Okay, friends — gather ’round, because if you’re in northern New Mexico this winter and you haven’t yet added Red River’s Ski Joring to your calendar, you may be missing out on the most gloriously unpredictable sport this side of Taos weather.
For those who don’t speak ski-town dialect, ski joring (pronounced “SKI-joring”) is exactly what it sounds like: a skier on skis being pulled at ridiculous speeds by a horse across snow, through gates, over jumps, and straight into the crowd’s collective astonishment. It’s like someone said, “Hey — what if rodeo and skiing had a baby?” and the mountains said, “Hold my coffee."
This year, the event returns January 31–February 1, 2026 in downtown Red River, transforming a snow-packed Main Street into a full-on winter arena of hoof power, ski power, and sheer adrenaline.
A Little History (So You Sound Smart When You Tell Everyone About It)
Ski joring itself is a sport with roots way older than your favorite snowboard brand — dating back to people being pulled on skis by horses or reindeer as a practical way to get around snowy landscapes before it became a spectacle.
But in Red River, this isn’t just some random winter fad — it’s a revived local tradition that’s been electrifying visitors and locals alike for years. While the sport has shown up in various places over the last decade, Red River’s version melds Western heritage with winter sport in a way that’s uniquely New Mexican — think cowboy meets skier meets “did that just happen?”
And I’ll tell you what: there’s nothing quite like watching a horse bolt down snow-packed streets with a skier in tow while the crowd cheers like this is the Super Bowl of winter chaos — because, honestly, it kind of is.
Look, I love Taos weather chaos as much as the next person (I live here, remember?), but ski joring in Red River? That’s the kind of winter energy that makes you throw your gloves in the air and shout, “Only in New Mexico.”
This isn’t just a sport — it’s a statement. It’s horsepower, snow, cowboy boots next to ski boots, and maybe a hot cocoa or two (ok, three) afterward. If you’re anywhere within a reasonable drive this weekend — and by reasonable I mean “you could definitely outrun a snowstorm to get there” — you need to check it out.
Don’t just hear about it later. Go. Watch. Cheer. Maybe learn what a “skijor” actually sounds like (hint: impressive). Then come back and tell me which horse looked like it had more fun than your last ski run.
