Send It Skijoring in Skowhegan!
Kristina Cannon, Main Street Skowhegan & Mary Haley, MXH Marketing
Skijor Skowhegan - Credit (above and on home page): Main Street Skowhegan/Jonathan Wheaton
We are embracing mid-winter with a giant Yeti hug again this week over here on Guides Gone Wild!
Repeat listeners will recognize one of the voices - Kristina Cannon of Main Street Skowhegan is back today with her marketing maven sidekick Mary Haley of MXH Marketing, and we are talking skijoring, and Somerset SnowFest FUN!
Downhill Kayak Race - Credit: Main Street Skowhegan/Jonathan Wheaton
Equestrian skijoring is a big hit out west, but it was a novelty on the east coast when bright eyed and bushy tailed Mary Haley proposed proposed it to Main Street Skowhegan in 2018. Her proposal was initially met with blank stares, but they wound up going for it, even though none of them had heard of it before, and 2019 marked the start of what’s now the annual Skijor Skowhegan race--the first one to ever happen in Maine!
Skijor Skowhegan is an action-packed event, with tons of spectators jammed into the Skowhegan State Fairgrounds cheering on over 50 teams - each made up of one person on a horse, and the other on skis or snowboard being towed behind, as they fly at speeds up to 35 mph along a 1000-foot course, navigating gates, jumps, and collecting ring points. Yes, it’s as bonkers as it sounds.
And best of all, Skijor Skowhegan and a bunch of other fun events are ideally placed over the weekend that bridges school vacations for Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont and who knows how many more states, so pile those little and big buggers into the car and get ready for some ultimate winter fun in Skowhegan!
Kids Box Sled Derby - Credit: Main Street Skowhegan/Jonathan Wheaton
(Or better yet, hop onto the skijoring Facebook page, find yourself a partner and sign up on the sly - give the kids something to brag to their friends about, you badass, you! Just promise me you’ll walk the course with Mary beforehand….)
Skijor Skowhegan is coming up on February 25, 2023, but you don’t have to wait until then to sample all the fun, the Somerset SnowFest kicks off February 17th and runs through February 26th. Get more details by visiting SomersetSnowfest.org, or Skijorskowhegan.org, or best of all, just listen in now!
Some more quickie links to skijoring (and skijoring-adjacent) fun!:
Weston Woods and Waters (Madison, ME)
Lakewood Golf Course (Madison, ME)