03.18.07
horses pull Ski Joring racers videos
Something to keep you busy with your horses in winter, this qualifies as one of the most unusual horse sports I’ve ever seen! In Ski Joring (term derived from Norwegian kjore meaning to drive,) racers fly over 3 jumps, catch 2 sets of 3 rings over their forearm, and make sharp cuts around cones. They are timed for speed and points are taken off for missing cones, gates or rings.
Video– Championship ski joring in New London NH Feb. 24, 2007, North East Ski Joring Association US OPEN competition. This horse is Stormy, the competitors I think are Pam Grace (rider) and either Geof Smith or Chris Lucier.
Another team of competitors in the US Open Ski Joring Competition. A couple of brave young folks tried it on snowboards too!
Ski joring migrated to U.S. from Scandinavia where being towed on skis by reindeer has long been a means of travel. Came to Jackson Hole Wyoming in 1991, when 4-6 mounted horses pulled a skiier at the end of a rope in an all-out charge. The sport has evolved since to single horse/rider/skier teams on an obstacle course. Put on by North East Ski Joring Association, sanctioned by North American Ski Joring Association.
We froze to death this day, but really enjoyed watching and stayed to the bitter end. (Wind was whistling across the private runway strip where the contest was staged.)
One (only) brave soul manages to drive his own tow-horse. You can see the difficulties with watching where you are going and ALSO steering the horse, who should be going straight– I just hope he uses a quick-release snap on his tow rope!
And there always has to be the speed demon! In this video is a measured DISTANCE jump. He REALLY catches some air, but crashes and burns on landing– OUCH!
This year’s last NESJA competition, the Second International Race, will be held in Quebec March 24-25. NESJA Website has more info and pictures.
So we just had to try it too… here I am on Willow’s Bask towing Kentaro, our Japanese exchange student, on skis. Ken does pretty well, the snow was a little deep and quite bumpy, and he discovered that downhill slopes are tricky! Next time we’ll pack a track on level ground- stay tuned!
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Connie Moses– Blog: petArtistWithPeaches
website: PortraitsWithHorses.com (horse and pet portraits)
