Duckworth Montana Classic Skijoring Event Comes to Bozeman
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Bozeman, Mont. — The dramatic sport of skijoring comes to Bozeman on January 23-24, 2016, as the country’s top competitors compete in Bozeman’s first-ever sanctioned event – the Duckworth Montana Classic at Gallatin Regional Park.
The debut Bozeman race features a snow-covered 1000-foot race course requiring the teamwork of a skilled horseman pulling a skier with a 33-foot rope. The course is a combination of slalom gates, four-to-five foot jumps and rings that the skier must grab, testing the skier’s technical skills at speeds reaching 40 mph.
Skijoring behind a horse originated as a method of winter travel, but today the competitive sport is growing in regions where horses and skiing are a still a way of life. Skijoring was an official demonstration sport in the 1928 Winter Olympics in St. Moritz, and the famous White Turf event in Switzerland has been running since 1906, with over 35,000 spectators attending over 3 days.
The first American races were held in Leadville and Steamboat Springs, Colorado, as well as Whitefish, Montana, over 50 years ago. Those races continue today and are part of the Skijor America’s sanctioned tour.
A select group of Montana companies are committed to supporting this one-of-a-kind gathering of cowboys and skiers, a cultural meeting point of our agricultural heritage with sport and athletic performance.
Over 60 competitors from New Mexico to Canada have already signed up to compete in the Duckworth Montana Classic, which takes place January 23-24 at the Gallatin Regional Park.
For more, visit www.duckworthco.com
