If you tuned into KI Live yesterday, you probably saw me duking it out against Tom and some other racers on the race track. I love to participate in the annual December Snowball Race and I’m happy that it seems to be becoming a tradition. Derby could use the spotlight!
At one point during the stream, Tom’s co-host for the day, Jeff Toney, shared that he thought I should have a website with “pro tips from an experienced snowball racer.” Well, I thought I would make that a reality! This one’s for you Jeff Toney!
Snowball Racing Pro Tips
If you’re going to race a snowball, first you’ll need to make one!
Making a Good Snowball
- Go to Polaris. Polaris has the best snow around. I personally would recommend using the snow in Forlorn Tayg – it’s just the right temperature. Other areas like the River of Frozen Tears are just TOO cold (you’d be making iceballs instead of snowballs!). If you don’t believe me about Forlorn Tayg, just ask the snowmen that Mellori built there. ;)
- Pick a spot that has clean snow. You don’t want your new pet to have any mud or other aspects that could hinder their performance.
- Make sure to put on mittens before you pick up any snow. You wouldn’t want to get frosbite, would you? (Okay, maybe ice wizards are the exception to this rule).
- Grab some snow and form it into a sphere. The rounder, the better!
- Go back to your castle and put your snowball in the freezer. The closer to freezing temperature you can get, the better your snowball will turn out.
- Now for some magic! In order to bring your snowball to life, you’ll need to cast the spell “Frosty Animate.” It can be tricky to get right, but you can seek out Professor Greyrose if you’re having trouble.
Training Your Snowball
Legends aren’t born, they’re made. You’ll need to teach your pet the ways of the derby in order to truly succeed.
- Play training games that your snowball enjoys. Work will feel less like work if it’s fun. My snowballs usually like to play the cannon game … something about it seeming “natural” to them. I think it might be their snowball fight instincts kicking in.
- Avoid hot foods! Hot foods will cause your snowball to melt, so stay away from Chili Peppers, Hot and Sour Bits, Hot Ginger Snaps, and basically anything and everything with “hot” in the name.
- Chilly snacks are the way to go. Cold foods make snowballs feel comfortable and right at home. Cold Snap Peas, Frosted Cupcakes, Frosty Sugar Cubes, and Frozen Snails would be good places to start.
- Don’t use “tough love.” Snowballs are very sensitive – be encouraging and always support them. After all, you don’t want them to cry … a puddle would be the only thing that would remain.
- Practice, practice, practice! Practice really does make perfect. I know it can be tough to give your snowball motivation to practice, so try offering some incentives. Chocolate cake usually works for mine, or Chocolate Moousse. What can I say, the moose obsession runs in the family I guess?
- Remember to place your snowball in the freezer before you go to bed each night. You don’t want your new buddy to melt overnight!
Racing Your Snowball
- No mud! Snowballs and mud don’t mix, make sure to avoid it!
- Go for the hurdles! Snowballs are surprisingly agile. They may be small, but they can leap to amazing heights and flatten themselves on cue.
- The stars are good. Think of the stars as snowball fuel – they supply a boost when your pet needs it most.
- Avoid obstacles. Running into bombs or walls will crush or severely injure your snowball (and slow them down).
- Stay on the inner lane when you can. The more your snowball runs, the more it heats up and leaves a trail of water in its path. The inner lane will be the least tiring route for your pet and will keep them from “falling apart” … literally and figuratively.
And there you have it! Pro snowball racing tips from the reigning snowball derby champion. ;)
For more pro derby tips, see these helpful links: (these are the more serious guides, lol)
- Everything You Wanted to Know About Derby Guide
- Best Selfish Talent Combinations
- From the Bleachers to the Track (3 Part Post Series)
- 10 Insider Derby Tips
- Best Starting Pets for Derby
- Mind Over Ability (Ongoing Post Series)
And here’s a link to the derby hatching group that I help run: The Finish Line! Happy racing everyone!