A Comment about The Maine Spirit Blog
Tuesday, March 8, 2022
The Great Fire -- Portland, Maine -- July 4, 1866
Friday, March 4, 2022
In Celebration of the Horse -- Maine Equestrian -- Skijoring in 2022 by Dr. Kelsey Hilton
If you would like to know more about this event join the Facebook group "Skijor Maine."
The 4th annual Skijor Skowhegan competition took place this year on Feb
26, 2022, with 27 teams competing in
the "Pro" Division, 12 teams competing in the Novice Division and 7
teams in the Novice Junior Division. A team is made up of a horseback rider, a
horse, and a skier/ snowboarder. Each team has two opportunities to complete a course of obstacles and
the team that does it in the quickest time, wins
the race for their division. Pro teams are generally the fastest, and the pro
skiers are expected to complete jumps
and navigate around whisker gates, while novice skiers are required to complete
the whisker gates and sometimes
rollers. This year, we additionally provided rings which could be collected by the skier for a bonus of 0.5 seconds
taken off the total time. A penalty of 5 seconds is added to the time if the skier misses a gate or a jump
that is required, and skiers must cross the finish line on at least one ski to complete the course.
5-6, 2022. The Maine skijoring community was very excited
to welcome another
event this year to the lineup, Topsham
Skijoring which took place at the Topsham
fairgrounds on February
12.
I have been involved on the planning committee for
Skijor Skowhegan with the organizers, Mary Haley,
and Main Street Skowhegan, since the first event in 2019. The first event was
held at Eaton Mountain and was chosen
in part due to the convenience of having a snowcat groomer already present at the mountain. However, we found
it challenging to manage the excited crowds
of spectators and create a safe environment for a suitable course,
so we were very excited when the following year the Hight family,
who owns and manages the Skowhegan Fairgrounds, agreed to support
us in holding it there.
Holding the competitions on the standardbred racetrack allows us to utilize
fencing and grandstands and parking that are already
present, as well as provides
a nice flat canvas on which to create a course.
Sugarloaf Mountain
has been integral
in producing professional quality courses and their park crew have brought a snowcat to the fairgrounds for this purpose.
Holding an event like this in the wintertime is an
incredible feat, not just because of the logistics of plowing and sanding and salting the parking, but also the incredible effect
that the weather
can have on track
conditions. The horses are required to have studded shoes or boots for traction
but even so, the safety of animals
and competitors comes first, and we watch the weather with trepidation in the
last few days before a competition.
As the veterinarian on hand for the competition, as well as a horseback rider, safety matters! Additionally, Riders, skiers, horses, volunteers, and spectators alike could be greeted with a 60-degree day or be dealing
with 10-degree winds and a snowstorm as has happened
in past years.
However, I think this sport appeals well to the spirit of Maine people;
many of us truly enjoy the challenge and unpredictability of what the day will bring.
Those interested in getting involved
in western style skijoring in Maine should
consider joining the Facebook
group "Skijor Maine" where many informational videos and photos and
rules have been posted as well as the Skijor America
or Skijor USA websites.
Sunday, January 30, 2022
The Story of Nelson 4209 by Young Rolfe, Dam Gretchen -- Bred & Trained by C.H. Nelson, Proprietor of Sunnyside Farm on the Oakland Road in Waterville, Maine
Click on the banner image to get a better view and then right click on the image to open in a new tab. Doing this will allow you to read each page and view images.
The Winner's Circle at First Tracks Cumberland & Hall of Fame Recipients
Click on the banner image to get a better view and then right click on the image to open in a new tab. Doing this will allow you to read each page and view images.
Horse Competitions at Maine Agricultural Fairs
Click on the banner image to get a better view and then right click on the image to open in a new tab. Doing this will allow you to read each page and view images.
Famous American Trotting Horses including Maine's Mac and Hopeful
Click on the banner image to get a better view and then right click on the image to open in a new tab. Doing this will allow you to read each page and view images.
Saturday, January 29, 2022
Incorporation Dates of Maine's Agricultural Societies
Click on the banner image to get a better view and then right click on the image to open in a new tab. Doing this will allow you to read each page and view images.