THE
TEN
YEAR REVIVAL
Red River's Skijoring
Legacy
Skijoring first arrived in Red River, New Mexico in 2016, turning River Street into a snow packed arena of speed and grit. Two winters in a row, locals and visitors lined the streets, mugs of cocoa in hand to watch riders on horseback and skiers fly down the lane, filling the air with cheers. When the event paused after 2017, enthusiasm for the sport lingered. Now, nearly a decade later, skijoring is making a comeback, welcoming families, friends and fans to experience the rush, the laughter and the togetherness.
The Origin Story
While there are traces of skijoring that date back to the Yao and Ming dynasties in the mountains of Mongolia, skijoring on horseback really got its start in Scandinavia. In the early 1900s, skijoring arrived at the first winter olympics and eager spectators brought the sport back to the United States. The sport gradually traveled west, and as many things do, it only got more wild the further it went.
In 1949, Tom Schroeder and "Mugs" Ossman dared to put some real speed into skijoring. In Leadville, CO, the modern competitive version of the skijoring was born. Participation waxed and waned through and 1980s and 1990s, resulting in a fierce rivalry between a Colorado Team and a Jackson Hole team. Today, thanks to creativity and social media, skijoring has been taken to new heights adding rings, jumps, drones, flames, and of course a western fashion flair.
Read a more detailed version of the story here.
