Skijoring
There are numerous skijoring races in South Tyrol, where brave skiers are pulled across the snow by Haflinger horses in a race. Whether during the day or at night, these fast-paced sporting events are not just for horse lovers.
In skijoring or skikjøring, a skier is pulled on a rope by a horse, sled dogs or a motorised vehicle. "Kjøring" means "driving sport" in Norwegian.
Haflinger horses as sports stars
In South Tyrol, skijoring with Haflinger horses is particularly popular. Thanks to their sure-footedness and strong nerves, this breed of horse from South Tyrol is perfectly suited to this winter sport When the Haflinger's golden winter coat shines in the sun, their hooves scrape impatiently in the glistening snow and little clouds of steam rise from their nostrils, the action is about to start and the excitement in the audience rises too.
Exciting races
In this winter sport, spectators are fascinated by the interaction between humans and animals and the speed at which two and four-legged friends race together through the snow-covered South Tyrolean mountain landscape. Many winter sports regions in South Tyrol organize skijoring races, sometimes combined with horse-drawn sleigh races. A particular highlight is the annual night skijoring race in the Meran 2000 ski area.
