2027 Tracking & Results
The listed edition is scheduled for Jan 8, 2027. Tracking may not show current positions until the race starts. Live positions are not final results. Published outcomes will be recorded here once a result source is available.
Event Overview
| Date | Jan 8, 2027 |
|---|---|
| Location | Bonneville County Fairgrounds and Sandy Downs Park, Idaho Falls, Idaho, USA |
| Format | Backyard Ultra |
| Terrain | Mixed |
| Region | North America |
| Distance / duration | 4.167 mi every hour |
| State / area | Idaho (ID) |
| Course model | Loop |
| Edition note | The fifth edition, and the first in January: the four earlier races were held in December from 2022 to 2025. Registration is open on RunSignup until January 6, 2027, with 76 of 110 places left on October 20. The 2025 race sold out. Big's race page lists the category as "Bronze", and the organizer's text there says Dizzy Horse "is a Bronze Qualifier that feeds into the Banana Slug Silver Qualifier". The organizer's site adds that the winner "on odd years" gets a paid, guaranteed entry into a Silver Qualifier. The organizer gives about 50 ft of climb per lap; Big's listing says 80 ft. |
| Elevation gain | About 50 ft per lap (organizer). The only climb is in the sand along the canal. Big's listing gives 80 ft per loop. |
| Cutoff | Each 4.167-mile loop must be completed within the hour, and runners must be in the corral when the top-of-hour bell rings, with warnings at 3, 2 and 1 minutes. The race is open-ended. The "Last Horse Standing" must complete one more loop than the assist, or there is no winner. Loops are not officially timed; results are counted in completed loops. |
| Start | 10:00 AM Mountain Time, Friday, January 8, 2027 |
| Field size | Capped at 110 on RunSignup, with 76 places left on October 20, 2026. The 2025 race sold out, with 104 starters. |
| Highlights | Indoor transition hall, Course record: 37 yards |
Course & Terrain
A single 4.167-mile loop from the start corral outside the Bonneville County Fairgrounds Exhibition Hall through Sandy Downs Park, used for every yard. It crosses grass, an active and an abandoned horse racetrack, dirt roads, a short paved stretch by the Snake River BMX track and about 400 yards of sand along a canal. RunSignup puts the mix at about 25% grass, 20% racetrack, 35% dirt, 8% sand and 12% pavement, often under snow in January.
Key course features to know before comparing this race:
- Start corral at the doors of the Bonneville County Fairgrounds Exhibition Hall
- Half a mile on the Sandy Downs horse racetrack
- About 400 yards of sand along a canal
- An abandoned horse track on the way back
Mostly flat, but the surface changes many times per loop, from grass and racetrack to dirt road, sand and a little asphalt. In January much of it can be under snow or ice.
Expect cold. The organizer reports snow, wind and mid-20s °F temperatures with winds over 30 mph in 2022, freezing fog that turned to sun in 2023, and a warm, dry race in 2025, which prompted the move to January.
Entry & Logistics
| Registration and fees | Check the official event website for current availability, deadlines, prices, taxes, and refund terms. |
|---|---|
| Qualification | Open entry on RunSignup. The basic "Bareback" entry is $65 (the $55 early price has ended) and covers race entry, water, general indoor access and a DNF award. Add-ons include Deluxe Aid Station access ($45 per person) and a reserved 10 x 10 ft indoor space ($50, only 15 available). Registration ends January 6, 2027. Results count toward the Big's At-Large list, which ranks each runner's best backyard result between August 16, 2025 and August 15, 2027. |
| Support model | Basic entry includes water and indoor access, and water is also available at the 2-mile mark. A porta-potty stands at about halfway. The Deluxe Aid Station inside the Exhibition Hall serves catered food on a schedule plus standard aid station fare. Everyone who does not win gets a custom DNF award, with awards for benchmarks such as 50 miles (12 hours) and 100 miles (24 hours). |
| Crew / pacers | No pacers and no crew help on course, which includes going out on or near the course to cheer. Crew can help between loops. In the general indoor area, crews may use only the chairs set up for their runner, and the organizer recommends one or two crew per runner for the first hours. Deluxe aid food and the bathrooms are open to crew and the public only from the top of each hour until the half hour. |
| Logistics note | Race HQ is the Bonneville County Fairgrounds Exhibition Hall, 7791 S 15th E, Idaho Falls. All runners get the general indoor transition area. Outside space is available for tents or a grill, possibly in snow. |
Why This Race Matters
Trail2Sparta's winter backyard has grown from 42 starters in December 2022 to 104 in December 2025. Young runners are a big part of it: 17 of the 104 runners in 2025 were under 18. Stephen Stohl won at 16 in 2024, and in 2025 Sylvia Greer became the first woman to win, with 26 yards, with Stohl as the assist. The organizer moved the race to January after a warm, dry 2025 edition to make it a true winter event.
