Rodeo Daily

PRO Skijor Unveils America’s First-Ever Professional Skijoring Series

It's where skiing meets the spirit of the West. PRO Skijor is bringing adrenaline and a new kind of winter competition in 2026.
Lexi Gieck|
Pro Skijor

Today, PRO Skijor announced the launch of America’s first professional skijoring series. The inaugural tour will kick off in January of 2026 in Heber City, Utah, marking the start of a brand-new era for the sport.

Pioneered by Brian Gardner and Joe Loveridge, PRO Skijor was built from a shared passion for ranching, skiing, and keeping the sport of skijoring alive. Over the past several years, the duo has passionately worked hard to grow the sport, creating events that not only expand its reach but also celebrate the spirit of the West and the outdoor adventurous lifestyle that defines Utah.

Recently, that same vision shared by Gardner and Loveridge has caught the attention of Greg Lipstone, a former talent agent with William Morris and ICM, and Chris Castallo, an award-winning producer and executive whose career spans NBC, CBS, Verizon, Amazon, along with former Play Chief Operating Officer, Ben Kim. 

The Frontier Tour Experience

What started as events here and there has now been revolutionized into a tour that has five tour divisions: 

  • Pro-Open: Elite-level athletes.
  • Sport: Intermediate-level athletes.
  • Women’s: Women’s novice-to-intermediate level teams.
  • Snowboard: Novice-to-Intermediate levels competing against other snowboarders only.
  • All-Around: Cross Athletes in novice-to-intermediate levels, where teammates must make one run riding the horse and one run skiing.

Gardner and Loveridge have placed a significant emphasis on growing the sport by creating opportunities for new competitors to have fun and experience skijoring.

Those divisions include:

  • Novice Division: Open to all beginning-level participants.
  • Century: Open to all novice-to-intermediate levels, where the combined age of the horseback rider and skier must equal 100 years or greater.
  • Teen: Open to all novice-to-intermediate levels, with participants ages 13-17.
  • Lil’ Buckaroo & Ponies Only: For children 12 and under, celebrating the sport’s generational appeal.

Each stop on the tour will transform fairgrounds that host summer rodeos into snow-packed, adrenaline-filled skijoring courses. The events will bring together food, music, Western and ski vendors, and an energy that feels like nothing you’ve ever experienced.

2026 Frontier Tour Stops

Event

Location

Dates

Heber City, UT

Wasatch Events Center

January 16–17

Bozeman, MT

Gallatin County Fairgrounds

January 24–25

Logan, UT

Cache County Fairgrounds

January 30–31

Boise, ID

Ford Idaho Center

February 6–8

Driggs, ID

Teton County Fairgrounds

February 21–22

Championship Weekend

Utah State Fairpark, Salt Lake City, UT

February 27–March 1

Stay tuned to Rodeo On SI for more on the growing sport of skijoring.

More Rodeo On SI

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Lexi Gieck
LEXI GIECK

Growing up in a strong rodeo family it wasn’t until Lexi was older, that she realized her love for the western way of life and her passion for the sport of rodeo. Residing in the Pacific Northwest and finishing her senior year of college, majoring in Animal Science: Business, she has a strong passion for bucking stock and what makes those animal athletes so special. Lexi enjoys sharing the stories behind the athletes, stock contractors, and the many people who make up the sport of rodeo. When she is not working or doing homework you can find her spending time with her family or enjoying the outdoor activities the Northwest has to offer.

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