(fast paced guitar strumming over cheering)
- [Richard] From the very first time
I did a run I was hooked.
It's a competition, and my family, we're about competition.
(fast paced guitar strumming)
- When you get behind that horse,
and it doesn't matter how many years you've done it,
you're a little bit worried, you know?
Certain things can happen on that course
that could change your life forever.
(fast paced guitar strumming with drums)
(rider whoops)
(audience cheers and whistles)
Skijoring is basically down on an 800 foot track
with a horse that's towing you
going over three jumps, getting three sets of rings,
the fastest time wins.
Boom, boom, boom.
(fast paced guitar music)
Sounds relatively easy, but when you're doing
40 miles an hour behind this 1,500 pound animal,
it gets to be really exciting.
(banjo music)
- Skiers can crash, horses can crash
and anything can happen.
A lot can go wrong in 17 seconds.
(fast guitar strumming)
(slow guitar picking)
I'm fourth generation on the ranch.
(metal gate rattles)
I was on a horse for my first time at 24 hours old.
I came back from the hospital and my dad was on the horse,
and so I got thrown up on the horse with my dad,
and since then I keep on riding.
You guys ready to run?
- I've been skiing since I was two years old.
(boot ratchets)
Been racing, pi-gon skiing for 20 years.
(skis thud)
Skijoring is like no other rush you've ever had.
It is an adrenaline junky sport.
(slow electronic music)
- [Richard] You really have to work together.
It's teamwork, but you both gotta
really know what you're doing to succeed.
- We're ninth in the runaway.
- Yep.
- What we need to do is basically watch
every runner before us.
There are two different cultures in this sport.
- [Richard] You got a bunch of rednecks or hicks or ranchers
and you got a bunch of hippies.
For this event, they get together and they all get along.
- Melding them together is important
to become a full on team.
- All out.
Kick ass and take names.
- Yep.
(chuckles)
(low string music over electronic beat)