Rebecca Farm west of Kalispell will hosts its first skijoring competition this winter.
The 640-acre property, which hosts one of the largest equestrian triathlons in the U.S. every summer, is holding the event that was previously hosted in Lakeside. The competition is scheduled for Dec. 30-31.
“Many folks associate Rebecca Farm with eventing in the summer, so we’re thrilled to try something new, and bring a different kind of sporting event to Rebecca Farm in the winter,” Sarah Broussard with Rebecca Farm said. “Not only is skijoring a unique sport in itself, it is so much fun to watch.”
An action-packed sport that involves riders on horseback pulling skiers through slalom gates and over jumps, skijoring marries Montana’s skiing and cowboy traditions. Competitors are judged based on how long it takes for them to run the track, which stretches approximately 850 feet from start to finish. Those who finish the course the fastest will be awarded a cash prize, known as the “total purse.”
This year’s purse, to be raised via sponsorships, will total up to $25,000. A portion of the proceeds from this year’s competition will be donated to Halt Cancer at X, an initiative created by Broussard that raises funds for breast cancer research and support services.
Last year’s skijoring competition, hosted by the West Shore Visitors Bureau in Lakeside, welcomed nearly 100 competitors and thousands of spectators over two days.
Broussard hopes even more are able to make it to this year’s event.
“People come from all over to experience skijoring in the Flathead,” Broussard said, noting that some people come from as far as Colorado to both attend and compete. “We look forward to carrying on this community tradition, and hope to see even more faces rallying behind this festive sport in December.”
Those interested in volunteering are encouraged to contact Heidi Diegel at [email protected]. For more information regarding sponsorship, contact Marcia Spano at [email protected].
Rebecca Farm is located just west of Kalispell at 1010 West Spring Creek Road.