Silverton Skijoring will return in 2022 after the pandemic disrupted last year’s festivities.

Skiers, riders and spectators will return to Silverton’s Blair Street on Feb. 19 and Feb. 20 for the annual festival that draws crowds to the area for the extreme sport, with a few slight changes.

“It’s just a really exciting event,” said Karen Srebacic-Sites, president of Silverton Skijoring and director of the race.

“It’s been nicknamed Silverton’s winter Fourth of July because it’s so busy,” she said.

In good years with beautiful weather, the two-day festivities draw about 5,000 spectators to the town about 50 miles north of Durango, she said.

About 50 teams of skiers and riders participate every year.

But in 2021, Silverton Skijoring had to cancel the event because of the pandemic.

“It was such a hard decision to not have the race, but it is so costly to put it on,” Srebacic-Sites said.

It costs about $30,000 to hold the winter ritual.

With the event canceled, Silverton Skijoring instead brought in riders and skiers to make a film about the sport.

“We started filming a documentary about Silverton Skijoring, which is not wrapped up yet,” Srebacic-Sites said. “We’re hoping to finalize that by April.”

The plan is for action shots from this year’s event with spectators to round out the footage.

After last year’s cancellation, organizers expect a significant rebound.

“I am just anticipating a larger crowd and more teams than the previous years,” Srebacic-Sites said.

“I know we have different teams coming that have not come before, but you (also) have your loyal Silverton teams,” she said.

A sizable winner’s purse will invigorate healthy competition among the participants and energize a booming crowd.

In the past, teams have competed for about $10,000 in prize money.

The 2022 races will feature a $15,000 purse, but Srebacic-Sites hopes to increase that total to $18,000 when the event rolls around in February.

In addition to a growing purse, this year’s Silverton Skijoring will see two major changes.

“We're going to have vendors, which we haven’t had before,” Srebacic-Sites said.

About 10 vendors who support the event will set up tents on 11th and 12th streets where they will provide information and sell goods.

The “Party Zone,” which offers alcohol, will also return to 12th Street.

But the biggest change is a slight tweak to the race rules of the open class, the most professional division.

“Our races in the past have always been match-draw,” Srebacic-Sites said.

Participants could register as a team, but a draw would randomly assign each skier to a horse and rider.

Some draw races will remain in 2022, but now there will also be match-match races, in which predetermined teams of skiers and riders can compete together.

The move is designed to enliven the competition and make it more sport-like, Srebacic-Sites said.

“It was a professional change for the organization,” she said.

As always, opening ceremonies will begin at “high noon” Feb. 19 and Feb. 20 on Blair Street.

Skijoring will begin soon after and last until about 4 p.m.

ahannon@durangoherald.com