Snodeo adds ice barrel racing to lineup

MANAWA – In a city best known for its nationally recognized rodeo, Manawa’s Snodeo is putting a winter spin on its rodeo roots.

While the rodeo showcases horses and cowboys, the Snodeo offers nearly every kind of winter machine that can move on ice. The event will return to Bear Lake Feb. 21-22 with a full weekend of winter motorsports, family activities and events.

In addition to traditional ice oval and radar runs, this year’s Snodeo is adding a new twist that again plays off Manawa’s rodeo roots: barrel racing on ice.

The Rodeo City Riders Saddle Club will run the event’s timed barrel racing course, which is open to snowmobiles, motorcycles, ATVs and UTVs.

Competitors race in different classes based on vehicle type and size, with prizes awarded to the fastest time in each class.

The Snodeo was started in 2007 by a group of local racers and enthusiasts seeking to rekindle snowmobile derbies held on Bear Lake and Manawa Lake from 1968 to 1973. The first Snodeo event was a one-day, 1.5-mile snowmobile slalom, or “lakecross” race with 37 contestants and about 100 spectators. In the years that followed, the course expanded to two miles, and a 10-lap, 20-mile “Iron Man” feature race was added.

In 2010, the Manawa Lions Club built a 660-foot radar run track, drawing new competitors and increasing attendance. A quarter-mile ice oval track was added in 2011, expanding the event to two days and doubling spectator turnout. Ice oval Kitty Cat races for youth riders began in 2012, creating a fourth event that could run simultaneously with the others.

The Snodeo has continued to evolve, adding professional racing divisions, specialty exhibitions and partnerships with other winter racing organizations.
Attendance has grown to more than 4,000 in recent years, depending on weather conditions. After weather-related cancellations of racing in 2023 and 2024, organizers said they are hopeful for favorable conditions this year.

Organizer Debbie Sarna and husband Dave Sarna, the race director, have been central to the event’s growth.

“It’s not just a snowmobile race anymore,” Debbie Sarna said. “It’s a winter carnival.”

Sarna, who is in her 70s, said she’s increasingly leaning on her daughter, Dawn Kappelman, to help carry the Snodeo into the future. Kappelman has focused on bringing family-friendly activities and new incentives to the annual event.

Children’s activities this year include snowmobile rides and ice skating, along with face painting, crafts, coloring contests and bingo.

Spectators pass through a vintage snowmobile show as they head onto the ice. Hot laps begin at 8 a.m. both days, with racing to follow. Other events include a parade ceremony and airplane flyover at noon, with hot air balloon appearances tentative depending on weather conditions. Food and coffee trucks will also be on site.

One of the Snodeo’s most eye-catching events is the swimsuit radar run, set for 2 p.m. Saturday. The race benefits Pink Ribbon Riders, a breast cancer support charity. Participants collect pledges and race across the ice wearing swimsuit-style outfits instead of traditional snow gear. Prizes are awarded for the largest pledge total, fastest speed and best attire.

For Snodeo newcomers worried about the cold, Sarna said there are plenty of ways to stay warm while still enjoying the action. Bear Lake Hall offers indoor space, food and a live video feed of the races.

Parking is available across the highway at N4715 State Road 22/110 in Manawa, with free shuttle carts transporting spectators onto the ice and to the tracks. Admission is $20 on Saturday, $10 on Sunday, or $30 for the weekend. Veterans and children 12 and under get in free. Each Saturday pass includes a raffle ticket for a chance to win $500.

Sarna said the Snodeo relies on local clubs and volunteers for support. Each participating civic or community group receives a donation. Proceeds from the event also support scholarships for high school students.