April 8, 2025 • 31 mins
Ever heard of skijoring?? We hadn’t either until two Colorado State students explained the sport that began out of practicality and has grown into an entire experience in mountain towns across the west. Marley and Megan, plus their trusty steed, Apollo, explain how they got into a sport that involves being towed over jumps behind a horse, the most shocking thing about being young women in this male-dominated space, and their best advice to those of us looking to try something new. Let us know what you think of this episode of The PowHERful in the comments!
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hello, friends, and welcome to the Powerful Podcast. I'm your
host Aja McCord.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
In this podcast, we introduce you to powerful women who
are changing the game in and.
Speaker 1 (00:09):
Outside of their field of play.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
These are women's stories, women who happen to be doing
things that many of us can only dream of, but
the lessons and inspiration they share is universal.
Speaker 1 (00:21):
Welcome back to the Powerful Podcast, you guys, I cannot
wait to introduce you to a sport that is pretty
new to me and getting more popular by the second.
This is a sport called skijoring, which is basically where
a skier gets towed behind a horse and has to
do jumps and find rings and it's fascinating. It has
origins in Europe, but there are two young college students
(00:43):
in Colorado, Marley and Meghan, who are just learning how
to do this sport. It's gaining popularity and they are
on the forefront of it. Two young women trying out
a new sport in a very male dominated sport, and
it's so cool to learn about this through their eyes,
to get excited about something new. I hope you guys
liked this episode and get on ski shoring TikTok, y'all,
(01:04):
because that is how I found these guests, and I
am so happy that I did. All right, so right now,
I'm going to introduce you to a brand new sport
which is well new to us. It's actually a very
old sport in the history of the world, but it's
called ski during, which is basically where you get towed
on skis behind a horse and go off of jumps.
(01:25):
It is something that has become a bit of a
cult sport in Leadville, Colorado. And two of the women
who are trying to make their mark in this sport
are Marley and Meghan. They are students at Colorado State University.
And I'm so excited to have you guys on the podcast.
Thanks for joining me hi aj, We're.
Speaker 3 (01:42):
So excited to be Yeah, we're so excited to talk
about this sport and just get to know you and
share who we are.
Speaker 1 (01:48):
So much fun. So I guess first off, I tried
to explain the sport. Why don't you guys, as the
ones who are actually competing and participating in it, why
don't you explain to everybody what the heck is ski during?
And am I even saying that correctly?
Speaker 4 (02:02):
Well, yeah, you're pretty close. We usually try and say
ski joring.
Speaker 1 (02:06):
Okay, some more like a.
Speaker 5 (02:09):
Yeah yeah to it.
Speaker 4 (02:11):
You pretty much hit the nail on the head. It's
getting pretty competitive in Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, even a little
bit of Utah and also Canada as well. But yeah, essentially,
a horse pulls a skier at high speeds and the
skier goes through an obstacle course essentially of jumps and
turns and grabbing rings. In some of the events, and
(02:34):
even some of them, the horse and rider also have
rings to grab or obstacles to go through. And so yeah,
it's a timed event, and you know penalties for missing
gates which are the turns or you know, certain jumps
or rings. But yeah, it's really really fun.
Speaker 1 (02:51):
So how did we Well, I guess first and foremost
who's the skier and who's the rider? Or do we
switch off?
Speaker 3 (02:56):
So I'm the skier I get pulled by her. I've
been skiing for pretty much my whole life, so it's
just been super super cool to get to know this
sport and be pulled by Megan.
Speaker 5 (03:06):
It's just the most fun.
Speaker 4 (03:07):
Yeah, and I've had my horse for about five years.
I've been riding pretty much my whole life. So it's
just been really fun. It's been kind of something I
wanted to do since I learned about it years ago,
so it's really cool that we've gotten the opportunity to
try it this year.
Speaker 1 (03:21):
So how did you learn about it, Megan? How did
this like? Cause I don't know how I got on
ski joring TikTok, but I did, and I have ties
to like Leadville, Colorado, and so I saw it. I
like kind of knew that it was a thing, but
it does feel like it's taken off in the last
few years.
Speaker 4 (03:40):
Yeah, it's growing in popularity rapidly, I think, especially with
social media and stuff like that. All of the videos
and you know edits that people are making. But I
first really saw it and got introduced to it two
years ago in Big Sky, Montana. They have a huge
competition there and people travel and stuff like that. I
(04:01):
was going to school out there, so it was just
really cool to see it. I got to volunteer at
the event and help out and stuff like that, and
it was just such a cool world to be immersed in.
Everyone's so nice and friendly and it's just such an
adrenaline sport, which is definitely I think both of our
kind of thing, So yeah, and then ever since seeing it,
(04:21):
I just really wanted to try it.
Speaker 1 (04:24):
Okay, and Marley, as the skier, you're the one who
ends up having to get towed everywhere, and so what
that feels like? You have a lot of trust not
only in Megan, but in Meghan's horse also.
Speaker 5 (04:38):
One hundred percent.
Speaker 3 (04:39):
So I honestly haven't known Meghan for that long, So
when we first hit the course, I was like, I
don't know what this is going to look like.
Speaker 5 (04:45):
We've known each other since the beginning of this last.
Speaker 3 (04:47):
School year, so you know, we spent a lot of
time working together and getting our horse comfortable with the
skis because you know, that's one big concern is what
he just takes off and isn't about it. But you know,
I put a lot of trust in her and is
definitely a super high intense city sport, so you know,
when you're being pulled at that speed, it's just it's
unlike anything else you could feel like.
Speaker 5 (05:07):
It's you know, I've been.
Speaker 3 (05:08):
Skiing downhill for pretty much my whole life and it
was a big switch up, But I feel like my
experience on the slopes definitely has come in handy, But yeah.
Speaker 5 (05:17):
It's just it's just a bizarre feeling. It's super cool.
Speaker 1 (05:20):
I think.
Speaker 4 (05:21):
So it's probably helped you have history riding horses as well,
so she has a little bit of a background in
knowing how to trust an animal or that, for sure.
Speaker 3 (05:32):
But it's just it's such a crazy feeling and it's
super cool.
Speaker 5 (05:35):
We love it so much.
Speaker 1 (05:36):
So take me back to that first conversation. You're like, hey,
I'm Marley. Hey I'm Megan, And also, do you have
a horse? Do you have skis? Would you like to
do this? Like how did that come apart? Because or
come about? Because like we said, it's a kind of
a niche sport, it's not kind of it's a niche
sport no matter where you are. And then to like
find each other in college and decide to become a
team in it, Like how did that conversation go?
Speaker 5 (05:57):
Definitely?
Speaker 3 (05:58):
So, like I said, we met at the beginning of
this last school year, and when snow started hitting the ground, we.
Speaker 5 (06:03):
Were like, well, we can't ride as much. Because that's
how we first met each other.
Speaker 3 (06:06):
We would ride together and you know, we became pretty
close friends doing that. And then I was like, yeah,
I think I'll go to Copper this weekend and she
was like, oh, you ski, and I was like, yeah,
I ski, And then it just felt like it was
sort of meant to be. Like I hadn't known of
ski drawing for as long as she did, and I
just had no idea that.
Speaker 5 (06:22):
That was something that was in the cards for me
at all.
Speaker 3 (06:25):
But you know, she's been just super interested in it
and really been chasing that and wanting to do that,
and you know, I have enough experience, so I was like,
I think I can stay up right, Like, let's give
this a go. So you know, at the end of
the day, I honestly just made sense for us to
team up and do this. And you know, it's just
it's been a high that we've been chasing ever since,
for sure, ever since we hit that the course that
first time.
Speaker 1 (06:46):
Okay, and where where was the course that you hit? Because,
like I know, it gets built in Leadville down Main
Street every year, which for those of you listen't, Leadville's'll
populate like a very small mountain town in Colorado. It's
maybe like forty five minutes away from breck and Ridge,
Keystone that area, but it's really small and every year,
they build a ski shoring course down Main Street. So
(07:08):
you have these like buildings that have been up since
you know, eighteen nineteen hundreds, and then they like bring
all the snow down Main Street and then they have
this whole huge, kind of festival type vibe. It's a race,
but there's so many things that go along with it
in the town. So where does one practice to be
ready for that?
