Two days of skijoring — a racing sport that mixes horsemanship with skiing — is coming to Boulder, and organizers hope the event becomes an annual one.
The event, hailed as “Skijoring the Big Rock,” will be held at the Jefferson County fairgrounds and adjoining state land from noon to 4 p.m. Feb. 29 and March 1.
A fundraising pig roast is scheduled for 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. Jan. 1 at the Windsor. All-you-can-eat admission is $15 for adults and $5 for kids. There will also be a silent auction.
Melissa Ostrander, president of the recently formed nonprofit Boulder Valley Skijoring Association, has been participating in the sport since 2012. She describes it as a fast-paced, timed sport in which a horse and rider pull a skier who must navigate jumps and gates. The goal, she said in a recent interview, is to have the fastest time, but there’s more to it.
“Our mission is to help local communities and ranching families experiencing low economic development to achieve sustainable independence through a grassroots response by providing a winter skijoring festival to attract tourism and support,” Ostrander wrote in an email to The Monitor. “We are looking for sponsors and donations to help kick-start the event.”
Ostrander, who moved to the Boulder area in 2017 with husband Cal Douglas — he’s the association’s vice president — said they hope to register 100 two-person teams, and almost 100 people had signed up or expressed interest by mid-December.
She said the group’s aim is to bring tourists to the area during a slow time of year, as well as to raise money for local schools and for breast cancer awareness.
Ostrander said those who wish to compete can sign up at skijoringamerica.com or at the Windsor from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Friday, Feb. 28.
The Windsor will also be the location of a fundraising auction on Feb. 29 and an awards ceremony March 1.
People interested in competing in or supporting the event as a volunteer or sponsor are invited to call Melissa Ostrander at 406-640-1601 or Carmela Romerio at 406-461-8247.
