Background History

The story behind this journey and the relations between Jämtland and Trøndelag stretch back into prehistory and is mentioned already by famous medieval author, Snorri Sturluson. The two regions are today located on each side of the Swedish-Norwegian boarder. Many would say that the close relations between Jämtland and Trøndelag can be explained by the fact that they both were part of Norwegian territory for a long time. But it seems that the boarder separating them may also have played an important role of keaping the regions closely connected.

At the peace agreement in Brömsebro 1645 Norwegians were banned to trade and transport commodities on Swedish territory while the Swedes were still free to trade and travel across the boarder to Norway and naturally took advantage of their rights. The end of the era came with the railroad that reached Jämtlands capital Östersund around 1880 and made the adventuress winter journeys needless.

The markets and travelling routes were carefully timed and planned to different regions attempting to avoid periods with the lowest temperatures and the most raging snowstorms. Every market on the Norwegian side had a corresponding one on the Swedish side to complete a full circle of trading. The most common commodities exported to Trøndelag was butter, tallow, linen, iron and nails. From Norway the Swedish traders brought salt, fish, colonial products and horses. During the peak of the trade in the 1750's an astonishing 40 tons of iron was exported yearly with horses and sleighs across the boarder, 2 tons of cobber, 6 tons of hops, 50 000 meters of linen fabric in addition to several other commodities. The greatest profit was somewhat tragically made during the 1740's when a great famine threatened the population of Jämtland.

In 1981 a couple of enthusiastic men; Jöns Fahlén, Olle Grubb and Einar Montén, in collaboration with the Røros market commitee, decided to revive the tradition and make the journey from Klövsjö in Sweden to the winter fair in Røros, Norway. On arrival they were greeted by a few hundred people visiting the market. Eventually it has become an annual event and today several thousand people are waiting to see the horses arrive the opening cermony. New Sleigh-teams have formed. Both swedish and Norwegian and this year 6 teams are making the journey from their respective homeregions, which mean that over 80 equipages will hopefully make it all the way to this years' market.