Speaker 4 (07:30):
Well, I've been I started practicing with my horse just
on pulling objects and stuff like that over a year ago,
just because that's definitely a big thing for a horse
to get used to having a rope across their butt
and you know, pulling large objects and you know, being
strong enough to pull that. But we kind of started
in December, I think it was, and snow hit the
(07:52):
ground and we just kind of went out to a
pasture at the place I was keeping my horse and
started pulling you around and we just went from there.
But our first race was in Estes Park, Colorado. So
they're kind of all over. There's at least five or
six within you know, a four or five hour radius
(08:13):
of Fort Collins, and then out from there there's i
mean twenty to thirty events every year and they're just
growing from there.
Speaker 1 (08:22):
So, Marley, what did it feel like the first time
you got towed, Because like, I'm like, I'm trying to
imagine is it anything similar. I don't know if you've
done this, but it almost seems like getting towed behind
like a boat, like when you're wakes when you're like
wakesurfing or wakeboarding something like that. Does it feel similar
the way you get pulled up and like pulled kind
of forward.
Speaker 5 (08:40):
You know a lot of people make that comparison. I
personally don't have.
Speaker 3 (08:43):
Any experience with you know, skiing behind a boat or
you know, wakesurfing or wakeboarding, but a lot of people
do say that it is comparable. I know that some people,
as the skier, will practice by being towed behind a
car or a four wheeler if they don't have access
to a horse. But before we made our debut in
Estes Park, we actually practiced one time we had there
(09:04):
was snow on the ground in the pasture. We were like,
this is our chance. It was less than a week
away to the event, and we got out there and
we're like, well, this horse has never pulled a skier.
He's never seen skis I've never been pulled, but let's
do this. So you know, we just we kind of
got out there and we did it, and we took
it kind of easy. But we were like, okay, let's
sign up for this, like I feel like we can
do this. So you know, that was the one and
(09:24):
only time we were able to practice before we were
on the course and being timed and you know, having
cameras on us. So it was super a super spontaneous decision,
like we had wanted to do it for a long time.
But you know, with Fort Collins, like we get some snow,
but not a super significant amount, so you know, we
got an inch and a half and we're like, this
is our chance, like we have to do this right now.
Speaker 5 (09:43):
So you know, and both of the events we went
to this winter, we went to Estes Park and then
Grand Lake which was about two months later.
Speaker 3 (09:51):
Both of them were those towns first time hosting a
ski during event. So, like we've said, it's growing in
popularity like crazy. A lot of the events are sort
of like flagship events for those towns, so you know,
as as we're learning how to do it, the towns
are also learning how to host it, and you know,
it's just figuring out all that dynamic. So you know,
it was definitely out of our comfort zones, but we
(10:12):
felt pretty cool hitting one practice run and then just
calling it good and just going out there.
Speaker 1 (10:18):
So, oh my gosh, as you freaking should that's incredible
to just be like, I'm gonna try this one time
and then let's just like go test it out on
a course. So what was the well? First off, Megan,
I feel like we should know your horse's.
Speaker 5 (10:30):
Name, Apollo.
Speaker 1 (10:32):
Apollo cute, Okay, I mean he's like the third member
of this team here. We could not follow what So
you both have backgrounds in sort of horseback riding and
in skiing, which is very very helpful for people who
are just like getting the grasp of this sport through
this podcast. How would you describe what it feels like
(10:54):
to be at one of these events and watching this
competition just wild?
Speaker 4 (10:59):
I think I hear a lot of people say it's
the wildest show on snow, which I think is a pretty.
Speaker 5 (11:06):
Cool way to put it.
Speaker 4 (11:07):
If you've ever been to a rodeo and you felt
kind of like that anticipation of the inn gate and
you know the way the crowd gets so into it.
Speaker 5 (11:16):
It's pretty similar to that.
Speaker 4 (11:18):
I think as the sport grows, places are having you know,
clowns come out and halftime shows and like all kinds
of stuff. The last one there were like mini horses
pulling like carts and skis and flags and all kinds
of stuff. But I mean, the environment of it is
just so cool.
Speaker 5 (11:35):
People get all.
Speaker 4 (11:36):
Dressed up in their fur coats and their hats and
all kinds of stuff, and it's just so fun to
be immersed in that world.
Speaker 1 (11:44):
Now. So the next question is we're either of you
competitive athletes, like in either skiing or horseback riding. Like before,
you kind of found this combo that fits you both
so well.
Speaker 4 (11:55):
I mean, I've been riding since I was five, so
I've competed in hunter jumpers, I've competed in rodeo, I've
done barrel racing, drill team, and then also polo. So
I've definitely been in the competitive equestrian world for a
long time. But this is one of the highest adrenaline
sports I think I've ever competed in for sure.
Speaker 3 (12:17):
And then for me, I've been skiing since I was
probably about three, and you know, you start in ski school,
I spent a minimum of five years doing that and
then it really just became like a family sport. So
I personally have never been competitive except for maybe with
my siblings, but which.
Speaker 1 (12:32):
Counts for the record, that counts.
Speaker 5 (12:35):
But I've never competed in like ski racing or any
of that. It's just, you know, it's just kind of
been something I've always done.
Speaker 1 (12:42):
So with that, what, what do you feel like this
sport is tapping into for each of you? Because Megan,
it sounds like you have a little bit of sort
of a competitive history in Marley Girl, the competitiveness with
the siblings, the cousins, like whatever, yeah, no, I get it,
Like I get it. So what do you think it
is that? Like it feels like this is kind of
like the perfect time for you too to find this
(13:03):
like competitive aspect of your life and your sport. What
do you feel like this is tapping into for you?
Speaker 5 (13:10):
Totally?
Speaker 3 (13:10):
I think that we're both realizing that we're more competitive
than we thought we were, honestly, Like, you go out
there and.
Speaker 5 (13:15):
It's like, okay, our goals just have fun.
Speaker 3 (13:18):
And stay safe, and then you see other people going
and you see the times racking up, and you're like,
I think we could maybe hold our own here. So,
you know, in Estes Park, when we were first on
the course, like, it was an incredible feeling just to
make it through the course. You know, you're so zoned
in you're not aware of the crowds or the cameras
or the you know, the people on the speakers, Like
you're just going. And so by the time we cross
(13:39):
the finish line, I'm shaking like crazy because that adrenalin
boost is totally insane.
Speaker 5 (13:43):
It's unlike anything else. And I didn't even hear our time.
But by the time we made it back to the
top of the course, I was asking around, I'm like,
does anyone know like how we did, Like, I don't
think we got any penalties, And someone goes, I think
you guys are like in pretty good standing right now.
So by the end of the weekend we ended up
I believe for.
Speaker 3 (14:00):
Overall for that day that we competed out of over
thirty competitors.
Speaker 5 (14:04):
So it was an insane feeling.
Speaker 3 (14:06):
And you know, we registered in the novice division, which
is the one for people who are newer to this sport.
But you know, it was pretty amazing and I think
we impressed ourselves by kind of holding our own and
you know that that kind of cemented it for us
that we want to be competitive in this sport. We
want to take home a buckle. A lot of a
lot of ski door events, first place writer and skier
(14:27):
will both be awarded a buckle like about buck Yeah,
so that is a big goal for us next season.
So you know you better watch out because we're coming
for you.
Speaker 1 (14:37):
I love that. I love that so much you bring
up next season. So what is the kind of with
a sport that's so new, with the sports that is
growing in Colorado? What are I mean you're both going
to school also, so what is what are the goals?
What are the dreams with this sport for the two
of you?
Speaker 4 (14:54):
I mean, I think just fully getting into it is
such a huge goal for us, and you know, getting
more into the community and meeting people, getting our name
out there, and then just having fun and being competitive
because I mean, we're in such a good location for
it looking around. You know, it was hard to get
into this season because it's both of our first years
(15:16):
at CSU. Marley's a freshman and I'm a junior. So
it was just partly us getting used to CSU and
being in school, but then having the opportunity to just
go try it out a little bit. I think we're
just so hungry for more and I definitely think winning
that buckle is something we really want to do next season.
Speaker 1 (15:36):
And do you have to oh go ahead, sorry.
Speaker 5 (15:38):
Oh yeah, totally.
Speaker 3 (15:39):
So as we've been getting into it, you know, it's
one of those things we've learned that you learn by doing.
