February 7, 2023 |
The 7th Annual Saratoga Skijoring race was a huge success, thanks in part to all the heavy snow the region has received this year.
Competition was fierce Saturday with over 100 teams vying for fastest times at the Buck Springs Arena. Event organizer Richard Raymer said he didn’t have the final attendance figures but around 1,000 people in total attended the two-day event.
Pictured above: The largest jump in the 2023 Saratoga Skijoring course. Photo courtesy Saratoga Skijoring/Facebook.
Horse related winter sports are not a new concept for the town. Raymer said the Saratoga Lion’s Club hosted chariot races for nearly four decades before dwindling numbers made the games no longer economically viable.
Raymer said the Lion’s Club chariot races and other winter events such as the ice fishing derby bring tourist money into the town. The event organizer said skijoring is a way to fill the gap left when the chariot races stopped.
Higher than average snowfall this winter benefited the event. Raymer said the snowpack at Buck Springs Arena allowed staff to construct a more challenging track.
More snow meant the track had a larger jump than in past years. Will Faust, another Saratoga Skijoring organizer, suffered significant injuries was unable to clear the distance during a run. Raymer explained what happened.
Raymer said he didn’t know the final extent of Faust’s injuries, except to say he suffered several fractures. Despite the accident, Raymer said he takes safety very seriously.
Team scoring is based on the fastest overall time around the track, minus penalties. Raymer said two Colorado racers won first and second place by using two different horses. The event organizer said TJ Simmons and Kevin Wilder also won money on the second day of races.
Raymer and his horse Ringo, towing skier Craig Kopasz, came fifth overall, the highest place out of all the local Carbon County competitors.
Raymer said the event attracts people from a large swath of the country. He said Saratoga’s race is a major event on the region’s skijoring calendar.
Raymer said Saratoga Skijoring could easily expand to host more than 100 races. The event organizer said they limit the number of competitors to keep volunteers from becoming overworked during the weekend event.
For a complete list of race winners, visit the Saratoga Skijoring Facebook page or saratogaskijoring.com.