Historical benchmark notes in the directory record (verify current records with the linked official sources):
- Course record: 37 yards (154.167 miles), Jeremy Smith, December 2023. Mike Postaski was the assist with 36.
- Women's best: 26 yards (about 108 miles), Sylvia Greer, who won in December 2025.
- Earlier winners: Zachary Van Abbema, 19 yards (2022), and Stephen Stohl, 20 yards at age 16 (2024).
Preparing for a Race Like Dizzy Horse Backyard Ultra
The backyard ultra race guide covers the format as a whole. These guides go deeper:
- Backyard ultras explained: Rules, distance math, current records and how a race ends.
- Backyard ultra training plan: A 16-week framework with hourly-loop rehearsals and a printable worksheet.
- Backyard ultra race strategy: Loop pacing, the routine between loops, sleep and knowing when to stop.
- Backyard ultra nutrition: A tested fueling routine for eating and drinking between loops.
Best Fit
- Runners who want a low-cost, low-key first backyard
- Winter running on a mostly flat loop
- Families and high school runners
Planning Notes
- Practice the exact hourly routine: loop, eat, foot check, bottle refill, and back to the start. The format rewards repeatability.
- The directory marks this as having comparatively simpler logistics. That editorial label is not a safety rating; verify cutoffs, terrain, support, crew access, and withdrawal procedures.
- Snow and ice can cover the whole course in January
- Indoor spaces and other upgrades are limited
- The race starts on a Friday at 10:00 AM
- Crew may not go out on the course, even to cheer
Event FAQs
When is Dizzy Horse 2027?
Friday, January 8, 2027, starting at 10:00 AM Mountain Time in Idaho Falls. It is the first January edition; the first four were held in December.
What is the Dizzy Horse Backyard Ultra record?
37 yards, about 154 miles, by Jeremy Smith in December 2023, with Mike Postaski the assist at 36. Sylvia Greer's 26 yards in 2025 is the best by a woman.
What is the Dizzy Horse course like?
A 4.167-mile loop through Sandy Downs Park on grass, horse racetrack, dirt, sand and a little pavement, often snow-covered. Runners rest in the indoor exhibition hall between loops.
Related Preparation
- Open the Backyard Ultra format guide
- Compare all race formats
- Use the timed-race pace calculator
- Build a backyard yard and rest-time schedule
- Build a crew and drop-bag plan
- Build a race-specific gear checklist
Verification & Sources
Verification scope: the listed edition's date, location, format, and available logistics were checked against the event-specific official sources below during the directory review dated October 20, 2026. Organizers can revise details after review.
- Organizer's Dizzy Horse page (Trail2Sparta) — https://www.trail2sparta.com/dizzyhorse
- RunSignup race page and registration — https://runsignup.com/Race/ID/IdahoFalls/DizzyHorse
- Dizzy Horse on Big's race calendar — https://bigsbackyardultra.com/races/dizzyhorse/
- Past results 2022 to 2025 (LiveTrackingCentral) — https://www.livetrackingcentral.com/dizzy-horse/past-races
- Live tracking (LiveTrackingCentral) — https://www.livetrackingcentral.com/dizzy-horse/tracking
- Official route (CalTopo) — https://caltopo.com/m/JE3NR
- Multiday Running event directory review scope: October 20, 2026.