You there's no YouTube tutorial, there's no and you know,
we started a TikTok page because we're trying to get
the word out there and we're going to make some
educational videos on you know, simple things like how's our
saddle rigged up?
Speaker 5 (15:54):
What kind of rope do you need? What kind of
shoes go on the horse?
Speaker 3 (15:57):
Because you know, that's the kind of thing you show
up and someone tells you, like if you're lucky. That's
That's one big thing about getting your name out there
and making those connections.
Speaker 5 (16:05):
Is that's that's how you learn.
Speaker 3 (16:06):
And you know, just getting out on the course too
is just like the number one way that you can learn. So,
you know, the community has been so incredibly welcoming and
supportive and enthusiastic to see, you know, two young girls
like us. There are definitely some other young women in
this sport.
Speaker 5 (16:20):
But you know, it's largely dominated by by, you know
a lot of men, and they have been so welcoming
and just have been so eager to teach us and
to share their world with us. And that has been
so very encouraging to feel so welcome in the sport
that we're just so eager to be a part of.
Speaker 1 (16:35):
That's awesome because it's very rarely the case when you
enter a male dominated space that as a woman you're like, oh,
I actually I feel welcome here. That's really cool. Why
do you think that is?
Speaker 6 (16:45):
Like?
Speaker 1 (16:45):
What is it about this community that you feel like
you're able to step into it so so seamlessly.
Speaker 6 (16:52):
I think a lot of people doing it just love
the sport.
Speaker 5 (16:56):
It's a lot of.
Speaker 4 (16:56):
Like ranchers or rodeo cowboys and that kind of stuff.
So they're just looking for a way to keep their
horses fit in the winter and travel and maybe make
some money. So I think they're just eager to share
this world with anyone who's willing to listen and take
their advice. So it's really cool that everyone is so
kind and welcoming because I don't know that we expected
(17:19):
it going into our first week. Didally, I don't think
that we did it all honestly, it took us by surprise.
Speaker 5 (17:23):
But the community is just so.
Speaker 3 (17:25):
Like happy, go lucky, Like I think that's just the
best way to describe it, Like there's really no judgment.
Like sure, people definitely get competitive, but at the end
of the day, like when you go to the awards ceremony,
it's just such a good vibe, like everyone is just
happy to be there.
Speaker 5 (17:37):
It doesn't matter if you take home a win or not.
Like people just think it's really cool that, you know,
young girls like us are putting in the effort and
showing up and doing the heavy lifting to get our
name out there and just to you know, to be
there at all.
Speaker 1 (17:50):
Yeah, that's awesome. And I think it's so cool because obviously,
like I found you guys on TikTok, and I don't know,
like I said, i don't know how I ended up
on ski showing TikTok, but I'm like so happy to
be there. So if you guys are on TikTok, start
looking this stuff up because it's incredible and it really
is a show, like people put on these big old
fur codes and these big sort of like blade sunglasses
you know that have like their reflective and it's just
(18:12):
really a cool thing. That is. It does seem like
it's growing and you touched on it a little bit, Megan,
But why do you think it's having this impact in
Colorado specifically, although it sounds like you found it in
another part of like Montana area. So why do you
think this is having such a moment as a sport.
Speaker 3 (18:28):
I think that a lot of the social media has
helped a ton. I think, you know, people just posting
like these slow mo edits, like they're a few specific
photographers and videographers who show up and do this and
they do an incredible job.
Speaker 5 (18:40):
So that helps so much with the reach that this
sport is getting.
Speaker 3 (18:44):
And you know, I think people are just realizing that
there's a whole culture behind it. Like sure, you can
participate and have a killer time, or you can show
up in like a fabulous outfit with like a felt
hat and a fur coat in your boots, and I
think people just love that, especially the fact that it's
generally hosted in mountain towns. People love to get out
there when it's snowy, and you know, when the sun
(19:06):
shining down on you and the powders on the ground,
it's just it's such a great feeling. And you know,
like I said, you can be involved or you can
be on the sidelines and have just as much fun.
So I think that's a big reason that people people
are starting to be drawn to it a lot more.
Speaker 1 (19:18):
Yeah, because I was reading a little bit about the
history of the sport and it started in Europe, and
it started as a very practical, like way to get
around for people to like in Scandinavia. The reading about
like people being pulled on skis by reindeer dogs and
then later horses, but then it became a sport, and
the sport aspect of it is it kind of combines,
(19:38):
I guess, like wakes skiing kind of except John snow
with jumps and what were some of the other things
megan like what does a typical run look like for you?
And like what is a good time? Like how long
is the course? Like break down this sport for us.
Speaker 6 (19:53):
Well, every course is a little bit different.
Speaker 4 (19:56):
A lot of the courses we've done are straight courses,
so I know the there's also curved tracks, which I
don't have any experience in, but with a straight track,
the horse essentially is just running in a straight line,
so I only have to worry about starting and stopping.
But the skier will have multiple turns, so you know,
(20:16):
red you go right and blue you go left, and
if you miss agate with even one ski, that's how
you can get a penalty. And there's also a lot
of times rings that the skier has to catch with
their arm, so you'll have like a line or two
of rings where the skier has to let go of
the rope that's pulling them and you know, keeping them
(20:37):
through the course, just to catch a ring with their
arm and keep it and then grab back onto the
rope and keep going and cross the track behind the
horse and go over jumps and stuff. But I think
a lot of the courses we've been on, a good
time is fifteen to eighteen seconds.
Speaker 1 (20:56):
That is so fast.
Speaker 5 (20:58):
Yeah, it definitely depends on the way of the course.
I don't know if I have like a number for
exactly how long they are, but it can totally vary.
So like when we were in Estes, like a winning time.
Speaker 3 (21:08):
This is off the top of my head, but a
winning time was maybe like twenty seconds, but in Grand
Like it.
Speaker 5 (21:13):
Was shorter, so a winning time was more like fourteen
or fifteen seconds. So it really depends.
Speaker 3 (21:17):
Like some of them they will have like a speedometer
so that they can see like how fast you're actually going,
which is pretty sick, but it's really.
Speaker 5 (21:23):
All about the time. And like she said, those penalties
rack up really fast.
Speaker 3 (21:26):
So like just in Grand Like, for example, it'll vary
from venue to venue, but a dropped ring was a
two second penalty, and you know, that's pretty significant when
you're going that fast. And you know, a missed gate
that's what we call the turns that you have to make,
is like a five second penalty. So you really want
to have a clean run and not have any penalties,
but that can be hard when you're going that fast,
Like just staying in control and staying upright can totally
(21:48):
be a challenge, but it's it's just a really high
velocity sport.
Speaker 1 (21:52):
Yeah, So Marley, how do we practice? How do we
practice going left and right and grabbing rings Like I'm
I'm I'm imagining this happening, but then to imagine it
in fifteen to twenty seconds, like I've been picturing like
a two minute ordeal and you're like, oh no, no,
this is like fifteen, Like how do you practice this totally?
Speaker 3 (22:10):
So you know, just like on the slopes, it's so funny,
like I've I've gone skiing since we started, and it's
just it's just not the same.
Speaker 5 (22:16):
I'm like, this is not.
Speaker 3 (22:18):
Applicable really, Like you know, staying uprights one thing, but
like those turns when you're being pulled like that, like
you know, the force of the rope like jerking you
forward and you know, not losing your footing is definitely
a challenge. So you know, as we're still new to
this and honestly, there hasn't really been snow on the
ground since we've started really much in Four Palms at all.
So it's kind of one of those things you kind
of just got to go out and do it and
(22:39):
that's your practice. So you know, it's it's a crazy
feeling and once a lot of people who who get
to like the higher levels of these sports, they they
learn all about rope management and so that means like
climbing up and down the rope, making sure you make
your gates, you know, making sure there's not slack that's
then going to like jerk you forward anything like that.
That is a skill that we have a big goal
(22:59):
to develop in like the coming season. But that's not
something that we're quite comfortable with yet. So you know,
for us, like a really solid run as if it's clean,
if we have no penalties and if I can just
hold on and stay up right, So you know.
Speaker 5 (23:12):
That's like our current, Like you know, if we could
do that, we are so hyped. But oh, there are
a lot of school totally.
Speaker 3 (23:19):
Yeah, there are a lot of skills that you can
learn to develop just as you go. And you know
there's there are the things like I said, you just
learned by doing. It's just more time on the course
that really gets those skills knelt down.
