Mission Statement


The North American Ski Joring Association is a sanctioning body that seeks to promote safe, uniform equestrian ski joring activities.

We exist to ensure fairness, equality, and sportsmanship through criteria and membership. We are an advocate for competitors, and ensure the humane treatment of horses.


We endeavor to collaborate with race directors and promoters for the continued progression of the sport.

NORTH AMERICAN SKI JORING ASSOCIATION

 Main Entry: ski jor ing Click to Hear Ski Joring Pronunciation
Pronunciation: 'skE-"jor-i[ng], (")skE-'
Function: noun
Etymology: modification of Norwegian skikjøring, from ski + kjøring driving
: a winter sport in which a person wearing skis is drawn over snow or ice (as by a horse or vehicle)

          The sport of skijoring began several hundred years ago in Scandinavian countries as a way to travel during the long winters. Laplander's skied on Nordic skis holding the reins attached to reindeer. In the mid 1950's, skijoring found its way to North America, where ranchers attached a long rope to the saddle horn of a horse that was ridden at high speeds down a long straight-away. Currently, the sport of equestrian skijoring has become a highly specialized competitive sport, where competitors must navigate a course of jumps, gates and sometime spear rings. Competitive skijoring competitions are currently taking place in over 5 states in the USA, and in several countries worldwide. In some parts of the world, skiers are pulled behind dogs, mules and snowmobiles. Whatever the means, the sport of skijoring is growing rapidly, and is just as much fun for spectators as it is for competitors.



Image of ski joring in Lake Placid many years ago



         On April 24th, 1999, directors from almost every major skijoring organization in the Country, rendezvoused in Jackson Hole, Wyoming to begin a process that would change the sport of skijoring forever. After several follow-up meetings, the North American Ski Joring Association (NASJA) was developed. For the first time in history, equestrian skijoring became a sanctioned sport!

          NASJA was conceived because of a very basic need to consolidate existing skijoring races into a circuit where competitors can earn points that go toward a National Champion Award. By developing criteria that all NASJA sanctioned events abide by, each competitor will have an equal opportunity at becoming the official National Ski Joring Champion.

          Earning NASJA points is simple: The Championship is based on a point structure from daily runs at sanctioned races. The points from daily runs at the sanctioned races will be added to the competitor's cumulative total. The NASJA member with the most points earned at sanctioned races throughout the season will be crowned the National Ski Joring Champion at an awards ceremony held immediately following the final day of racing.



Download the 2008 Membership Form. (Requires Adobe Acrobat) If you don't have Acrobat, you can download it <<here>>.