National Western Stock Show adds skijoring to 2027’s lineup
Nov 4, 2026, 3:28 PM | Updated: Nov 5, 2026, 9:39 am
Picture a horse at full gallop, a cowboy in the saddle, and a skier hanging on to a rope behind them, flying over jumps and grabbing rings at top speed. That’s skijoring, and for years Denverites have had to drive to mountain towns like Leadville and Granby to see it. Not anymore. The National Western Stock Show is adding skijoring to its lineup for the first time in its history.
The inaugural invitational is set for Monday, Jan. 18, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. About 50 rider-and-skier teams are expected to race on a course built with manmade snow along Betty Cram Drive, on the west side of the stock show grounds between The Legacy and the CSU Spur buildings. Snowmaking is set to start in late November. That means at least one part of Denver is guaranteed to get snow this winter, whether Mother Nature helps out or not.
Organizers say the event mixes the best of both Colorado worlds. “It’s got the horsemanship of the ranch and the grit of the high country, all wrapped up in one fast, wild ride,” the announcement says. “Folks have been driving hours into the mountains to watch it for years. Now we’re bringing it down to the Stock Show.”
The best part is the price. Skijoring is included with regular grounds admission, which runs $31 for adults and $10 for kids. If one run isn’t enough, the PRO Skijor Frontier Tour also stops at Bally’s Arapahoe Park in Aurora from Feb. 19 to 21, with early-bird tickets starting at $24. Two skijoring events without the I-70 traffic sounds like a winter win to us.