Speaker 1 (23:29):
That is so I imagine. I mean you're obviously your
college students, so you're already in this like learning phase
of your life. But I imagine it's just so fun
to learn a new sport and to do it together
and sort of have this excuse to travel all around
you know, the West in Colorado and Montana and so
I love it. Thank you so much for sharing with
us a little bit more about this sport and how
(23:51):
it's growing, and I'll get on the ski shoring TikTok
with me because it is very, very very fun. All Right,
we're gonna switch gears now to our something slip on
sech Ma. This is brought to you by the Sports Bra,
which is a women's sports bar up in Portland, Oregon.
And so the week of your episode, ladies, they are
going to have a drink, a cocktail or a mocktail
that is called the Marley and Megan or maybe we'll
(24:13):
call it the Apollo, just to like make him feel included.
The Apollo. Okay, we'll go with the Apollo. So what
are you sipping on? What is like your favorite thing
to grab after a ski sjoring competition.
Speaker 6 (24:25):
Hm hmmm.
Speaker 4 (24:26):
I don't know, a lot of times we're towards the morning,
so maybe a little mimosa is. But I also think
any brusky beer is pretty popular for ski showing, definitely.
Speaker 1 (24:40):
Just like a classic like Craft bruise what you're talking.
Speaker 3 (24:42):
About, Yeah, that's what all the ski drawers are hitting up,
usually after they're run.
Speaker 1 (24:47):
So it seems like that is like for some reason,
I was a whitewater rafting guide too, and so for
some reason, the post outdoor activity beverage is a beer.
I don't know why that always tastes better after an
outdoor activity with a lot of adrenaline, but it always
tastes good afterwards. I love it.
Speaker 5 (25:06):
Okay.
Speaker 1 (25:07):
Well, luckily there's a lot of craft bruise up in Portland, Oregon,
so I'll leave it up to the sports brack crew
to do maybe a little featured bruski or a mimosa.
Who doesn't love a mesa?
Speaker 6 (25:19):
Right?
Speaker 1 (25:19):
And then our last segment is called the Powered Up Segment,
and this is just a Q and A where we
get to know you guys a little bit better. This
is the first time we've had two people on the
podcast at the same time, so we'll see how quickly
this goes. But it's just like very basic, uh you know, yeah,
get to know you questions. So the first one is
coffee or tea?
Speaker 5 (25:37):
Coffee tea?
Speaker 1 (25:39):
Okay? What is your favorite ice cream flavor?
Speaker 5 (25:43):
Cookie, dough, cotton candy. I'm a child at heart.
Speaker 1 (25:46):
Oh I love that. Okay, she's I like it. What
is your go to meal before ski shoring?
Speaker 6 (25:55):
I think we both have a hard time eating.
Speaker 5 (25:57):
If I get it anxious, if I can get down
a protein bar. I'll call it good.
Speaker 1 (26:01):
Yeah, that's fantastic. Okay, So I know you're new in
the sport, but so normally I asked what's the favorite
place your sport has taken you? But why don't I
ask you where do you want this sport to take you?
Speaker 5 (26:14):
Okay?
Speaker 4 (26:14):
I think one of our biggest goals next year is
to make it to Big Sky, Montana, just because that
is where I first saw it, and that's you know,
where my heart kind of said you need to do
ski shoring. So I think making it up there next
year or even the year after would be really cool.
Speaker 5 (26:29):
Yeah, that's a huge goal. We'd love to go there.
We'd love to hit Ladville.
Speaker 3 (26:32):
Those are both two places that we consider a huge
milestone to make it too.
Speaker 1 (26:36):
So how do you make it to it? Do you
have to qualify or like how does that work?
Speaker 4 (26:40):
Pretty much you just have to sign up on time.
We were a little bit late to the game this year,
I think, but yeah, and then just being sure that
we can make the traveling, because I mean Big Sky
is a ten hour drive from for Collins, and so
hauling a horse in the snow for ten hours is
definitely a big burden on, you know, mentally and physically
(27:03):
so for us.
Speaker 3 (27:04):
And for the horse totally, and also just feeling confident
enough to be at that level. Like a lot of
these bigger venues are just incredibly competitive, and you know,
we're all about having a good time, but at the
same time, I want to stay up right, so you know, yes,
once we've reached a level of comfort and confidence on
the track, then I think that that's when we'll feel
ready to you know, sign up for those.
Speaker 1 (27:23):
Yeah, we want a good time, but we want to
show off a little bit too. We want to both.
What is your dream vacation spot for each of you?
Speaker 5 (27:33):
M anywhere in Europe? Anywhere in Europe with mountains.
Speaker 3 (27:38):
I'd love to go, like the Dolomites in Italy, super
super cool, that's.
Speaker 5 (27:43):
A good one.
Speaker 4 (27:44):
Anywhere like really cool and beachy, like you know, Portugal
or something like that.
Speaker 1 (27:52):
I love Portugal. That place is why that place is
stolen my heart. I have got Yeah, it's so beautiful there.
I love it you with apps love it again. What
is the best piece of as you started sort of
chasing this dream, it could be about this dream or
about anything else, but what is the best piece of
advice you feel like you both have gotten.
Speaker 3 (28:11):
I think that for this sport specifically, just show up
like no one's gonna you know, really hold your hand
and be like, Okay, this is how you do this,
and it's how you do that. It's one of those
things you just figure it out. So, you know, just
to show up and be brave and talk to the
people and get your name out there is like the
number one thing that will lead to you feeling confident
just going out there and being around these people.
Speaker 5 (28:31):
So yeah, I think just showing up for yourself is
a huge one.
Speaker 4 (28:34):
Yeah, A little bit like fake it till you make
it kind of vibes like be confident, just.
Speaker 6 (28:39):
Go out there, do what you know how to do,
and learn from it.
Speaker 4 (28:43):
You know, not every run is going to be your
best run, and that's okay, figure out what you can
do better next time and just take that away and grow.
Speaker 1 (28:51):
I love that. And then the last question for each
of you is this is the Powerful podcast. We're all
about highlighting powerful women who are making a difference in
new things and being brave within that. So what does
the word powerful mean to each of you?
Speaker 3 (29:07):
To me, I think it's just advocating for yourself just
you know, even if you're in a male dominated sport
that isn't welcoming, like just like kind of like I said, like,
I'm kind of all about just going out and doing it,
And so I think if you can just believe in
yourself enough to just go out and do it anyways,
do it anyways, do it when, do it when you're supported,
do it when you're not, do it when you're hungry,
do it when you're tired.
Speaker 5 (29:25):
Like I think that that is just that's so powerful
to me.
Speaker 1 (29:29):
I love that.
Speaker 4 (29:30):
Yeah, I definitely think it goes back to that confidence,
like just being confident in yourself and confident in yeah,
your support system and people who are there for you,
and just trusting yourself to be there and show up
and put the work in.
Speaker 1 (29:45):
I love that. That's awesome. Well, I am so excited
to watch you guys continue to grow in this sport
and as young women, and it has just been so fun.
Maybe I'm gonna have to hit you up try and
come out to a ski zuuring competition and co were
Ato next year. That would love so fun. Oh my gosh,
and I have to meet the infamous Apollo.
Speaker 5 (30:03):
It's like basically like the head of our team. So
he has the team mascot.
Speaker 1 (30:08):
Yeah, he's like the mascot, the coach, the manager, all
of the things all the time. I love it. Well,
Marley Meghan, thank you so much for being on the
Powerful podcast. I am so excited to watch you guys. Yeah,
continue to grow. It's been so fun getting to know you,
and thanks for introducing us to a really fun new
sport get on ski shoring TikTok to you guys, it's
like highly entertaining.
Speaker 5 (30:28):
Totally so much.
Speaker 3 (30:29):
It's been wonderful. It's been super nice to you and
just to talk about ourselves honestly.
Speaker 1 (30:34):
Yeah, oh my gosh, Well it's so it's so fun.
It's the whole point of the podcast is to introduce
people to cool new people, cool new sports, and this
hits every single box. So Powerful, pots Bad, thanks so
much for being here. We'll see you next week Marley
and Meghan. Good luck in the spring semester and cannot
wait till for you next season.
Speaker 5 (30:50):
Right on. Thank you.
