August 20, 2010 (Wanaka, NZ) – As August heat continues to beat down on the northern portion of our planet, skiers in New Zealand gather for the most anticipated skiing event of the season – the 15th annual Merino Muster cross country ski race. Held at the Snow Farm, the southern hemisphere’s premiere Nordic skiing and outdoor activities destination, this event is held annually to commemorate the 150 year-old tradition of sheep grazing high in the Southern Alps.

Three race distances allow skiers of all abilities to participate in the Muster, with the 42-kilometer Merino Muster main event, the 21-kilometer Snow Rake mid-distance, and 7km Straggle Muster short-distance race. The overall event was initially modeled after Australia’s Kangaroo Hoppet, but has evolved into a unique day of racing for the whole family. “We think the three distances have made the event a perfect progression,” comments race creator, and Snow Farm director Mary Lee, “plus, you have all day to ski it, so it is accessible to skiers of all levels!”

The names of the events are derived from the traditional festival of farming that has occurred since the beginnings of agriculture in 19th century New Zealand. For 150 years, sheep grazed high in the fertile mountainsides of New Zealand’s South Island, yielding abundant quantities of valuable merino wool. In late fall, farmers gathered the sheep and moved them to lower elevations to prevent the stock from freezing in the winter cold and snow. The ritual often involved most of the town’s inhabitants and was referred to as the Merino Muster, marking the end of the warm months and the growing season. The event features prominently in much of the region’s historical literature, and is often referred to as a right of passage for many of the rural communities’ young people.

If snow fell before the fall muster was complete, packed trails were stomped out by foot to ensure the sheep were able to quickly and safely move to lower elevations where snow rarely affected their grazing. This snow-packing was known as the Snow Rake, giving the middle-distance race its name. Although machines now pack the snow for all skiers at the Snow Farm, racers of this event commemorate the hard work and tireless hours that were put in by the farmers during the fall muster.

Inevitably, some sheep strayed from the flock, and needed to be re-grouped after the majority of their mates were shifted off their summer grazing grounds. This final sweep for the slower or younger sheep was known as the Straggle Muster, and gives rise to the name of the shortest race of the weekend, the 7-kilometer tour around the main bowl of the Snow Farm trail system. This race is designed to give less-experienced skiers the chance to begin racing, and signifies the incorporation of all the towns-people into the fall farming festival.

Of course after the event was complete, a festival of food and drink was held to celebrate yet another plentiful year of grazing and growing. In the 15 years of the Snow Farm’s Merino Muster, games of rugby and soccer were just some of the celebratory activities offered to competitors after the event. According to Lee, “one year, we convinced a whole club of rugby boys to come up and have a go at the Straggle Muster. That was the biggest turnout for the event, at about 400 competitors at the start line.”

This year, the start list is dotted with Olympians, professional skiers, and of course those who have competed in almost every Merino Muster since it’s inception in 1996. Paralympic gold-medalist guide Robin McKeever will toe the line to fight for a repeat of his 2008 Merino Muster victory. His medal-mate and brother, Brian, may also join the race, provided he is healthy by the weekend. “Hopefully he [Brian] will get better and be able to race. I’m healthy, so I will be racing,” Robin claims.

In addition to the Canadian brothers, Kiwi Olympian Ben Koons and younger brother Nils plan to battle for the podium in a field that includes US skier Pavel Sotskov (Salomon/Vermont Academy) and New Zealander Andrew Pohl. Several Russians following the ski marathon circuit are also present in the starting order. The women’s field promises to be the largest in recent years, including US skier Hannah Dreissigacker (Craftsbury Green Racing Project).

As for the weather, Lee thinks she’s found the right day. “A lot of people have been asking me why we picked this weekend. The race is always held at the end of the third week of August. It’s partially tradition, partially because we haven’t had a poor weather day in the 14 previous years of the Muster. Twice we’ve had to dig ourselves out of a storm on the night before, but that hasn’t stopped the race.” With the end of the southern hemisphere winter in sight, September often brings softer conditions which make the August date more suitable for an event of this size.

High-elevation grazing has been on the decline in the past years due to concerns of land over-use raised by the environmental movement, so preserving the mustering tradition in the Southern Alps through cross country skiing has been a key goal of the event organizers. For both young and old, beginner and expert, the Merino Muster has become the must-ski event of New Zealand’s winter season, and the celebration of the 2010 Merino Muster on Saturday, August 21st will sure to be no exception.