High-flying, horse-towed ‘Skijor’ is coming to downtown Calgary
Born in the backyards of bored ranchers and farmers, the skijor features horses towing skiers, snowboarders, and really anything on skis
Participants call it the “fastest growing winter sport in North America.” While that’s a difficult claim to prove, it’s certainly one of the fastest.
“A few weeks ago we were clocked at 45 to 57 kilometres an hour down Banff Ave,” says Skijor Canada organizer Sam Mitchell. “So that’s about our speed out there!”
A cowboy culture-infused prairie party sport—skijoring—is part water skiing, part horseback riding, and all style, and this weekend you can witness the spectacle yourself in Calgary.
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Born in the backyards of bored ranchers and farmers, the skijor features horses towing skiers, snowboarders, and really anything on skis.
In recent years, though, the sport has caught the attention of some of the most talented freestyle skiers and boarders in Canada and now features several annual competitive events full of highly technical acrobatics in addition to speed.
And perhaps the most recognizable part of Skijordue, the event that will take over the Confluence historic site in downtown Calgary February 15 and 16, is the fashion—and the cheese.
“Any time anybody lets me eat a bowl of cheese for dinner, I’m in,” Mitchell explains.
“So I was sitting there thinking about doing some skijoring and some fondue, and I came up with the name ‘Skijordue,’ and it stuck.”
After years of being held on a ranch south of the city near Millarville, Skijordue, a premier annual skijor event, is being held at the Confluence as part of the annual Chinook Blast winter festival.
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Due to construction at Olympic Plaza, many of the 2025 Chinook Blast events are being moved to nearby Stephen Avenue. (Image credit: Connor O’Donovan | The Weather Network)
This year, it will feature 20 teams made up of horses and riders from across Western Canada. They’ll compete for top speed, best tricks, and more. Spectators can get in on the action too, with awards for best style. Onlookers need only look to Skijor veterans like Mitchell for inspiration.
Skijor style (and fondue) on display at the 2019 Skijordue. (Image credit: Skijor Canada)
“I think everybody likes to dress up; you just need a reason, but you’ve only got one Halloween a year,” Mitchell says.
“And a lot of us have all these great vintage clothes, and I think the juxtaposition of the old ranch wear, the fringe and fur, with the modern spandex and goggles—it’s an excuse to be a little wacky, and that’s how the whole thing started with Skijordue.”
Style awards will be given to those best dressed in “best western,” “fusion,” and “eurotrash” categories. There will also be an “après-ski festival,” featuring fondue-centric food truck offerings and local craft beer and spirits.
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Skijordue is just one of many events featured in the ongoing Chinook Blast festival, which is now in its fifth year.
The festival aims to embrace Calgary’s coldest (and longest) season by giving Calgarians a reason to head outside for experiences that only winter has to offer.
In addition to a general exhibition of the sport and competitions awarding speed and acrobatics, Skijordue features the alpine lounge race, where participants race on modified loveseats complete skis and coffee tables, with the goal of crossing the finish line while still holding onto everything they started the race with. (Image credit: Skijor Canada)
“It’s really a celebration of the best things in Calgary in the winter. It’s hard to get people out in the winter, so we’re giving them lots of reasons to get out and have some fun,” said Chinook Blast organizer Jeffrey Hessel.
“We really want to showcase local—local sports, performers, displays, and retail—all of those different things all in one season.”
You can find tickets for Skijordue online and a schedule for all of the Chinook Blast events on the festival website.