Speaker 2 (30:51):
This is a reminder to check us out every Tuesday
everywhere you get your podcasts.
Speaker 5 (30:55):
And if you really enjoy this and don't want to
miss an episode, be sure to hit that Subscribe it
Hello, friends, and welcome to the Powerful Podcast. I'm your
host Aja McCord.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
In this podcast, we introduce you to powerful women who
are changing the game in and.
Speaker 1 (00:09):
Outside of their field of play.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
These are women's stories, women who happen to be doing
things that many of us can only dream of, but
the lessons and inspiration they share is universal.
Speaker 1 (00:21):
Welcome back to the Powerful Podcast, you guys, I cannot
wait to introduce you to a sport that is pretty
new to me and getting more popular by the second.
This is a sport called skijoring, which is basically where
a skier gets towed behind a horse and has to
do jumps and find rings and it's fascinating. It has
origins in Europe, but there are two young college students
(00:43):
in Colorado, Marley and Meghan, who are just learning how
to do this sport. It's gaining popularity and they are
on the forefront of it. Two young women trying out
a new sport in a very male dominated sport, and
it's so cool to learn about this through their eyes,
to get excited about something new. I hope you guys
liked this episode and get on ski shoring TikTok, y'all,
(01:04):
because that is how I found these guests, and I
am so happy that I did. All right, so right now,
I'm going to introduce you to a brand new sport
which is well new to us. It's actually a very
old sport in the history of the world, but it's
called ski during, which is basically where you get towed
on skis behind a horse and go off of jumps.
(01:25):
It is something that has become a bit of a
cult sport in Leadville, Colorado. And two of the women
who are trying to make their mark in this sport
are Marley and Meghan. They are students at Colorado State University.
And I'm so excited to have you guys on the podcast.
Thanks for joining me hi aj, We're.
Speaker 3 (01:42):
So excited to be Yeah, we're so excited to talk
about this sport and just get to know you and
share who we are.
Speaker 1 (01:48):
So much fun. So I guess first off, I tried
to explain the sport. Why don't you guys, as the
ones who are actually competing and participating in it, why
don't you explain to everybody what the heck is ski during?
And am I even saying that correctly?
Speaker 4 (02:02):
Well, yeah, you're pretty close. We usually try and say
ski joring.
Speaker 1 (02:06):
Okay, some more like a.
Speaker 5 (02:09):
Yeah yeah to it.
Speaker 4 (02:11):
You pretty much hit the nail on the head. It's
getting pretty competitive in Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, even a little
bit of Utah and also Canada as well. But yeah, essentially,
a horse pulls a skier at high speeds and the
skier goes through an obstacle course essentially of jumps and
turns and grabbing rings. In some of the events, and
(02:34):
even some of them, the horse and rider also have
rings to grab or obstacles to go through. And so yeah,
it's a timed event, and you know penalties for missing
gates which are the turns or you know, certain jumps
or rings. But yeah, it's really really fun.
Speaker 1 (02:51):
So how did we Well, I guess first and foremost
who's the skier and who's the rider? Or do we
switch off?
Speaker 3 (02:56):
So I'm the skier I get pulled by her. I've
been skiing for pretty much my whole life, so it's
just been super super cool to get to know this
sport and be pulled by Megan.
Speaker 5 (03:06):
It's just the most fun.
Speaker 4 (03:07):
Yeah, and I've had my horse for about five years.
I've been riding pretty much my whole life. So it's
just been really fun. It's been kind of something I
wanted to do since I learned about it years ago,
so it's really cool that we've gotten the opportunity to
try it this year.
Speaker 1 (03:21):
So how did you learn about it, Megan? How did
this like? Cause I don't know how I got on
ski joring TikTok, but I did, and I have ties
to like Leadville, Colorado, and so I saw it. I
like kind of knew that it was a thing, but
it does feel like it's taken off in the last
few years.
Speaker 4 (03:40):
Yeah, it's growing in popularity rapidly, I think, especially with
social media and stuff like that. All of the videos
and you know edits that people are making. But I
first really saw it and got introduced to it two
years ago in Big Sky, Montana. They have a huge
competition there and people travel and stuff like that. I
(04:01):
was going to school out there, so it was just
really cool to see it. I got to volunteer at
the event and help out and stuff like that, and
it was just such a cool world to be immersed in.
Everyone's so nice and friendly and it's just such an
adrenaline sport, which is definitely I think both of our
kind of thing, So yeah, and then ever since seeing it,
(04:21):
I just really wanted to try it.
Speaker 1 (04:24):
Okay, and Marley, as the skier, you're the one who
ends up having to get towed everywhere, and so what
that feels like? You have a lot of trust not
only in Megan, but in Meghan's horse also.
Speaker 5 (04:38):
One hundred percent.
Speaker 3 (04:39):
So I honestly haven't known Meghan for that long, So
when we first hit the course, I was like, I
don't know what this is going to look like.
Speaker 5 (04:45):
We've known each other since the beginning of this last.
Speaker 3 (04:47):
School year, so you know, we spent a lot of
time working together and getting our horse comfortable with the
skis because you know, that's one big concern is what
he just takes off and isn't about it. But you know,
I put a lot of trust in her and is
definitely a super high intense city sport, so you know,
when you're being pulled at that speed, it's just it's
unlike anything else you could feel like.
Speaker 5 (05:07):
It's you know, I've been.
Speaker 3 (05:08):
Skiing downhill for pretty much my whole life and it
was a big switch up, But I feel like my
experience on the slopes definitely has come in handy, But yeah.
Speaker 5 (05:17):
It's just it's just a bizarre feeling. It's super cool.
Speaker 1 (05:20):
I think.
Speaker 4 (05:21):
So it's probably helped you have history riding horses as well,
so she has a little bit of a background in
knowing how to trust an animal or that, for sure.
Speaker 3 (05:32):
But it's just it's such a crazy feeling and it's
super cool.
Speaker 5 (05:35):
We love it so much.
Speaker 1 (05:36):
So take me back to that first conversation. You're like, hey,
I'm Marley. Hey I'm Megan, And also, do you have
a horse? Do you have skis? Would you like to
do this? Like how did that come apart? Because or
come about? Because like we said, it's a kind of
a niche sport, it's not kind of it's a niche
sport no matter where you are. And then to like
find each other in college and decide to become a
team in it, Like how did that conversation go?
Speaker 5 (05:57):
Definitely?
Speaker 3 (05:58):
So, like I said, we met at the beginning of
this last school year, and when snow started hitting the ground, we.
Speaker 5 (06:03):
Were like, well, we can't ride as much. Because that's
how we first met each other.
Speaker 3 (06:06):
We would ride together and you know, we became pretty
close friends doing that. And then I was like, yeah,
I think I'll go to Copper this weekend and she
was like, oh, you ski, and I was like, yeah,
I ski, And then it just felt like it was
sort of meant to be. Like I hadn't known of
ski drawing for as long as she did, and I
just had no idea that.
Speaker 5 (06:22):
That was something that was in the cards for me
at all.
Speaker 3 (06:25):
But you know, she's been just super interested in it
and really been chasing that and wanting to do that,
and you know, I have enough experience, so I was like,
I think I can stay up right, Like, let's give
this a go. So you know, at the end of
the day, I honestly just made sense for us to
team up and do this. And you know, it's just
it's been a high that we've been chasing ever since,
for sure, ever since we hit that the course that
first time.
Speaker 1 (06:46):
Okay, and where where was the course that you hit? Because,
like I know, it gets built in Leadville down Main
Street every year, which for those of you listen't, Leadville's'll
populate like a very small mountain town in Colorado. It's
maybe like forty five minutes away from breck and Ridge,
Keystone that area, but it's really small and every year,
they build a ski shoring course down Main Street. So
(07:08):
you have these like buildings that have been up since
you know, eighteen nineteen hundreds, and then they like bring
all the snow down Main Street and then they have
this whole huge, kind of festival type vibe. It's a race,
but there's so many things that go along with it
in the town. So where does one practice to be
ready for that?
Speaker 4 (07:30):
Well, I've been I started practicing with my horse just
on pulling objects and stuff like that over a year ago,
just because that's definitely a big thing for a horse
to get used to having a rope across their butt
and you know, pulling large objects and you know, being
strong enough to pull that. But we kind of started
in December, I think it was, and snow hit the
(07:52):
ground and we just kind of went out to a
pasture at the place I was keeping my horse and
started pulling you around and we just went from there.
