Offbeat winter sports: Ski Joring

By Jacqueline Tourville

Your family may know how to ski, skate, and sled. But what about Nordic skating, ski joring, and dog sledding? Give outdoor winter fun a jolt of fresh air this January by checking out these off-the-beaten path cold weather sports.

SKI JORING

Just what is ski joring, you ask? You know when you take the dog the walk after a long day and he is practically pulling you down the street? Imagine you are on skis and tied to your dog by a rope around your waist and you have a pretty accurate picture of what this off-beat winter sport entails. Though no one is quite sure exactly when ski joring originated, the term comes from a Norwegian word that means ski driving.

Brooke Smith from the North American Ski Joring Association fills us in about ski joring in New Hampshire:

What options are there for being pulled along in ski joring?

Ski joring is a method of being pulled on skis by a dog or dogs, a horse, or even a snowmobile. It is said that in Scandinavia the natives used it as a way of travel in the long snowy winters, only they used reindeer.

What kinds of skills does the sport require?

Skiing at an intermediate level or better is recommended (and may matter more than age). We have seen kids as young as 5 years old be pulled by a really good, calm horse.

Where can NH families go to learn the sport?

On Jan. 7, interested families should try to attend our Ski Joring Clinic, hosted by Myhre Equestrian Center in Rochester. This is a great way for the beginner to learn all about ski joring and really get a feel for what is involved (families can attend as spectators or auditors of the clinic). We also have two competitions that spectators are welcome to attend: one on Jan 21 and 22 in New London and the other is in Newport on Feb. 11 and 12.

Local Resource:

North American Ski Joring Association

1429 King Hill Rd.

New London 03257

667-3774

http://nasja.com