Skijoring in Banff: Meet the Riders, Sliders & Builders Behind the Thrill

It’s winter in Banff, the main street is packed, and music is pumping.

The next thing you know, a horse and rider whiz by at 50 miles an hour, towing a skier clad in a vintage one-piece and cowboy chaps.

Hurtling off a jump, the skier lets go of the rope and flies 15 feet in the air before landing right on Banff Avenue.

This is Skijoring.

For two days during the SnowDays Festival, downtown Banff will be turned into an unforgettable terrain park for an event you don’t want to miss.

The combination of elite ski and snowboard athletes and champion equestrians creates as much excitement as you can get - especially if you understand what it takes to pull it off.

Here's a behind the scenes look at the instigator, course builders, and aerial skiers and snowboarders at Skijoring in Banff, so you know who to cheer for.

A New Spin on an Old Tradition

A century ago, skijoring events were held as part of Banff’s Winter Carnival, with skiers pulled by horses, ponies, dogs, and even motorcycles.

Today’s rendition sees horse riders going top speeds to launch athletes off jumps big enough for back flips.

But, big air doesn’t come easily in skijoring.

It takes skillful course-building to lay the groundwork, as well as a blend of talents of both “riders” on horses and “sliders” on skis and snowboards to pull off a world-class show.

The Instigator: Sam Mitchell

Sam Mitchell grew up infused in both ski and ranch culture, but one day realized she didn’t have to choose: she could do both through skijoring.

What began as a fun event with friends soon grew into a sought-after skijoring competition hosted near Banff, in Millarville, Alberta.

Founded by Sam in 2017, Skijor Canada is now known as the nation’s leader in exhibiting the sport—and for launching it to new heights.

According to Sam, Skijor Canada was the first to include aerial jumps and trick riding.

“Before us, it was just a straight shot track with gates, rings, and ramp jumps. Some of the American sliders were catching air but not inverting.”

Bringing the event to Banff is a dream for Sam, who says, it’s “the perfect place to mash up the ski and cowboy cultures.”

As for the wild outfits that have become a mainstay of the event, you can credit Sam and her fashion sense for that.

Keep an eye out for her at SnowDays where she’ll be patrolling on horseback to make sure everything goes off without a hitch.

The Course Builders: Claire and Michael Perks

Based on an acreage outside of Okotoks, near Calgary, Canada, Claire and Michael Perks run Little Monkey Metal Works.

But these two also come from different worlds that blend perfectly for what’s required for their moonlighting as Skijoring course designers.

Claire grew up on a ranch and coins herself a cowgirl while Michael was an ex-ski racer who grew up in a ski family and has deep roots at the Lake Louise Ski Area, particularly in snowmaking.

“I've always designed the course from the horse’s standpoint thinking, what can we make the riders do?” says Claire.

“And then Michael looks at it from the skier’s standpoint.” Horse and athlete safety are paramount.

While building a course on Banff Avenue presents its challenges, it also creates a unique venue for the event, with Cascade Mountain backdropping the aerial elements.

A team works quickly once the street is closed to vehicles, bringing in truckloads of snow and building in stages.

First the base, then the jumps, which must set before they are carved into shape.

“It’s like building a World Cup downhill, only it’s in the centre of Banff,” says Michael.

His goal is that spectators don’t notice the snow. “I've done a good job if nobody knows who I am,” he says.

As for Claire, she’ll also be riding in the event. But don’t blink, she’s known for going really, really fast.

Aerial Skiers & Snowboarders: Michael Brush and Cole Carey

Michael Brush and Cole Carey are two of several skiers and snowboarders who will be hucking off jumps at Skijoring in Banff.

Both hailing from ski families in Panorama, British Columbia, these skiers were brand new to the sport when they first gripped the rope behind the horse.

An original crew member for the Banff skijoring events, Michael is a competitive freestyle/ slopestyle skier, and a freestyle coach. Though he had no idea what he was getting into with skijoring, he quickly found out it would be the wild west of freestyle skiing—and he loved it.

“When we're hitting that jump, we have no gauge of the speed that we’ve got, getting pulled into it,” says Michael. In time, he has fine-tuned his approach by letting go of the rope early, if need be.

Michael loves to be upside down, so look out for his backflip. He may also up the ante with a Cork 720—a flip with a 360-degree twist.

Cole is a competitive freestyle mogul skier with his eyes on the Olympics one day. For the skijoring event, he’ll be bringing some elements from moguls, such as backflips, a 360, and grabs. He was recruited to skijoring by Michael, who used to coach him and knew it would be right up his alley.

“It’s the best of both worlds,” Cole says, adding that his family used to have horses and he prides himself in being the first fourth-generation volunteer at the Calgary Stampede.

But a love of horses couldn’t have prepared him for the first time he was towed into a jump. “The horse doesn't have a speedometer,” he says, echoing Michael’s comments about what it takes to launch with any accuracy. “It’s the toughest part,” he says, “but that’s what makes it fun.”

Be Part of the Thrill

Skijoring is one of many events in Banff and Lake Louise through SnowDays Festival and SnowNights, including Snow Sculptures, Ice Magic, and the Play Zone.

Book your stay now and witness the thrill in person.