But our first race was in Estes Park, Colorado. So
they're kind of all over. There's at least five or
six within you know, a four or five hour radius
(08:13):
of Fort Collins, and then out from there there's i
mean twenty to thirty events every year and they're just
growing from there.
Speaker 1 (08:22):
So, Marley, what did it feel like the first time
you got towed, Because like, I'm like, I'm trying to
imagine is it anything similar. I don't know if you've
done this, but it almost seems like getting towed behind
like a boat, like when you're wakes when you're like
wakesurfing or wakeboarding something like that. Does it feel similar
the way you get pulled up and like pulled kind
of forward.
Speaker 5 (08:40):
You know a lot of people make that comparison. I
personally don't have.
Speaker 3 (08:43):
Any experience with you know, skiing behind a boat or
you know, wakesurfing or wakeboarding, but a lot of people
do say that it is comparable. I know that some people,
as the skier, will practice by being towed behind a
car or a four wheeler if they don't have access
to a horse. But before we made our debut in
Estes Park, we actually practiced one time we had there
(09:04):
was snow on the ground in the pasture. We were like,
this is our chance. It was less than a week
away to the event, and we got out there and
we're like, well, this horse has never pulled a skier.
He's never seen skis I've never been pulled, but let's
do this. So you know, we just we kind of
got out there and we did it, and we took
it kind of easy. But we were like, okay, let's
sign up for this, like I feel like we can
do this. So you know, that was the one and
(09:24):
only time we were able to practice before we were
on the course and being timed and you know, having
cameras on us. So it was super a super spontaneous decision,
like we had wanted to do it for a long time.
But you know, with Fort Collins, like we get some snow,
but not a super significant amount, so you know, we
got an inch and a half and we're like, this
is our chance, like we have to do this right now.
Speaker 5 (09:43):
So you know, and both of the events we went
to this winter, we went to Estes Park and then
Grand Lake which was about two months later.
Speaker 3 (09:51):
Both of them were those towns first time hosting a
ski during event. So, like we've said, it's growing in
popularity like crazy. A lot of the events are sort
of like flagship events for those towns, so you know,
as as we're learning how to do it, the towns
are also learning how to host it, and you know,
it's just figuring out all that dynamic. So you know,
it was definitely out of our comfort zones, but we
(10:12):
felt pretty cool hitting one practice run and then just
calling it good and just going out there.
Speaker 1 (10:18):
So, oh my gosh, as you freaking should that's incredible
to just be like, I'm gonna try this one time
and then let's just like go test it out on
a course. So what was the well? First off, Megan,
I feel like we should know your horse's.
Speaker 5 (10:30):
Name, Apollo.
Speaker 1 (10:32):
Apollo cute, Okay, I mean he's like the third member
of this team here. We could not follow what So
you both have backgrounds in sort of horseback riding and
in skiing, which is very very helpful for people who
are just like getting the grasp of this sport through
this podcast. How would you describe what it feels like
(10:54):
to be at one of these events and watching this
competition just wild?
Speaker 4 (10:59):
I think I hear a lot of people say it's
the wildest show on snow, which I think is a pretty.
Speaker 5 (11:06):
Cool way to put it.
Speaker 4 (11:07):
If you've ever been to a rodeo and you felt
kind of like that anticipation of the inn gate and
you know the way the crowd gets so into it.
Speaker 5 (11:16):
It's pretty similar to that.
Speaker 4 (11:18):
I think as the sport grows, places are having you know,
clowns come out and halftime shows and like all kinds
of stuff. The last one there were like mini horses
pulling like carts and skis and flags and all kinds
of stuff. But I mean, the environment of it is
just so cool.
Speaker 5 (11:35):
People get all.
Speaker 4 (11:36):
Dressed up in their fur coats and their hats and
all kinds of stuff, and it's just so fun to
be immersed in that world.
Speaker 1 (11:44):
Now. So the next question is we're either of you
competitive athletes, like in either skiing or horseback riding. Like before,
you kind of found this combo that fits you both
so well.
Speaker 4 (11:55):
I mean, I've been riding since I was five, so
I've competed in hunter jumpers, I've competed in rodeo, I've
done barrel racing, drill team, and then also polo. So
I've definitely been in the competitive equestrian world for a
long time. But this is one of the highest adrenaline
sports I think I've ever competed in for sure.
Speaker 3 (12:17):
And then for me, I've been skiing since I was
probably about three, and you know, you start in ski school,
I spent a minimum of five years doing that and
then it really just became like a family sport. So
I personally have never been competitive except for maybe with
my siblings, but which.
Speaker 1 (12:32):
Counts for the record, that counts.
Speaker 5 (12:35):
But I've never competed in like ski racing or any
of that. It's just, you know, it's just kind of
been something I've always done.
Speaker 1 (12:42):
So with that, what, what do you feel like this
sport is tapping into for each of you? Because Megan,
it sounds like you have a little bit of sort
of a competitive history in Marley Girl, the competitiveness with
the siblings, the cousins, like whatever, yeah, no, I get it,
Like I get it. So what do you think it
is that? Like it feels like this is kind of
like the perfect time for you too to find this
(13:03):
like competitive aspect of your life and your sport. What
do you feel like this is tapping into for you?
Speaker 5 (13:10):
Totally?
Speaker 3 (13:10):
I think that we're both realizing that we're more competitive
than we thought we were, honestly, Like, you go out
there and.
Speaker 5 (13:15):
It's like, okay, our goals just have fun.
Speaker 3 (13:18):
And stay safe, and then you see other people going
and you see the times racking up, and you're like,
I think we could maybe hold our own here. So,
you know, in Estes Park, when we were first on
the course, like, it was an incredible feeling just to
make it through the course. You know, you're so zoned
in you're not aware of the crowds or the cameras
or the you know, the people on the speakers, Like
you're just going. And so by the time we cross
(13:39):
the finish line, I'm shaking like crazy because that adrenalin
boost is totally insane.
Speaker 5 (13:43):
It's unlike anything else. And I didn't even hear our time.
But by the time we made it back to the
top of the course, I was asking around, I'm like,
does anyone know like how we did, Like, I don't
think we got any penalties, And someone goes, I think
you guys are like in pretty good standing right now.
So by the end of the weekend we ended up
I believe for.
Speaker 3 (14:00):
Overall for that day that we competed out of over
thirty competitors.
Speaker 5 (14:04):
So it was an insane feeling.
Speaker 3 (14:06):
And you know, we registered in the novice division, which
is the one for people who are newer to this sport.
But you know, it was pretty amazing and I think
we impressed ourselves by kind of holding our own and
you know that that kind of cemented it for us
that we want to be competitive in this sport. We
want to take home a buckle. A lot of a
lot of ski door events, first place writer and skier
(14:27):
will both be awarded a buckle like about buck Yeah,
so that is a big goal for us next season.
So you know you better watch out because we're coming
for you.
Speaker 1 (14:37):
I love that. I love that so much you bring
up next season. So what is the kind of with
a sport that's so new, with the sports that is
growing in Colorado? What are I mean you're both going
to school also, so what is what are the goals?
What are the dreams with this sport for the two
of you?
Speaker 4 (14:54):
I mean, I think just fully getting into it is
such a huge goal for us, and you know, getting
more into the community and meeting people, getting our name
out there, and then just having fun and being competitive
because I mean, we're in such a good location for
it looking around. You know, it was hard to get
into this season because it's both of our first years
(15:16):
at CSU. Marley's a freshman and I'm a junior. So
it was just partly us getting used to CSU and
being in school, but then having the opportunity to just
go try it out a little bit. I think we're
just so hungry for more and I definitely think winning
that buckle is something we really want to do next season.
Speaker 1 (15:36):
And do you have to oh go ahead, sorry.
Speaker 5 (15:38):
Oh yeah, totally.
Speaker 3 (15:39):
So as we've been getting into it, you know, it's
one of those things we've learned that you learn by doing.
You there's no YouTube tutorial, there's no and you know,
we started a TikTok page because we're trying to get
the word out there and we're going to make some
educational videos on you know, simple things like how's our
saddle rigged up?
Speaker 5 (15:54):
What kind of rope do you need? What kind of
shoes go on the horse?
