Sno-Blazers to hold fourth annual Vintage Snowmobile Show & Ride this Saturday

by Beth Kraft

Following a fairly dry 2014-15 winter that kept local snowmobile trails silent, a recent coating of promising snow and an upcoming vintage show may help put local snowmobile enthusiasts in the mood to hit the trails this winter.

Now in its fourth year, the Mondovi-Gilmanton Sno-Blazers Vintage Snowmobile Show & Ride will be held this Saturday, Jan. 9, beginning at 9 a.m. The show will once again be held on the grounds of DPR Enterprises, located at W559 U.S. Highway 10 about a half-mile east of Mondovi.

Live music, dog sled rides, a deejay, various raffles, and food and beverages will also be available at the event, which is free and open to the public.

Despite the trails being inoperable last year, with the exception of the Buffalo River State Trail (Trail 22), Sno-Blazers member and vintage show promoter Dave Green said the 2015 show saw the number of attendees continue to swell.

“We’re growing every year and we’ve had a tremendous response,” commented Green.

About 125 sleds made the trip for last year’s show, said Green. With snowmobiles that date from the 1950s to present, the show provides an interesting look into Wisconsin’s rich snowmobile heritage.

In addition to the opportunity to check out a variety of vintage sleds, Saturday’s Snow Show will offer up hundreds of dollars in cash prizes through raffle drawings as well as the grand prize sled raffle for a like-new 1980 Polaris TXC 340 snowmobile. Raffle tickets are available for purchase, three for $5, with the winners drawn the day of the event.

All snowmobile enthusiasts are invited to bring their sleds, vintage or new, to the event for judging in various categories beginning at 1 p.m. A trail ride is slated to begin at 1:30 p.m., with the destination and length of the ride TBA pending snow conditions that afternoon.

The weather forecast was calling for possible mixed participation on Friday, which could threaten the early-season conditions on the few trails in the county that are open at present.

“We need the ground to freeze before we can turn anybody lose on this valuable farm ground,” said Green.

Many trails in Buffalo County go across private property, which differs from other counties that utilize a lot of public land. For example, La Crosse County snowmobile trails utilize area bike trails, Green pointed out.

“We want to be respectful to our landowners,” he added. “It’s a balance.”

Returning to the Vintage Snowmobile Show once again this year will be live music by “The Classics” following the awards ceremony. Food, pop and beer will be available for sale inside the heated tent throughout the show.

Dog sled rides—a popular feature of past shows—will also return as an attraction, offered up by Howard Thompson of Sno-Trek Sled Dog Adventures located next to DPR Enterprises.

“A lot of people enjoy the dog sled rides,” said Green.

All proceeds from the dog sled rides will be donated to the Mondovi Area Food Pantry with the Sno-Blazers matching that cash amount to provide a substantial contribution.

The club also divvies up Vintage Show proceeds to support other community causes, such as the Mondovi Women’s Business Network, Rainbow Park playground project and high school post proms. Funds also help the Sno-Blazers organize snowmobile safety classes.

In addition to food and fun, Green notes there are a few informational interests to explore at this year’s show, such as how to obtain a Wisconsin trail pass—a new requirement statewide effective as of July 1, 2015.

The annual trail passes cost $30, but are $10 for anyone who is a member of a snowmobile club.

Green said city residents can also learn how to obtain a free permit to ride city streets to access the trails.

The club was granted access by the City Council back in 2014 to try out opening certain streets to snowmobiles in Mondovi to allow people to reach the trails from their homes, but it has yet to be tested.

Snowmobiles at the show will be judged in the following categories:

• Original (1974 or older, 1975-1985)

• Restored (1974 or older, 1975-1985)

• Open Class (1986-2000, 2001 and newer)

• Cutter and “Rat Sled” (super customized)

A prize will also be given for the best vintage-dressed person at the snowmobile event, plus spectators can cast their votes for Best in Show and People’s Choice awards.

Snowmobiles can be entered for judging at a cost of $5 per sled with a $10 maximum entry.

For more information about the Sno-Blazers’ Vintage Snowmobile Show, check out the club’s Facebook page. To stay up-to-date on current trail conditions, please visit www.snowbc.org.