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Recap: Skijoring, day two

in Outlaw Partners
Recap: Skijoring, day two
Aaron Griffin launches over the fire feature in the open division PHOTO BY BELLA BUTLER
Tucker Harrisby Tucker Harris
February 7, 2022

Best of the West skijoring catches fire


By Tucker Harris EBS STAFF

Winter Fest is an Outlaw Partners event. Outlaw Partners publishes Explore Big Sky.

BIG SKY – Phoebe Alverson gracefully swings around the turn feature on her skis, pulled by her older sister Fiona on horseback during the “switcheroo” segment of Big Sky Skijoring. It’s called “switcheroo” because Phoebe rode the horse on Day 1 pulling Fiona on skis.

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At just 14, Phoebe is one of the youngest competitors at the Best of the West competition, the featured event of the inaugural Winter Fest in Big Sky. The Alverson sisters would go on to win third place overall for the weekend in the women’s division and place fifth place in the switcheroo division.

After bracing bitter cold winds on Saturday, the sun came out for a few hours keeping the spectators warm and rowdy on Sunday afternoon. Skier, horse and rider trios were seeking both redemption and speed to close out the second day of competition and clinch their respective division victories.

  • The Alverson Family
    L – R: Dennis, Phoebe (14), Fiona (16)
    PHOTO BY TUCKER HARRIS
  • Little ones compete in the pony stick race during a brief intermission
    PHOTO BY BELLA BUTLER
  • Melissa Ostrander on “The War Pony” pulls skier RJ Klotz
    PHOTO BY BELLA BUTLER

Phoebe, Fiona and father Dennis competed in Big Sky this weekend across multiple divisions: women’s, sport, switcheroo, snowboard and open classes. They travel to Boulder, Montana next weekend as the skijoring tour continues.

But the Alversons love coming to Big Sky.

“[Big Sky’s event] is really well put together, and I love the course too.” Phoebe said. “This event usually has more spectators than others, too.”

And the carefully curated track complete with berms and jumps also allowed skijoring viewers an intimate view of the competitors.

“This course is definitely spectator-friendly,” Dennis said.

Day two featured a special guest to welcome the final Open Class division: Olympic and World Champion gold medalist Bode Miller rigged himself up on skis behind a large draft horse from Lone Mountain Ranch to give his best shot at skijoring for the first time. The crowd gave him some hometown love as he successfully maneuvered the course.

The Open Class competitors came to play. Two-time National Champion and one of the event organizers, Colin Cook, literally turned up the heat up by igniting a flame under one of the larger course features. Open division skiers flew over the flame as they rounded the turn in front of VIP section spectators. The crowd went wild, ringing their cowbells and cheering the top competitors on as they closed out the event in Big Sky.

The awards ceremony at Tips Up saw cash prizes for both day winners and the overall champions. The overall winners received belt buckles in addition to cash. Rider Sarah McConnell and Skier Tyler Smedsrud teamed up with their horse Derby to bring home the winning open division prize of more than $2,500.

Event organizer Justa Adams gave a nod to organizers Lone Mountain Ranch and Outlaw Partners, publisher of EBS newspaper, for their efforts.

“Outlaw was huge,” Adams said at the awards ceremony. “They took it to the next level. Colin and Patrick [with LMR] spent innumerable hours in the dark … creating the perfect course.”

Adams closed out the night with an appreciation for the crowds that showed up for the mid-winter weekend events. “Thank you to all of you for coming and spending the weekend with us,” she said. “We appreciate all of you.”

  • Bode Miller successfully tries skijoring before the open division begins
    PHOTO BY BELLA BUTLER
  • Tyler Smedsrud and Sarah McConnell take home first place belt buckles in the open division
    PHOTO BY TUCKER HARRIS
  • Aaron Griffin launches over the fire feature in the open division
    PHOTO BY BELLA BUTLER

OVERALL RESULTS

OPEN DIVISION

PLACERIDER/SKIER
1Sarah McConnell, Tyler Smedsrud
2Richard Weber, Colin Cook
3Richard Weber, Lang Schuler

SPORT DIVISION

PLACERIDER/SKIER
1Cal Douglas, Ed Anderson
2Trae McInroe, Tara Hines
3Dennis Alverson, Nick Becker

SNOWBOARD DIVISION

PLACERIDER / SKIER
1Richard Weber, Kalei Pitcher
2Monica Plecker, Kalei Pitcher
3Jennifer Butler, Kalei Pitcher

WOMENS DIVISION

PLACERIDER/SKIER
1Melissa Ostrander, Tara Hines
2Sarah McConnell, Tara Hines
3Fiona Alverson, Phoebe Alverson

SWITCHEROO DIVISION

PLACERIDER/SKIER
1Aaron Griffin, Nick Bentley
2Tyler Smedsrud, Nick Bentley
3Dennis Alverson, Aaron Griffin

NOVICE DIVISION

PLACERIDER/SKIER
1Matty Kirkland, Drew Vanyo
2Kristyn MacDonald, Dan Marion
3Caileen Boisvert, Kayla Seaman

JUNIOR DIVISION

PLACERIDER/SKIER
1Makenze Woodring, Dayne Free
2Makenze Woodring, Trippe Tubbs
3Anna Putnam, Carolme Putnam
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