Speaker 3 (15:57):
Because you know, that's the kind of thing you show
up and someone tells you, like if you're lucky. That's
That's one big thing about getting your name out there
and making those connections.
Speaker 5 (16:05):
Is that's that's how you learn.
Speaker 3 (16:06):
And you know, just getting out on the course too
is just like the number one way that you can learn. So,
you know, the community has been so incredibly welcoming and
supportive and enthusiastic to see, you know, two young girls
like us. There are definitely some other young women in
this sport.
Speaker 5 (16:20):
But you know, it's largely dominated by by, you know
a lot of men, and they have been so welcoming
and just have been so eager to teach us and
to share their world with us. And that has been
so very encouraging to feel so welcome in the sport
that we're just so eager to be a part of.
Speaker 1 (16:35):
That's awesome because it's very rarely the case when you
enter a male dominated space that as a woman you're like, oh,
I actually I feel welcome here. That's really cool. Why
do you think that is?
Speaker 6 (16:45):
Like?
Speaker 1 (16:45):
What is it about this community that you feel like
you're able to step into it so so seamlessly.
Speaker 6 (16:52):
I think a lot of people doing it just love
the sport.
Speaker 5 (16:56):
It's a lot of.
Speaker 4 (16:56):
Like ranchers or rodeo cowboys and that kind of stuff.
So they're just looking for a way to keep their
horses fit in the winter and travel and maybe make
some money. So I think they're just eager to share
this world with anyone who's willing to listen and take
their advice. So it's really cool that everyone is so
kind and welcoming because I don't know that we expected
(17:19):
it going into our first week. Didally, I don't think
that we did it all honestly, it took us by surprise.
Speaker 5 (17:23):
But the community is just so.
Speaker 3 (17:25):
Like happy, go lucky, Like I think that's just the
best way to describe it, Like there's really no judgment.
Like sure, people definitely get competitive, but at the end
of the day, like when you go to the awards ceremony,
it's just such a good vibe, like everyone is just
happy to be there.
Speaker 5 (17:37):
It doesn't matter if you take home a win or not.
Like people just think it's really cool that, you know,
young girls like us are putting in the effort and
showing up and doing the heavy lifting to get our
name out there and just to you know, to be
there at all.
Speaker 1 (17:50):
Yeah, that's awesome. And I think it's so cool because obviously,
like I found you guys on TikTok, and I don't know,
like I said, i don't know how I ended up
on ski showing TikTok, but I'm like so happy to
be there. So if you guys are on TikTok, start
looking this stuff up because it's incredible and it really
is a show, like people put on these big old
fur codes and these big sort of like blade sunglasses
you know that have like their reflective and it's just
(18:12):
really a cool thing. That is. It does seem like
it's growing and you touched on it a little bit, Megan,
But why do you think it's having this impact in
Colorado specifically, although it sounds like you found it in
another part of like Montana area. So why do you
think this is having such a moment as a sport.
Speaker 3 (18:28):
I think that a lot of the social media has
helped a ton. I think, you know, people just posting
like these slow mo edits, like they're a few specific
photographers and videographers who show up and do this and
they do an incredible job.
Speaker 5 (18:40):
So that helps so much with the reach that this
sport is getting.
Speaker 3 (18:44):
And you know, I think people are just realizing that
there's a whole culture behind it. Like sure, you can
participate and have a killer time, or you can show
up in like a fabulous outfit with like a felt
hat and a fur coat in your boots, and I
think people just love that, especially the fact that it's
generally hosted in mountain towns. People love to get out
there when it's snowy, and you know, when the sun
(19:06):
shining down on you and the powders on the ground,
it's just it's such a great feeling. And you know,
like I said, you can be involved or you can
be on the sidelines and have just as much fun.
So I think that's a big reason that people people
are starting to be drawn to it a lot more.
Speaker 1 (19:18):
Yeah, because I was reading a little bit about the
history of the sport and it started in Europe, and
it started as a very practical, like way to get
around for people to like in Scandinavia. The reading about
like people being pulled on skis by reindeer dogs and
then later horses, but then it became a sport, and
the sport aspect of it is it kind of combines,
(19:38):
I guess, like wakes skiing kind of except John snow
with jumps and what were some of the other things
megan like what does a typical run look like for you?
And like what is a good time? Like how long
is the course? Like break down this sport for us.
Speaker 6 (19:53):
Well, every course is a little bit different.
Speaker 4 (19:56):
A lot of the courses we've done are straight courses,
so I know the there's also curved tracks, which I
don't have any experience in, but with a straight track,
the horse essentially is just running in a straight line,
so I only have to worry about starting and stopping.
But the skier will have multiple turns, so you know,
(20:16):
red you go right and blue you go left, and
if you miss agate with even one ski, that's how
you can get a penalty. And there's also a lot
of times rings that the skier has to catch with
their arm, so you'll have like a line or two
of rings where the skier has to let go of
the rope that's pulling them and you know, keeping them
(20:37):
through the course, just to catch a ring with their
arm and keep it and then grab back onto the
rope and keep going and cross the track behind the
horse and go over jumps and stuff. But I think
a lot of the courses we've been on, a good
time is fifteen to eighteen seconds.
Speaker 1 (20:56):
That is so fast.
Speaker 5 (20:58):
Yeah, it definitely depends on the way of the course.
I don't know if I have like a number for
exactly how long they are, but it can totally vary.
So like when we were in Estes, like a winning time.
Speaker 3 (21:08):
This is off the top of my head, but a
winning time was maybe like twenty seconds, but in Grand
Like it.
Speaker 5 (21:13):
Was shorter, so a winning time was more like fourteen
or fifteen seconds. So it really depends.
Speaker 3 (21:17):
Like some of them they will have like a speedometer
so that they can see like how fast you're actually going,
which is pretty sick, but it's really.
Speaker 5 (21:23):
All about the time. And like she said, those penalties
rack up really fast.
Speaker 3 (21:26):
So like just in Grand Like, for example, it'll vary
from venue to venue, but a dropped ring was a
two second penalty, and you know, that's pretty significant when
you're going that fast. And you know, a missed gate
that's what we call the turns that you have to make,
is like a five second penalty. So you really want
to have a clean run and not have any penalties,
but that can be hard when you're going that fast,
Like just staying in control and staying upright can totally
(21:48):
be a challenge, but it's it's just a really high
velocity sport.
Speaker 1 (21:52):
Yeah, So Marley, how do we practice? How do we
practice going left and right and grabbing rings Like I'm
I'm I'm imagining this happening, but then to imagine it
in fifteen to twenty seconds, like I've been picturing like
a two minute ordeal and you're like, oh no, no,
this is like fifteen, Like how do you practice this totally?
Speaker 3 (22:10):
So you know, just like on the slopes, it's so funny,
like I've I've gone skiing since we started, and it's
just it's just not the same.
Speaker 5 (22:16):
I'm like, this is not.
Speaker 3 (22:18):
Applicable really, Like you know, staying uprights one thing, but
like those turns when you're being pulled like that, like
you know, the force of the rope like jerking you
forward and you know, not losing your footing is definitely
a challenge. So you know, as we're still new to
this and honestly, there hasn't really been snow on the
ground since we've started really much in Four Palms at all.
So it's kind of one of those things you kind
of just got to go out and do it and
(22:39):
that's your practice. So you know, it's it's a crazy
feeling and once a lot of people who who get
to like the higher levels of these sports, they they
learn all about rope management and so that means like
climbing up and down the rope, making sure you make
your gates, you know, making sure there's not slack that's
then going to like jerk you forward anything like that.
That is a skill that we have a big goal
(22:59):
to develop in like the coming season. But that's not
something that we're quite comfortable with yet. So you know,
for us, like a really solid run as if it's clean,
if we have no penalties and if I can just
hold on and stay up right, So you know.
Speaker 5 (23:12):
That's like our current, Like you know, if we could
do that, we are so hyped. But oh, there are
a lot of school totally.
Speaker 3 (23:19):
Yeah, there are a lot of skills that you can
learn to develop just as you go. And you know
there's there are the things like I said, you just
learned by doing. It's just more time on the course
that really gets those skills knelt down.
