Teton Valley Skijoring

Rules & Regulations

February 24 & 25, 2024

2024

Keeping it cool

The Grand Showdown Skijoring rules are designed to create a fair, competitive event as well as to ensure safety for spectators and competitors, horse and human alike.

GENERAL RULES

  1. ALL competitors (riders, skiers, and snowboarders) MUST be present at the competitor meeting each morning in order to be allowed to compete that day.
  2. Races will start on time. Please be ready.

Horse/Rider Safety:

    1. If a horse, rider, or equipment is deemed unsafe the rider and horse can be asked to leave at any time by the Start Judges or the Head Race Official.
    2. Horses must be in sufficient physical condition to participate in the extreme sport of skijoring. The on-site veterinarian will have the authority to scratch a horse for health reasons or concerns pertaining to the safety of the horse. Any member of the organizing committee can require a horse to be examined by the veterinarian prior to racing.
    3. No person may abuse a horse while on the event premises, during the event, or at any other time. “Abuse” means an action or omission which causes or is likely to cause pain or unnecessary discomfort to a horse, including but not limited to:
      • Whipping or beating a horse excessively
      • Subjecting a horse to any kind of electric shock device
      • Using spurs excessively or persistently
      • Leaving a horse without adequate food, drink or exercise
    4. Any person witnessing an instance of abuse should report it immediately to an Event Official.
    5. All horse warm-ups will be done in the designated warm-up areas as shown on the event map.
    6. Unless otherwise announced, there will be no restrictions against horses inspecting the skijoring track. Please do not open your horse up beyond a slow lope during inspection.
    7. No horses are allowed in the event village or spectator areas.

Skier/Snowboarder Safety:

    1. All skiers and snowboarders must wear approved snow sport helmets.
    2. Protective eyewear is recommended.
    3. Protective gloves are recommended.

Minor Competitors:

    1. Any rider, skier, or snowboarder under 18 must have a Parent or Guardian sign a parental consent form. That Parent or Guardian must be present during signup AND competition.
    2. For skiers/boarders under 18, protective eyewear and helmet must be worn during competition.

Drugs

  1. All performance-enhancing drugs are prohibited and will not be tolerated. Random drug testing may take place on either day of the event. Teton Valley Skijoring will follow the protocol of our on-site veterinarian when it comes to performance-enhancing drugs.

Substitutions

  1. Are allowed for any team member (horse, skier, or rider) prior to the end of registration night on Friday at 10:00 PM. Once registration night ends, there will be NO substitutions. Substitutions for exhibition runs can be allowed if approved, but not guaranteed, by the field judges. Exhibition runs will not count towards placing.

RUN LIMITS

  • Horses:
    • Horses are limited to a maximum of 3 total runs per day across all adult divisions (Open, Sport, Novice, Snowboard, Women’s). Horses will be allowed 1 additional run per day if they also compete in the Junior division.
      • Example A: Horse A wants to enter twice in Open, once in Snowboard, and once in Junior. This is allowed.
      • Example B: Horse B wants to enter twice in Sport and twice in Women’s. This is not allowed; the horse can only run 3 times in adult divisions per day, so they will have to choose either 2 runs in Sport and 1 run in Women’s, or 1 run in Sport and 2 runs in Women’s.
    • There are also run limits within each division listed in the division criteria below.
  • Riders:
    • There is no limit to how many runs a rider has per day.
  • Skiers/snowboarders:
    • Skiers/snowboarders are limited to a maximum of 4 total runs per day.
    • There are also run limits within each division listed in the division criteria below.

DIVISION CRITERIA

  • OPEN DIVISION:
    • Teams will consist of a horse, rider, and skier.
    • Open teams are considered to be the highest skilled competitors with the fastest and most skilled horses.
    • Horses and skiers entered in the Open division cannot cross-enter in other skill level-based skiing divisions, so they cannot compete in the Sport or Novice divisions.
    • Skiers are limited to 4 entries within the Open division.
    • Horses are limited to 2 entries within the Open division.
    • Competitors cannot enter an identical team (skier, horse, rider) more than one time within the Open division.
    • There is no limit to the amount of teams allowed in this division.
  • SPORT DIVISION:
    • Teams will consist of a horse, rider, and skier.
    • Sport teams are considered to be intermediate-level skill participants.
    • Horses and skiers entered in the Sport division cannot cross-enter in other skill level-based skiing divisions, so they cannot compete in the Open or Novice divisions.
    • Skiers are limited to 3 entries within the Sport division.
    • Horses are limited to 2 entries within the Sport division.
    • Competitors cannot enter an identical team (skier, horse, rider) more than one time within the Sport division.
    • This division will be capped at 30 teams.
  • NOVICE DIVISION:
    • Teams will consist of a horse, rider, and skier.
    • Novice teams are considered to be new to the sport, beginner-level competitors riding horses that may be brand new to the sport.
    • Horses and skiers entered in the Novice division cannot cross-enter in other skill level-based skiing divisions, so they cannot compete in the Open or Sport divisions.
    • Skiers are limited to 2 entries within the Novice division.
    • Horses are limited to 2 entries within the Novice division.
    • Competitors cannot enter an identical team (skier, horse, rider) more than one time within the Novice division.
    • This division will be capped at 25 teams.
  • SNOWBOARD DIVISION:
    • Teams will consist of a horse, rider, and snowboarder.
    • Teams may be of a variety of skill levels.
    • Snowboarders are limited to 3 entries within the Snowboard division.
    • Horses are limited to 2 entries within the Snowboard division.
    • Horses entered in the Snowboard division can also compete in any other division.
    • Competitors cannot enter an identical team (boarder, horse, rider) more than one time within the Snowboard division.
    • This division will be capped at 25 teams.
  • WOMEN’S DIVISION:
    • This division is offered to teams where both the rider and skier are female. Horses may be of any gender.
    • Teams will consist of a horse, rider, and skier.
    • Teams may be of a variety of skill levels.
    • Skiers are limited to 2 entries within the Women’s division.
    • Horses are limited to 2 entries within the Women’s division.
    • Horses entered in the Women’s division can also compete in any other division.
    • Competitors cannot enter an identical team (skier, horse, rider) more than one time within the Women’s division.
    • This division will be capped at 10 teams.
  • JUNIOR DIVISION:
    • This division is offered to teams including kids ages 13 and under.
    • Teams will consist of a horse, rider, and skier OR snowboarder.
    • In order to be eligible for awards, BOTH the rider and skier/boarder must be age 13 or younger.
    • We welcome mixed adult/kid teams competing for the experience, though teams including a participant aged 14 or older will not be eligible for awards.
    • This division will be capped at 10 teams.
  • A note on division selection:
    • The Open, Sport, and Novice divisions are skill level-based skiing divisions. For these, the skier and horse/rider are trusted to choose the division of competition most in line with their skill level.
    • A team, skier, and/or horse/rider is not required to advance to the next class if they win their division; however, they should use their best judgment with consideration to good sportsmanship. If a competitor chooses not to move up and they win a division more than once, they must be able to take grief from other competitors for not moving up.

