Skijoring is coming to the Mile High City this winter, and for the first time ever, horseback riders will tow skiers through a snow course at the National Western Stock Show. It is one of two chances Denver-area residents will have to watch the sport in the metro area this winter, rather than making the usual trek to mountain towns like Leadville or Estes Park.
The stock show's inaugural Skijoring Invitational is set for January 18, 2027, and will draw an expected 50 rider-and-skier teams, according to the Denver Post. The course will be built from manmade snow along Betty Cram Drive on the west side of the grounds, between the Legacy and CSU Spur buildings, with snowmaking operations expected to begin in late November. Wes Allison, president and CEO of the National Western Stock Show, told the paper that skijoring's similarities to rodeo make it a natural addition to the event's lineup, bringing the sport from its usual mountain audiences into Denver itself.
“At Stock Show, we've never needed much of an excuse to put a horse, a rider and a little excitement together,” Allison said, describing skijoring as a Colorado sport that combines ranch horsemanship with high-country grit, per the Denver Post. Entry to the skijoring event is included in general grounds admission to the National Western Complex, which costs $31 for adults and $10 for children.
What Skijoring Actually Looks Like
For the uninitiated, skijoring involves horseback riders towing skiers and snowboarders through race courses dotted with snow obstacles, as the Denver Post reports. Competitors chase the fastest time and prize money while navigating gates, collecting rings, clearing jumps and maintaining control at speed. The sport is reported to have originated in Scandinavia and appeared at the Olympics in 1928.
Colorado already has a deep bench of skijoring events scattered across its mountain towns. San Juan Skijoring in Ridgway, an 11-year-old competition, runs January 8–10, 2027, while Silverton Skijoring, founded in 2010, is scheduled for February 13–14. Estes Park Skijor held its first event in 2025 and plans to return in 2027, and Telluride Skijoring, which debuted in 2026, also plans a repeat run next year, according to the Denver Post.
A Pro Tour Stop Lands in Aurora
Beyond the stock show, the second opportunity for Denver-area spectators comes courtesy of PRO Skijor, which is expanding into Denver and Lake Tahoe as part of its 2027 Frontier Tour. The tour's Denver-area stop is listed on PRO Skijor's own event page for February 19–21, 2027, at Bally's Arapahoe Horse Park in Aurora. The Denver Post reports the Aurora stop runs through February 21, 2027.
PRO Skijor co-founder Chris Castallo said the Frontier Tour brings horse culture, ski culture, music, food, style and community together, according to the Denver Post. The Aurora event will include a snowboarding division along with live music, food, vendors and family entertainment, and its outdoor course is expected to be built from snow. The qualifier caps entries at 220 teams, and PRO Tour divisions are scheduled to headline the main performance from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, per the event page.
Across the full Frontier Tour, PRO Skijor advertises a minimum guaranteed $300,000 in payouts covering overall first- through fourth-place finishes and fastest-time day money, with qualified teams able to chase an $80,000 guaranteed purse at the Lake Tahoe finals.
The TownLift schedule lists Bozeman, Boise/Nampa, Denver, Midway and Lake Tahoe, plus a Salt Lake City exhibition.
Tickets for the Aurora stop are on sale now, with the Denver Post reporting PRO Skijor early-bird prices ranging from $24 general admission to $76 for VIP seating.
How Denver's New Events Stack Up Against Leadville
Colorado's granddaddy of skijoring remains Leadville Ski Joring, which will mark its 79th anniversary March 6–7, 2027, according to the Denver Post. Leadville Ski Joring's own site confirms the same March 6–7 dates and says the event has been free for spectators since 1949, with races run on Historic Harrison Avenue and more than 25,000 spectators reportedly traveling to the town of roughly 2,500 people each weekend. A Rocky Mountain PBS report on last year's 78th edition said the competition draws more than 100 athletes and thousands of spectators.
