Richard Weber III proudly comes from a long line of Western Slope ranchers, and on a recent bluebird day with subfreezing temperatures, he looked the part. Standing amidst a crowd at the Ouray County Fairgrounds, Weber wore a red button-down shirt and blue jeans with a sparkling silver belt buckle.
On his feet, however, were a pair of ski boots.
For nine years Weber has organized the San Juan Skijoring competition, comprised of races in which skiers and snowboarders pulled by horses aim to complete an obstacle course made of snow. It’s Colorado’s version of a winter rodeo with additional high-adrenaline events like big air, which sees competitors jump over cars.
Organizers used 1.2 million gallons of water to create snow for this year’s course in Ridgway. The fastest competitors completed runs in under 25 seconds.
Weber has spent many years on horseback pulling athletes through the courses, and he currently competes in the professional division atop his trusty equine partner. But more recently, he decided to strap on a pair of skis and assume the position in tow. He competed last Friday in the novice division, which is specifically for newbies to the sport.
“It’s the most fun you can have with your pants on,” Weber said excitedly after his first ride. “People want to go out and buy a Corvette that has a lot of horsepower. Give me one horsepower on a skijoring track and I’m happy.”
Skijoring is said to have originated in Scandinavia, where residents rode the historic equivalent of skis and were pulled by horses as a means of transportation. The sport made its first and only Olympic appearance in the 1928 Winter Games in St. Moritz, Switzerland. More recently, it’s become popular among skiers and horseback riders because it’s a seemingly uncanny combination.
Salt Lake City resident Jackie Nadel was first introduced to skijoring by a friend who attended a competition in Utah. Nadel couldn’t believe what she was seeing, but as an avid skier who grew up riding horses, she couldn’t resist the urge to try it.
“The most similar thing I could say is it’s like water skiing, with a little bit more excitement and a little more unpredictability,” she said.
As Nadel stepped onto the Ridgway track and adjusted the rope in her hands, she felt her stomach turning. She’s competed before, but few things compare to the feeling of the rope going taut and launching in action. Seconds later, she cleared the first obstacle, gaining some air that almost threw her off kilter.
“It’s similar to some riding in general, it’s a huck and pray,” Nadel said.
Nadel is working to get more women involved in skijoring, especially young women who competed in sports during high school and college. Recruiting first-timers appears to be a pretty easy sell.
Lacey Andersen of Durango competed in San Juan Skijoring’s novice division for the first time last week after a friend who rides horses had their skier drop out of the competition. Andersen, a member of the ski patrol at Purgatory Resort, volunteered to fill the position without doing a single training session.
“You don’t get to do any practice runs or anything. You literally just look at the course and then your first time skiing it behind the horse is your run,” she said. The cheetah-print jacket and fringed chaps over her ski boots didn’t earn her any style points, officially, but they did help boost her confidence.
Similarly, Cam Stark had “a good friend who’s a horse person” and decided to give skijoring a shot. Before the debut run of his nascent skijoring career, the Montrose resident said he felt a little nervous, but he was hardly shaking in his faux fur coat and telemark skis. After completing the course, though, it was pure exhilaration.
“The centrifugal force around the first two turns, that’s where you really felt it,” Stark said. If the rope gets slack, there’s a feeling of whiplash when it pulls tight again, he added.
Skier Mike Ramsden of Grand Junction donned a neon green jumpsuit and partnered with his girlfriend to try skijoring for the first time. On his second run, he took a hard fall over the tips of his skis.
“That’s probably going to hurt tomorrow,” he said afterward. So would he do it again? “Absolutely.”
San Juan Skijoring was the first of several upcoming competitions in Colorado. Here’s where you can check out the action throughout the winter.
Skijoring events in Colorado 2025
Skis and Saddles: Jan. 18-19 at the Archuleta County Fairgrounds, 344 Highway 84, Pagosa Springs. Entry costs $10 for a day pass or $15 for a weekend pass. Children ages 12 and younger get in for free.
Estes Park Skijor: Jan. 24-26 at the Estes Park Event Complex, 1125 Rooftop Way, Estes Park. Entry costs $17.30 for a day pass or $28 for a weekend pass.
Silverton Skijoring: Feb. 15-16 in downtown Silverton. Entry is free.
Leadville Ski Joring: March 1-2 in downtown Leadville. Entry is free.