PENALTIES/DISQUALIFICATIONS

  1. Start Line:
    • If the skier/snowboarder drops the rope BEFORE crossing the start line when the rider and horse have clearly started down the track, the team will be allowed a restart. If the skier/snowboarder drops the rope on the second attempt to start, the team will be disqualified for that run.
    • Horses must stay clear of the skier starting area as the timing equipment will be buried there; any interference with the timing equipment will constitute a disqualification.
    • The Sparby Rule: Each team is allowed 3 minutes to complete staging and begin their run. After the allotted time has expired the team will be asked to leave the staging area. They will be allowed to roll to a position further down the order and will have one more chance to start successfully at that time or they will be disqualified for that run.
  2. Finish Line:
    • Skiers/snowboarders must finish with rope in hand and have at least one ski or snowboard on when crossing the finish line.
    • Horses must stay clear of the skier finish line as the timing equipment will be buried there; any interference with the timing equipment will constitute a disqualification.
  3. Gates:
    • For skiers, both ski tips and both boots must go around a gate, or the gate is considered missed.
    • For snowboarders, the entire snowboard must go cleanly around a gate or the gate will be considered missed.
    • There will be a 3-second penalty added for every missed gate.
  4. Rings:
    • There will be a 1-second bonus deducted for every caught ring.
    • You must carry rings through the finish to get the bonus.
  5. Protests:
    • Protests must be voiced by the skier/boarder or rider to the Finish Judge or Head Race Official BEFORE THE START OF THE NEXT RUN. The Head Race Official will have the final ruling before the start of the next run.
    • Any competitor has the right to throw a flag before the next run begins if they believe that the previous team has a penalty that wasn’t called and the Head Race Official will assess.
    • If a gate is missed that isn’t flagged, competitors have the right to protest that night with “clear, 100% footage” to assess a penalty for the missed gate. A unanimous decision must be reached by the protest committee for a penalty to be assessed. This rule is put in place to keep competition fair, and integrity at the highest level. Any competitor can “call out” any other team.
    • Protests must be made at the event site by 6:00 PM on Saturday night for Saturday’s runs, or within 10 minutes of the last run’s completion on Sunday night for Sunday’s runs. Protests after this time will not be heard.
    • If a penalty is assessed at the race and a protest is lost, that call will not be changed.
  6. The following will result in a disqualification:
    • Infraction of any state or federal law which exists pertaining to the exhibition, care, and custody of horses within the state or country
    • Abuse of an animal on the track and/or evidence that an act of abuse has occurred at any time on the Teton County Fairgrounds premises
    • Failure to dismount and/or present horse and equipment to any official or Veterinarian

RACE EQUIPMENT

  • Ropes:
    • Teton Valley Skijoring will provide several ropes available for competitors to use, though competitors are allowed to bring their own ropes.
    • Any rope not supplied by Teton Valley Skijoring must be inspected and approved by the Start Master or their designee prior to the start of the race.
    • Ropes should be 33 feet in length.
    • Ropes must be 3/8” or larger in diameter.
    • Handles are not permitted on ropes.
    • Knots are not permitted on ropes.
    • Attachments to the saddle:
      • Attachment must be to the saddle horn or behind the saddle.
      • If the attachment is behind the saddle it must be secured to the primary rigging rings of the saddle by a non-elastic attachment so that the pulling rope (including quick release, if in use) is within 6 inches of the cantle. Prior to the race, the Start Master, or his designee may inspect any attachment to the saddle. Attachments found that are longer than 6 inches will require the competitor to fix the length or a disqualification for that run will occur.
      • Quick release shackles are highly recommended.
  • Electronic timing and backup timing will be provided to ensure accurate competition times.

SPORTSMANSHIP

Good sportsmanship is important to the success of every event. Registration signature pledges a competitor’s word to the humane treatment of their horse and respectful relationships to all fellow competitors and volunteers hosting this exciting competition. Failure to comply with the spirit of friendly competition at any of the scheduled events may result in the disqualification of your team or banishment from future competitions.

Contact Us

Call Us

208.821.5037

Mailing

PO BOX 729
Victor, Idaho 83455

Email Us

 

Neal Stobaugh

[email protected]

Board President

EVENT Location

Teton County Fairgrounds
Driggs, ID 83455

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