Horses, skiing and snow? Yeah, it’s a thing and it’s called skijoring. We hung out in Silverton, Colorado for the annual skijoring competition presented by Four Corners Motorcycle Rally & Durango Harley-Davidson to see what all the fuss is about.
Skijoring is when a horse or motorcycle pulls a (crazy) person on skis who hangs on a tow rope (similar to water skiing) and attempts to get the fastest time while flying over jumps and catching rings or batons.
The Silverton Skijoring race takes place through Historic Downtown Silverton on Blair Street covered in snow. The two-day event included a kick-off party, skijoring competition, motorcycle rally and snow races, post-race celebration and awards.
The 2020 Silverton Skijoring event also witnessed the first Winter Harley Drag Races down Silverton’s Infamous Empire Street presented by Durango Harley Davidson.
According to the Silverton Skijoring website: “Over 5,000 people came to spectate the thrilling and extreme sport. For those 21+ were able to watch the action from the Party Zone presented by 805 Beer at 12th Street right in the middle of the race strip. Cold beer and good times were flowing as people watched horses, skiers, motorcycles, and cowboys zoom by, leaving behind a trail of flying snow chunks.
Silverton residents, Pete Maisel and Rob Conaty, brought Skijoring to Silverton in 2010. The great annual event drew riders, skiers and audiences from Durango, Cortez, Pagosa Springs, Grand Junction as well as from the Red Mountain Pass communities of Ouray, Ridgway, Montrose and beyond. From humble beginnings with a few hundred spectators attending the inaugural year of Silverton Skijoring, thanks to Pete and Rob’s efforts coupled with the overwhelming support from the Town of Silverton, Silverton residents, the surrounding community, volunteers, businesses, sponsors, donors and more Silverton Skijoring has been showing substantial growth every year with recent years drawing over 2,500 spectators. The 2020 edition promises to show even more growth, as it’s popularity increases.”
