Tequila on Ice: Lobos 1707 Bets Big on Skijoring's Wild Frontier

NEW YORK, NY – January 13, 2026 – In a market saturated with predictable sports sponsorships, premium spirits brand Lobos 1707 Tequila & Mezcal is veering off the groomed path. The company, backed by a roster of cultural influencers including LeBron James and Arnold Schwarzenegger, has been named the Official Tequila Sponsor for the inaugural Frontier Tour of PRO Skijor, North America's first professional league for the high-octane winter sport.

The partnership aligns the ultra-premium tequila with a discipline where a horse and rider pull a skier at speeds up to 50 mph through a snow-packed course of gates, jumps, and obstacles. It’s a bold strategic pivot, trading the polished floors of basketball courts and the manicured lawns of tennis stadiums for the raw, unpredictable energy of the modern American West.

A Maverick Move in a Crowded Market

The premium tequila space has become a battleground for brand visibility, with major players vying for attention through high-profile partnerships. Competitors frequently align with mainstream events; Don Julio has a strong presence in Major League Soccer and at the US Open, while Maestro Dobel also claims tennis partnerships, and Hornitos blankets professional sports leagues with its branding. These moves target broad, established fan bases.

Lobos 1707 is choosing a different route. By embracing skijoring, the brand is making a calculated bet on a niche but rapidly growing sport that embodies its core identity. This move is a direct reflection of the brand's recent "UnDOMESTICATE" campaign, which encourages consumers to break from conformity and embrace a more instinctual spirit. The sponsorship is less about reaching the most people and more about connecting deeply with the right people—those who value heritage, performance, and authentic, adrenaline-fueled experiences.

"Lobos 1707 has always lived at the intersection of heritage and evolution," said Diego Osorio, the brand's founder. "PRO Skijor captures that same Premium West spirit – raw, elevated, and rooted in the frontier culture, but reimagined for today. This partnership felt like a natural extension of our brand world and where we see the West heading next."

This deliberate targeting of a subculture allows Lobos 1707 to differentiate itself in a market crowded with celebrity-backed tequilas. Instead of just lending its name, the brand is embedding itself into the fabric of an emerging cultural phenomenon, aiming to own a unique identity that is both rugged and refined.

Fueling the Frontier: Professionalizing a Niche Sport

For PRO Skijor, the partnership is a landmark moment. While skijoring has existed for decades, with beloved local events in towns like Red Lodge, Montana, it has remained largely a fragmented, amateur pursuit. PRO Skijor, founded by Utah pioneers Brian Gardner and Joe Loveridge along with media executives Greg Lipstone and Chris Castallo, was created specifically to professionalize the sport.

The backing of a premium brand like Lobos 1707 provides more than just financial support; it lends crucial credibility and marketing muscle. This partnership helps legitimize PRO Skijor's claim as a professional league, attracting elite athletes with the promise of a structured tour and a significant prize purse. The inaugural Frontier Tour will span six cities across the Mountain West, transforming local fairgrounds into world-class competition venues and culminating in a Championship Weekend in Salt Lake City.

This structure, complete with points, titles, and cash prizes, is designed to create season-long narratives and star athletes, key ingredients for building a dedicated fan base. The sponsorship will be instrumental in elevating the production value and fan experience, helping to transition skijoring from a grassroots curiosity into a viable, spectator-friendly professional sport with national appeal.

Where Craftsmanship Meets High-Speed Grit

The synergy between the two brands runs deeper than marketing demographics. The partnership is built on a shared philosophy of the "finish." For Lobos 1707, its identity is defined by its signature finishing process, where the tequila is aged in Pedro Ximénez (PX) sherry casks from Spain. This final step imparts a uniquely smooth and complex flavor profile that has earned it over 30 gold medals and recognition from Forbes as one of the world's best tequilas.

Similarly, in skijoring, a race is often won or lost in the final moments. Success hinges on the flawless execution and timing between horse, rider, and skier as they navigate the last gate or hit the final jump. It is a moment of pure performance where preparation and grit culminate.

This shared ethos will be celebrated throughout the tour. Lobos 1707's integration is designed to be immersive, with branded lounge environments, signature cocktails like the "Lobos Lap," and a significant presence at key milestones. At the season-ending 'Final Finish' Awards Gala, the brand will present custom MVP Trophies—reimagined as Western-inspired championship belts—to the top rider, skier, and horse, creating a bold symbol of victory that honors the sport's heritage and grit.

More Than a Race: A Traveling Western Festival

The PRO Skijor Frontier Tour is being positioned as much more than a series of competitions. Each stop is designed as an all-day festival, a celebration of Western and ski culture intended to draw a broad audience. The events will feature live music, local food trucks, and a marketplace of Western and ski-inspired vendors, creating an atmosphere described as "rodeo energy meets ski-town attitude."

To foster community involvement, the tour includes a wide array of competitive divisions beyond the elite Pro-Open class. Categories include Sport (intermediate), Women's, and even an All-Around division where teammates must both ride the horse and ski. The tour also welcomes amateurs and enthusiasts with Novice, Teen, and the fan-favorite Century division, where the combined age of the rider and skier must equal 100 years or more. For the next generation, the "Lil' Buckaroo & Ponies Only" division ensures that even the youngest participants can get involved.

This inclusive, festival-like approach transforms each tour stop into a destination event, appealing to families, adventure-seekers, and lifestyle consumers. The 2026 Frontier Tour schedule kicks off in Heber City, Utah, before moving through Montana, Idaho, and back to Utah for the championship:

• Heber City, UT: January 16-17
• Bozeman, MT: January 24-25
• Logan, UT: January 30-31
• Boise, ID: February 6-7
• Driggs, ID: February 21-22
• Championship Weekend in Salt Lake City, UT: February 27-March 1

As the tour prepares to launch, this partnership represents a fusion of horsepower and hospitality, blending the untamed spirit of the frontier with the refined craftsmanship of a luxury brand, creating a compelling new platform in the world of winter sports.