Whitefish Winter Carnival Ski Joring returns this weekend with a new location and a new track design, that organizers say is sure to improve on an already fun event.

The skijoring competition is set for Saturday, Jan. 27 and Sunday, Jan. 28 at the Big Mountain Ranch on the historic Voerman homestead just east of Whitefish. Competition begins at noon both days with opening ceremonies at 11:30 a.m.

“There’s some really fun changes,” Mike Righetti, member of the skijoring committee, said. “The new location is the old homestead for the Voerman Ranch — it’s a working cattle ranch with horses — so that should make it really fun and the views are the same or better of Big Mountain.”

In previous years, the annual skijoring event has been held at the city airport, but Righetti said organizers have decided to move the event to the ranch because it’s better suited for the event.

“The airport has always been a challenge,” he said. “When we ran the event and it was too wet it damaged the airport, but now on the ranch we don’t have to deal with that.”

In addition, parking will be on-site rather than folks riding a shuttle bus to the event from another location.

Skijoring is a traditional Winter Carnival event that pairs a horse and rider with a skier being pulled through a course that includes gates, hitting jumps and grabbing rings. The duo with the fastest time wins. Thousands of spectators line the course to cheer on teams.

New this year is the J-shaped track. Skijoring courses are often straight or U-shaped.

“A straight course is very spectator unfriendly because you can’t see the whole event,” Righetti said. “With a U- or J-shape you see the horse and skier coming and going.”

In the past, the Whitefish event has used a U-shape with equal lengths on both sides. However, the downside to that is that at near the end of the course the skier can’t grab rings to earn points like is often done with the straight track course.

By creating a J-shape organizers are planning to include jumps, gates and rings as part of the course.

“We think this is the only place anybody has done a J-track,” Righetti said.

There are four divisions — open, sport and novice and the costume class, which allows for competitors to dress up, but not compete for prize money. Organizers are expecting roughly 80 competitors.

Registration for the event takes place at Grouse Mountain Lodge on Friday, Jan. 26 from 6-9 p.m. On Saturday evening at Casey’s downtown at 7 p.m. is the Calcutta, which is a chance to bid on teams for Sunday’s event. An awards ceremony is set for Sunday at the Remington Bar and Mama Blanca’s.

A number of vendors are set to be present during the main event on Saturday and Sunday at Big Mountain Ranch. Beer and wine will be available for purchase.

Admission is $5 per person each day. Ages 12 and under are free. Parking is free.

Winter Carnival Ski Joring is being held at Big Mountain Ranch at 1875 Voerman Road. The entrance is near the Voerman Road and Dillon Road intersection east of Whitefish.

To get there from Highway 93, take JP Road east through two 90-degree corners, then take a left on Monegan Road and then turn right onto Voerman Road heading east for about two miles. The entrance is on the left.

To get there from Montana 40, turn onto Dillon Road and continue until there is a 90-degree corner. The entrance is on the right on Voerman Road.

Visit www.whitefishskijoring.com for more information.