Doug Wheeler’s family has been pulling skiers behind horses for more than 90 years. Meet Winter Carnival’s “guy on the horse.”

Doug Wheeler says there have been newspaper articles written about his family pulling skiers on horseback down Lincoln Avenue for Winter Carnival since 1933, but their involvement with the Winter Carnival probably dates back even further than that. Wheeler started pulling skiers when he was only 12 years old, simply because he was better on a horse than he was on skis. For Wheeler, Winter Carnival is a family affair: everyone in his immediate family—including sisters, uncles, cousins, and now his kids and their kids—all participate.

Now 56, Wheeler has been that “guy on the horse” for the better part of 45 years, and he wouldn’t have it any other way. With his slow drawl and deep, throaty laugh he’s all cowboy, the fourth generation of his family to be born and raised on the ranch. That’s one of the reasons why Winter Carnival is so important to him, to keep Steamboat’s ranching heritage alive. This year, that starts with his eight-year-old grandson, who will be soon be taking the reigns—and maybe even a couple of skiers—for a ride.

He is also the rider pictured on this year’s Winter Carnival Commemorative poster, created by local artist Michelle Ideus. Michelle chose the photo of Wheeler because it so iconic. No matter where you are, if you have ever experienced the Winter Carnival’s “street events” as they are called, the images of Wheeler pulling skiers down a snow-covered Lincoln Avenue downtown bring memories flooding and a nostalgia that is pure Steamboat.

Wheeler comes out from under the shadows of his cowboy hat to shed some light on what it means to get back on that horse.

How did you get involved with Winter Carnival?
I grew up on a ranch up the Elk River and I could ride a horse before I could walk. I tried for several years to make it as a skier and I could get down the mountain, but I wasn’t that accomplished, so they had to let me start pulling skiers when I was 12. Every year, my dad, uncle, sisters, cousins and myself all pulled skiers in Winter Carnival.

It’s a real family affair.
It’s a family tradition that we feel very strongly about supporting. We really like to encourage the western heritage that Steamboat is known for and try to uphold it. They’ll have to plant me in the ground before I stop pulling in the Winter Carnival; so long as someone can get me on a horse, I’ll ride that bugger.

Is it true you personally started the shovel race?

Growing up on the ranch, we’d just take our scoop shovel that we used for shoveling grain and take them out on the hill and ride them like sled. One day, I got the brilliant idea to have my Dad tie this shovel behind this horse and pull me down the street. Back then we didn’t wear helmets or nothing else. You had to toughen up and take a beating, and that was that. It’s the cowboy way: you gotta cowboy up and go out and have fun, but you gotta be tough.

Explain exactly what it is you do out there. How fast are you going? What’s it like to ride a horse pulling a skier in the snow in front of a crowd?
I suppose a horse could run 25-30mph for short distances like that. It’s not as easy as some people want to think. The footing for the horses is terrible at best so as a rider, you have to gauge your horse and gauge the footing. Every year is different, every trip is different. You really have to have good control and a good horse.

What do you love most about it?
It’s exciting and fun. It’s fun to get the kids who want to go fast and jump far on the donkey jump. It’s fun to take the kids the first time too. Just get them down through there so they have a good experience and want to do it again.

What are some of memories you’ll never forget?
I’ve been bucked off in the middle of the street in front of the crowd and so has my daughter, but we just get back on that horse and keep riding. One year I got this idea to pull my cousin Shane Yaeger on the shovel, but instead of pulling him with one horse, we put two horses on to see if we could go faster. We took him over donkey jump on the shovel. It was quite interesting, needless to say. He made it over the jump okay but has no will to ever do it again.

What’s your favorite event?
The donkey jump is one of my favorites. If you get a fast horse and good run and a kid who knows what he’s doing, you can give an extra tug on the rope just when he hits the jump. I’ve won several years by literally throwing the kids farther than anybody else. We laugh about it all the time. Seriously though, safety is our biggest concern. We’re all out there to make sure the kids have a fun time and come away safe.

What do you love most about Winter Carnival?
Being born and raised in Steamboat, and my mom and dad were born and raised here, it’s a tradition we want to help keep going as long as the city will allow us to do it. We’ve been at it for four generations getting ready to go on five. I took my grandson with me on the horse while I was pulling a skier when he was four years old. He’s 8 now and I wouldn’t be surprised if I don’t start letting him ride.

Read more about Doug Wheeler and the traditions of the Steamboat Springs Winter Carnival here.

The 105th Winter Carnival Commemorative posters a currently available for sale at Off the Beaten Path Bookstore, Lyon Drug, and Steamboat Sotheby’s International Realty offices, or order online and have your poster mailed to you. CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE ONLINE.

For more information on Winter Carnival including a complete schedule of events, visit the Steamboat Chamber website.