A wild winter sport is turning heads across America – but be warned, it's not for the faint of heart.
Skijoring – or “skiing” in Norwegian – began hundreds of years ago as a way to traverse the harsh winter terrain of Scandinavia.
Today it's a fierce competition, with skiers being pulled by riders through fiery obstacles and thrown onto death-defying jumps.
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This mix of cowboy and ski culture in one adrenaline-pumping spectacle has now captured the imagination of the American heartland with thrilling skijoring showdowns in the rugged landscapes of Montana, Idaho and Colorado.
A wild winter sport is turning heads across America – but be warned, it's not for the faint of heart
The exciting sport of “skijoring” has caused a stir in the heartland of America with its mix of cowboy and ski culture
In winter sports, skiers are pulled by horses through fiery obstacles and launched into death-defying jumps
This exciting winter sport requires skillful coordination between horse, rider and skier.
One of the standout events on the skijoring calendar is the Best In The West Showdown in Big Sky, Montana, which recently celebrated its sixth year.
The two-day competition, which takes place in early February, is one of the most demanding skijoring courses in the sport.
Video footage has captivated viewers online, leaving them shocked and amazed by the impressive moves.
“WTF, did I just watch?! How can there be so many epic things in one video?!” one social media user commented.
“I don't understand what's happening here. But I like it,” said another impressed viewer.
Video footage has captivated viewers online, leaving them shocked and amazed by the impressive moves
One of the standout events on the skijoring calendar is the Best In The West Showdown in Big Sky, Montana, which recently celebrated its sixth year
“Duuuuude it just gets crazier the more you watch it,” a third user wrote.
Rider Carl Gomez races down Harrison Avenue as skier Ben Southworth performs a jump at the 75th annual Leadville SkiJoring weekend competition in Colorado on March 4, 2023
Rider Taylor Stobaugh races down Harrison Avenue as a skier and Shawn Gerber navigates the course during the 74th annual Leadville Ski Joring weekend competition on March 5, 2022 in Leadville, Colorado
Skier Greg Dahl takes a turn after collecting a number of rings at the 74th annual Leadville Ski Joring weekend competition on March 6, 2022 in Leadville, Colorado
The Best in the West Showdown has earned a reputation for pushing the boundaries of skijoring competition with cutting-edge course design and elements of mountain culture.
Last year's event attracted over 150 top teams from North America and 4,000 spectators.
The highlight of the showdown was the world's first snowmobile backflip during a live skijoring race, which also caught the attention of millions of people online.
Erik Morrison, one of the producers of Big Sky Skijoring, raved about the inclusivity of the event.
He said: “Big Sky Skijoring continues the tradition of skijoring and is actively expanding the sport to appeal to new participants and audiences of all generations.”
“There are cowboys and cowgirls, ski racers, freeride competitors, die-hard dirtbag skiers/riders, celebrities, families and everyone in between sitting in their seats enjoying the show together,” he told Big Sky Town Center.
“Everyone is part of the culture of the event and everyone is a VIP.” “The best seats in the house are everywhere with a great view of the course to cheer on the participants, a cozy fire pit and enjoying food and drinks with the colorful company “Morrison added.
Skier Kate Serpe is pulled by rider Braiden Klinger during a skijoring competition on February 25, 2023 in Driggs, Idaho
Savannah McCarthy, 23, of Durango, Colorado, races her horse Money down Harrison Avenue pulling skier Andrew Borrego during the 75th annual Leadville Ski Joring weekend competition on March 5, 2023 in Leadville, Colorado
A rider races down Harrison Avenue pulling a skier during the 75th annual Leadville Ski Joring weekend competition on March 5, 2023 in Leadville, Colorado
Rider Janelle Urista pulls skier Darrin Anderson down Harrison Avenue during the 75th annual Leadville Ski Joring weekend competition on March 4, 2023 in Leadville, Colorado
Clay Hanback, senior manager at Wrangler, one of the event's sponsors, told Big Sky Town Center, “When our team here at Wrangler saw the video, we had to learn more about this event.”
“Our brand is built on the spirit of people who work hard, have fun and show bold individuality.” After seeing coverage of The Showdown, meeting with their team and hearing their vision for the future, we could Clearly recognize spirit.”
The next Skijoring Grand Showdown will take place February 24th and 25th in Driggs, Idaho.
Leadville Skijoring is back for its 76th year and will take place March 2-3 in Colorado.
The National Finals Skijoring races in Red Lodge, Montana, are scheduled for March 9-10 and will be held at The Home Of Champions Rodeo Grounds.