday. There will be a Calcutta event at 7 p.m. Saturday night at Casey’s and an awards ceremony following the conclusion of competition on Sunday.
Skijoring has become a beloved local tradition, and it’s truly a sight to see. Dubbed by organizers as “Big Sky Country’s own exciting and unique extreme sport,” the skijoring event combines Whitefish’s ski heritage with Montana’s cowboy roots. It features teams of two — a skier and a rider on horseback.
Competitors will race for their share of more than $20,000 in four separate classes, plus compete in the Murdoch’s Long Jump. In the timed competition, horses pull skiers around a U-shaped, 800-foot-long course at high speeds, with the skier required to navigate over jumps and around slalom gates.
Previous years have attracted over 4,000 spectators and nearly 100 teams.
For more information, visit www.whitefishskijoring.com.