Help me define a professional snowmobiler.

[rockinmranch]

The last few years the term "PROfessional Snomobiler" has been used pretty loosely. What is your definition?
1. Do you have to make money in the sport? How much?
2. Do sponsorships giving you some merchandise qualify as money, and/or make you a professional?
3. Do you have to compete or win ANY snowmobile competions, hillclimbs, snowcross, crosscountry etc.? Do you have to win or do well more than once?
4. Does colorful snowboarder type clothing or graphics packages on your sled help to qualify?
5. Can you endorse and promote yourself or do other people also have to endorse you?
6. Do you have to be in a snowmobile film to qualify? If yes, does it still count if big air is only caught when the camera is rolling, but rider sits at the bottom otherwise. How many films?
7. Do you have to understand the mechanics of your snowmobile?

Just a few questions to start with.
I used to and still do think of names like Kirk Williamson, Rick Ward, Hibbert's, and Blair Morgan as the professionals that we aspired to ride like. Now, to my surprise, various people I know of, and have ridden with in the past years are magazine and self claimed professionals. I didn't have any idea? Just curious if I was the only person who thought the new snowmobiling professionals seemed to have allot in common with todays reality TV stars. Get on film and your famous. I'm not saying that there are not many deserving professional riders, cause there are. Lately they are springing up everywhere. Give credit where it is do. Enter a hillclimb, snocross or whatever it may be and prove it to the real pro's. A couple big drops caught on film does not make one a professional, Does it? Whats your opinion?

 

[aktreekiller]

hey

I'm not a professional, but i'm elite.

 

[SLEDIOT]

A professional Snowmobiler, no matter how good he is will stop and unplug a newbie when hes stuck and understand. If he cant remember the stucks when he was a newb he hasnt become a professional. Also a pro will pic a line thats just not right...............

 

[Disco Dan Richter]

LOL, this otta B guud.

 

[NorthMNSledder]

I'm not a professional, but i'm elite.

A professional Snowmobiler, no matter how good he is will stop and unplug a newbie when hes stuck and understand. If he cant remember the stucks when he was a newb he hasnt become a professional. Also a pro will pic a line thats just not right...............

Very true!

 

[snowmobiler]

pro rider here.a pro doesnt answer silly forum questions.

 

[the fix-it guy]

Anyone who is a guide for hire can be considered a professional snowmobiler, and they probably won't be found in many widely available films.

I can be found in lots of "movies" I must be a pro.

 

[xrated]

Total pro here(just not saying at what).....course I'm not sphoshured and that' the ultimate how to know if your pro

 

[milehighassassin]

Definition of a professional is that they participate in a said sport and get paid for doing so. Winning one amature race and taking in a couple hundred typically doesn't make you a "pro". Many professionals get paid, win or lose.

 

[skibreeze]

Lol, a pro rider is the guy you see on the mountain and instead of telling you his name, tells you what films he has been in. Some of these guys are way too full of themselves. So, to whomever it was that said that he was in Braap 8/9 when we ran into you on the hill 2 weeks ago, we are still laughing at you.

 

[wardy]

Definition of a professional is that they participate in a said sport and get paid for doing so. Winning one amature race and taking in a couple hundred typically doesn't make you a "pro". Many professionals get paid, win or lose.

thats pretty much how i see it ,,if you have reached top level in the sport then get paid to play,,i think that would qualify as a pro..just my .02

 

[PJ-Hunter]

MHA is correct by definition. But I think that a Pro is a Pro by what he/she brings to the sport by representation. Not by what they get in endorsements and "deals", not by how many decals they have on their trailer or sled. But rather by what they do for the sport as a whole and that means all of it. Not driving around in circles making left turns but have no clue what a land issue is, not by shooting WOT at a man made ramp in 2" of man mad snow and throwing a trick (all cool BTW) but what they do to protect all of us. The mountain riders in the West and Canada, the ditchbangers in the Dakotas and the ice riders in Minnesota and the flatlanders, lake riders and trail riders out East. We all ride sleds and have to deal with closures and Greenies in one shape or another and if a high profile rider can step up and represent, donate some of his/her time and money to help the fight then that, IMO that makes a PROFESSIONAL. More so the guys that make a name for themselves by working all year and taking vacation time to shoot his/her segments for their vids and then taking personal time to represent the sport and getting very little in return monetarily.

 

[BYOB]

I would say your a pro if the common riding man knows who you are when your name is mentioned. If you have to tell someone you are in a film or that you're special because (insert lame reasons here) than you don't qualify. I know who Blair Morgan, Chris Burandt, and Bret Rasmussen are and respect what they can do, I can't name every clown who rode a sled in Braap 8/9.

 

[oregunrmk]

You must have at least 17 stickers on your sled and own at least three flat brimmed hats.

 

[keeton]

You must have at least 17 stickers on your sled and own at least three flat brimmed hats.

dang 2 hats and 14 stickers short

 

[oregunrmk]

That would make you semi-pro lol

 

[Tree Boss]

Well I am on You Tube so that makes me a pro, and 3/4 of this forum good work pros!! see ya on the hill

 

[07 Phazer]

I'm pretty sure all you need is a really loud can on your sled, and wear all the Klim gear that you can, even if you are just in having breakfast.

 

[PJ-Hunter]

You must have at least 17 stickers on your sled and own at least three flat brimmed hats.

Stolen from another thread, like this dude's hat?

 

[rockdog2112]

A professional Snowmobiler, no matter how good he is will stop and unplug a newbie when hes stuck and understand. If he cant remember the stucks when he was a newb he hasnt become a professional. Also a pro will pic a line thats just not right...............

Perfect!