Speaker 1 (23:29):
That is so I imagine. I mean you're obviously your
college students, so you're already in this like learning phase
of your life. But I imagine it's just so fun
to learn a new sport and to do it together
and sort of have this excuse to travel all around
you know, the West in Colorado and Montana and so
I love it. Thank you so much for sharing with
us a little bit more about this sport and how
(23:51):
it's growing, and I'll get on the ski shoring TikTok
with me because it is very, very very fun. All Right,
we're gonna switch gears now to our something slip on
sech Ma. This is brought to you by the Sports Bra,
which is a women's sports bar up in Portland, Oregon.
And so the week of your episode, ladies, they are
going to have a drink, a cocktail or a mocktail
that is called the Marley and Megan or maybe we'll
(24:13):
call it the Apollo, just to like make him feel included.
The Apollo. Okay, we'll go with the Apollo. So what
are you sipping on? What is like your favorite thing
to grab after a ski sjoring competition.
Speaker 6 (24:25):
Hm hmmm.
Speaker 4 (24:26):
I don't know, a lot of times we're towards the morning,
so maybe a little mimosa is. But I also think
any brusky beer is pretty popular for ski showing, definitely.
Speaker 1 (24:40):
Just like a classic like Craft bruise what you're talking.
Speaker 3 (24:42):
About, Yeah, that's what all the ski drawers are hitting up,
usually after they're run.
Speaker 1 (24:47):
So it seems like that is like for some reason,
I was a whitewater rafting guide too, and so for
some reason, the post outdoor activity beverage is a beer.
I don't know why that always tastes better after an
outdoor activity with a lot of adrenaline, but it always
tastes good afterwards. I love it.
Speaker 5 (25:06):
Okay.
Speaker 1 (25:07):
Well, luckily there's a lot of craft bruise up in Portland, Oregon,
so I'll leave it up to the sports brack crew
to do maybe a little featured bruski or a mimosa.
Who doesn't love a mesa?
Speaker 6 (25:19):
Right?
Speaker 1 (25:19):
And then our last segment is called the Powered Up Segment,
and this is just a Q and A where we
get to know you guys a little bit better. This
is the first time we've had two people on the
podcast at the same time, so we'll see how quickly
this goes. But it's just like very basic, uh you know, yeah,
get to know you questions. So the first one is
coffee or tea?
Speaker 5 (25:37):
Coffee tea?
Speaker 1 (25:39):
Okay? What is your favorite ice cream flavor?
Speaker 5 (25:43):
Cookie, dough, cotton candy. I'm a child at heart.
Speaker 1 (25:46):
Oh I love that. Okay, she's I like it. What
is your go to meal before ski shoring?
Speaker 6 (25:55):
I think we both have a hard time eating.
Speaker 5 (25:57):
If I get it anxious, if I can get down
a protein bar. I'll call it good.
Speaker 1 (26:01):
Yeah, that's fantastic. Okay, So I know you're new in
the sport, but so normally I asked what's the favorite
place your sport has taken you? But why don't I
ask you where do you want this sport to take you?
Speaker 5 (26:14):
Okay?
Speaker 4 (26:14):
I think one of our biggest goals next year is
to make it to Big Sky, Montana, just because that
is where I first saw it, and that's you know,
where my heart kind of said you need to do
ski shoring. So I think making it up there next
year or even the year after would be really cool.
Speaker 5 (26:29):
Yeah, that's a huge goal. We'd love to go there.
We'd love to hit Ladville.
Speaker 3 (26:32):
Those are both two places that we consider a huge
milestone to make it too.
Speaker 1 (26:36):
So how do you make it to it? Do you
have to qualify or like how does that work?
Speaker 4 (26:40):
Pretty much you just have to sign up on time.
We were a little bit late to the game this year,
I think, but yeah, and then just being sure that
we can make the traveling, because I mean Big Sky
is a ten hour drive from for Collins, and so
hauling a horse in the snow for ten hours is
definitely a big burden on, you know, mentally and physically
(27:03):
so for us.
Speaker 3 (27:04):
And for the horse totally, and also just feeling confident
enough to be at that level. Like a lot of
these bigger venues are just incredibly competitive, and you know,
we're all about having a good time, but at the
same time, I want to stay up right, so you know, yes,
once we've reached a level of comfort and confidence on
the track, then I think that that's when we'll feel
ready to you know, sign up for those.
Speaker 1 (27:23):
Yeah, we want a good time, but we want to
show off a little bit too. We want to both.
What is your dream vacation spot for each of you?
Speaker 5 (27:33):
M anywhere in Europe? Anywhere in Europe with mountains.
Speaker 3 (27:38):
I'd love to go, like the Dolomites in Italy, super
super cool, that's.
Speaker 5 (27:43):
A good one.
Speaker 4 (27:44):
Anywhere like really cool and beachy, like you know, Portugal
or something like that.
Speaker 1 (27:52):
I love Portugal. That place is why that place is
stolen my heart. I have got Yeah, it's so beautiful there.
I love it you with apps love it again. What
is the best piece of as you started sort of
chasing this dream, it could be about this dream or
about anything else, but what is the best piece of
advice you feel like you both have gotten.
Speaker 3 (28:11):
I think that for this sport specifically, just show up
like no one's gonna you know, really hold your hand
and be like, Okay, this is how you do this,
and it's how you do that. It's one of those
things you just figure it out. So, you know, just
to show up and be brave and talk to the
people and get your name out there is like the
number one thing that will lead to you feeling confident
just going out there and being around these people.
Speaker 5 (28:31):
So yeah, I think just showing up for yourself is
a huge one.
Speaker 4 (28:34):
Yeah, A little bit like fake it till you make
it kind of vibes like be confident, just.
Speaker 6 (28:39):
Go out there, do what you know how to do,
and learn from it.
Speaker 4 (28:43):
You know, not every run is going to be your
best run, and that's okay, figure out what you can
do better next time and just take that away and grow.
Speaker 1 (28:51):
I love that. And then the last question for each
of you is this is the Powerful podcast. We're all
about highlighting powerful women who are making a difference in
new things and being brave within that. So what does
the word powerful mean to each of you?
Speaker 3 (29:07):
To me, I think it's just advocating for yourself just
you know, even if you're in a male dominated sport
that isn't welcoming, like just like kind of like I said, like,
I'm kind of all about just going out and doing it,
And so I think if you can just believe in
yourself enough to just go out and do it anyways,
do it anyways, do it when, do it when you're supported,
do it when you're not, do it when you're hungry,
do it when you're tired.
Speaker 5 (29:25):
Like I think that that is just that's so powerful
to me.
Speaker 1 (29:29):
I love that.
Speaker 4 (29:30):
Yeah, I definitely think it goes back to that confidence,
like just being confident in yourself and confident in yeah,
your support system and people who are there for you,
and just trusting yourself to be there and show up
and put the work in.
Speaker 1 (29:45):
I love that. That's awesome. Well, I am so excited
to watch you guys continue to grow in this sport
and as young women, and it has just been so fun.
Maybe I'm gonna have to hit you up try and
come out to a ski zuuring competition and co were
Ato next year. That would love so fun. Oh my gosh,
and I have to meet the infamous Apollo.
Speaker 5 (30:03):
It's like basically like the head of our team. So
he has the team mascot.
Speaker 1 (30:08):
Yeah, he's like the mascot, the coach, the manager, all
of the things all the time. I love it. Well,
Marley Meghan, thank you so much for being on the
Powerful podcast. I am so excited to watch you guys. Yeah,
continue to grow. It's been so fun getting to know you,
and thanks for introducing us to a really fun new
sport get on ski shoring TikTok to you guys, it's
like highly entertaining.
Speaker 5 (30:28):
Totally so much.
Speaker 3 (30:29):
It's been wonderful. It's been super nice to you and
just to talk about ourselves honestly.
Speaker 1 (30:34):
Yeah, oh my gosh, Well it's so it's so fun.
It's the whole point of the podcast is to introduce
people to cool new people, cool new sports, and this
hits every single box. So Powerful, pots Bad, thanks so
much for being here. We'll see you next week Marley
and Meghan. Good luck in the spring semester and cannot
wait till for you next season.
Speaker 5 (30:50):
Right on. Thank you.
Speaker 2 (30:51):
This is a reminder to check us out every Tuesday
everywhere you get your podcasts.
Speaker 5 (30:55):
And if you really enjoy this and don't want to
miss an episode, be sure to hit that Subscribe it
Popular Podcasts
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com