Snow Motion Classic brings skijoring back to Birds Hill Park

Bird’s Hill Park

Winnipeg

Winnipeg

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This article was published 12/02/2025 (328 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Manitoba winters can lead to cabin fever for both humans and dogs. But an upcoming event will give four-legged friends and their owners a chance to unleash some pent-up energy.

The Snow Motion Classic, the premier event of Snow Motion, Winnipeg’s winter dog sports club, is set to run Sunday, Feb. 16 in Birds Hill Park. This will be the 12th edition of the event, which is held every two years and this year’s version will feature kick-sledding and skijoring races, separated into classes of one-dog and two-dog teams over circuits of three, five or eight kilometres around the park’s Area No. 1 trail.

Skijoring, in which competitors race on skis while clutching reins attached to either horses, ponies or dogs, originated in Scandinavia, and the recreational activity has grown exponentially in the last 28 years since Snow Motion was founded.

Snow Motion is the largest club of its kind in this part of Canada. It was also the first — founded by journalist Susie Strachan in 1997, who was captivated by the activity after she had written about it for work.

“I formed the club because I was looking for company on the trails,” she said. “I was, at the time, the only person who was trying to skijor with my dog. And I thought, ‘I love this. Why don’t other people learn to love it as well?’”

Now, the club has approximately 75 members, with some competing internationally, and the local circuit sees competitors come to compete from as far as the Maritimes.

“So today, I’ve got tons of company,” Strachan said. “We can get out there, the dogs all have a great time together, the people enjoy each other’s company, and putting on an event like this is just a chance to celebrate that community.”

“What I like is the partnership between me and my dog,” she said, referring to her Australian shepherd, Pippin.

“Dogs really, really like pulling humans around. If you’ve got a dog on a leash, they’re pulling you down the sidewalk like crazy … So we put the harness on Mr. Pip, you tell him we’re going skiing, and he gets all excited. And if you’ve ever seen anybody with a dog in harness, they’re barking, and they’re bouncing up and down … they’re so crazy about pulling their human.”

The circuits are open to dogs of all shapes and sizes. Strachan said she sees the tiniest Jack Russells to the largest of huskies, and every breed in between. The German pointer has become the most popular breed in recent years.

People of all ages and skill levels will be taking part, as well, as long as they’re mobile enough to keep up with the dogs. The only rule? Don’t let go.

“You don’t want to fall off the sled of a bunch of racing dogs, because they’ll just keep going,” Strachan said, with a laugh. Border collies and shepherds will realize their owner is missing, but huskies will just take off like rockets, she said.

Entries close on Feb. 12, but anyone interested in watching is welcome to attend. Races are scheduled to begin at 10 a.m., and awards are expected to be presented at around noon, dogs and weather permitting.

Snow Motion holds beginner intake lessons each fall, which gives beginners a taste of the sport and trains both people and dogs in the skills needed to start.

Strachan says that, while the Snow Motion Classic, hasn’t been postponed due to weather in the past, any announcements to that effect will be posted to Snow Motion’s Facebook page.

The Snow Motion Classic is predominately organized by volunteers.

For more information, visit snowmotion.ca