Skijoring chases winter blues away at Rebecca Farm

The adrenaline-fueled sport of equestrian skijoring returns to Rebecca Farm on Saturday and Sunday, March 2 and 3, after being rescheduled from late December due to a lack of snow.

Courageous skiers, pulled by horse and rider teams, will fly down a challenging 800-foot track, grabbing rings and sailing off jumps up to 6 feet high. The faster their time, the better their score. Penalties are charged for gates and rings missed along the way.

Teams will compete in novice, sport and open classes, with the costume class providing sheer entertainment. At stake is a total prize purse in excess of $20,000.

A newly designed track will be built for this year’s competition.

“We’re looking forward to creating a track that will be exciting for both competitors and spectators,” organizer Sarah Broussard. “It’s our plan that this year’s course will be different from the one we built last year, but we won’t actually finalize the design until the weekend draws closer and we can take into consideration the current weather and snow conditions. We want to have an exciting, yet safe course for everyone’s enjoyment.”

Last year’s skijoring was the first-ever winter event held at Rebecca Farm. Notwithstanding a blizzard the night before, the competition drew over 80 teams from the Flathead Valley and surrounding counties, along with several from other western states. Thousands of spectators braved the snowdrifts and frigid temperatures to watch the two days of fast-moving fun.

“Skijoring is a thrilling sport for all involved; spectators and competitors alike,” Broussard said. “We’re excited to be bringing skijoring to Kalispell and Rebecca Farm again this year. It’s important to us to be able to provide a place for the community to enjoy themselves on a winter weekend.”

Spectators can enjoy food and beverages available for purchase from local vendors. Skijoring Stout, developed especially for skijoring at Rebecca Farm by Kalispell Brewing Co., will be available on tap.

A portion of the Saturday evening Calcutta proceeds will be donated to Broussard’s Halt Cancer at X Initiative. Through Montana Equestrian Events, Halt Cancer at X distributes tens of thousands of dollars annually to breast cancer research and local nonprofits providing cancer support services.

Registration Information and forms are available online at http://www.rebeccafarm.org/skijoring. All competitors must attend team registration at Brannigan’s Pub on Friday, March 1, from 5 to 8 p.m. to complete the registration process.

Rebecca Farm is located just west of Kalispell, at 1010 W. Spring Creek Road. From Kalispell U.S. Highways 93 and 2, drive 2 miles north on the U.S. 93 bypass to Reserve Loop, turn left to head west for 2 miles, and then travel south on W. Spring Creek Rd. The entrance is three-quarters of a mile down on the right.

For more information on the skijoring competition, visit www.rebeccafarm.org/skijoring/