Lack Of Snow And A Horse On The Run Didn’t Stop Weekend’s Skijor Bangor Event

Organizers of Bangor's first-ever Skijor event did everything in their power to ensure that the inaugural run of this "Norwegian ski driving" competition took take place this past weekend, despite the lack of snow on the ground.

Snow from the airport was trucked into the venue just days before the event was set to take place.

Based on the description on the Skijor Bangor Facebook Page:

"Skijor Bangor is a time-trial race where a horse and rider pull a snowboarder or alpine skier down a 1,000-foot track of gates, rings, and jumps. Participants will compete for swag and cash prizes."

And that's just what they did, as best as they could with the limited snow.

Some of the horses on site for the event decided to wander about a bit. One in particular attempted an escape from the area and ended up on a scenic tour of Bangor that ended at Fairmount Park, without incident.

Lori Lee was driving around Bangor, running errands, when she came upon the scene.

"The horse had already been safely escorted from the highway by the police and a state trooper. They were waiting for the horse trailer at the park when I pulled over. It was a beautiful sight. Glad I was there at that moment. As a side note...the horse was quite vocal. I like to think it really liked Fairmont Park."

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Skijor Bangor organizer, Jodi MacGregor said safety was at the center of the event and ultimately led to the decision to shorten the day's activities. She posted some closing thoughts on the Skijor Bangor Facebook Page, after the day's activities had ended.

"Our top priority is and always will be the safety of our competitors, horses, and people involved in our event...We appreciate the help during the event to remove the excess snow, prevent deterioration of the track, and keep us aware of the conditions.  All safety precautions were in place and when the track was deemed unsafe we made the decision to end the race early."

MacGregor went on to thank the sponsors, volunteers, spectators and participants for making it possible for the initial Skijor Bangor event to take place.

"Shout out to our competitors for understanding what we were up against and how hard we had to work to get this going for you. The first time is always challenging and the grace you allowed us shows what truly amazing people you are."

MacGregor said she is hopeful next year's event will be even better, provided the weather cooperates a little better than it did this year.