Hundreds turn out for world skijoring competition
<p>Skier Cody Smith of Spokane and horseman Joe Scanlon of Helena won the top prize in the Open Division at the 2012 World Skijoring Championships in Whitefish over the weekend.</p>
About 73 teams turned out for the 2012 World Skijoring Championships in Whitefish over the weekend, with skier Cody Smith of Spokane and horseman Joe Scanlon of Helena winning the top prize in the Open Division.
With his horse Jet doing the pulling, Scanlon and Smith posted a combined time from Saturday and Sunday competition of 30.51 seconds, edging the 30.83 time posted by Kalispell cowgirl Jamie Tripp and her skiing partner Tyler Smedsred of Red Lodge. They were followed by the team of skier Toby McIntosh and Dana Styles.
Organizer Scott Ping said the annual event once again attracted hundreds of spectators, but the 73-team turnout of competitors fell shy of last year’s record 91 teams.
“It ran pretty much like we hoped it would,” said Ping, who suffered broken ribs in a fall from his horse on Friday, taking him out of the competition.
“It knocked me out of the race,” he said.
The prize purse was about $20,000 for the competition, which involves riders pulling skiers through a course at the Whitefish Municipal Airport that includes jumps and slalom gates.
Top finishers in the Sport Division were skier Wes Beougher and rider Roisin O’Neil, followed by skier Lance Nelson and rider Stem Armstrong in second and skier Jack Connors and rider Roisin O’Neil in third.
In the Novice Division, the winners were skier Bart Slaney and rider Kristi Breauer, followed by skier Matt Stickney and rider Bob Ruhl in second and skier Bart Slaney and rider Kathy Hansen in third.
In the mule races, the winning team was skier Chris Wambecke and rider Dale Duff.