Navan pair bidding for Skijoring success in Canada

The first Irish team, of Navan's Susan Oakes and Barry O'Brien-Lynch, to take part and win a major skijoring event in 2020 have been using their creativity to train ahead of the 2023 Skijordue Festival, which takes place in Calgary, Canada tomorrow (25th February).

North America’s fastest-growing winter sport, Skijoring consists of a horse pulling a skier over obstacles through the snow at breakneck speeds of up to 65km per hour.

The Navan pair left 50 other competitors gobsmacked when they claimed first place in the 2.5-furlong main event at the tournament when it was last held in 2020.

Team Ireland will be led in Canada tomorrow by horsewoman Oakes, who has defied medics to accomplish an incredible number of equestrian feats.

In training for the 2023 Skijor tournament, she has been keeping her riding fitness at a high level by riding out every day and cycling regularly.

“With even more health challenges from a fall back in 2016, I now have to do even more to keep on top of the game regardless of what equestrian discipline I'm competing at,” said Oakes.

When Oakes, who has an autoimmune disease, was told by doctors in 2005 that she’d only have two years left of being able to ride a horse, she came up with a bucket list.

In the past 17 years, she has won numerous point-to-points, holds the Guinness World Record for Side Saddle High Jumping, and has taken part in the Calgary stampede and the Boston St Patrick's Day parade.

Amateur, but ambitious, skier O’Brien-Lynch has been practising his pace and balance by being pulled by a vintage tractor on a kid's sledge over a roll of carpet and on skis that are tie-wrapped to skateboards.

Training to retain the title has ramped up a gear, as O'Brien-Lynch recently completed Austria’s steepest slope, the Harakiri, with an incline of up to 78%, vertical drop of 375 metres and a length of about 1500.

Childhood friends from Navan, the pair credit their previous win to their gutsy approach and open mindset and are hopeful for Team Ireland’s success in 2023.

Riding the Team Ireland horse is 39-year-old Oakes.

"I always strive to challenge myself, and that’s why we took part in the last event. Everyone, including ourselves, was shocked when we were announced as the winners of the main race. We’re returning even better prepared this year; we have trained and have a plan - so watch this space! Anything is possible, you just have to believe in it.”

Travelling behind on skis for Team Ireland, will be 43-year-old O’Brien Lynch, 43.

"Skijoring is a truly unique experience with its own specific set of obstacles such as riding a western saddle on a new horse in the snow, the sub-zero temperatures as well as jet lag and long haul travel - but we fully intend to defend our title and return to Ireland once more as champions of Skijor,” concluded the Navan man.