Pack Burro Racing: Colorado's Summer Sport

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LEADVILLE, Colo. - A call to the starting line in a Colorado mountain town during the summer months often means tennis shoes and hooves tromping over together, ready to race side-by-side. Burro racing isn’t for the faint of heart; it not only demands physical prowess but also the mental stamina to deal with a donkey who is known to be a bit stubborn at times.
“You have to have a relationship with it. You have to start training. You build this great camaraderie with these guys so that they are trusting you,” said Brad Wann with the Western Pack Burro Association (WPBA).
The WPBA seeks to continue a great sport begun by some of Colorado’s 19th-century miners. Back then, burros, or a small donkeys, were used to carry a miner’s tools and supplies so the miner could walk along side it. According to the WPBA, legend has it that two miners found gold in the same location and raced each other back to town to be the first to stake a claim to the treasure. Later, burro racing became more of an official sport as a way to save dwindling mining towns.
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[@cocotuesday]

I love this race ! As stated. Broker a deal with your animal. I am a former equestrian. The burrow is in a class all by itself. I give the participants. Human and beast alot of respect. Really cool !!! 😎 Cheers.

[@mariateresabessia9455]

Qué loco! Una carrera de burros! Podría organizar una FIFA de Burros!!! Sería espectacular!. Los burros Argentinos son los mejores candidatos para ganar!

[@georgetreisbach3849]

I was employed as a Shovel Operator at my local Burro Barn as one of my first jobs. It was a steady job. Never thought of racing a burro, it was all I could do to avoid being kicked.

[@rockymtnpbs]

sounds like tough work! Thanks for sharing.

[@arizonadeserttom]

we have recently introduced burro racing in arizona. it is gonna be annually, october, in a great little town east of phoenix. the town is superior, once a major mining town. superior, like the mountain towns in colorado burro racing has many old historic buildings, and is surrounded by some beautiful sonoran desert. my interest in burros is b.l.m. burros that you can adopt. they make premier pack animals and hiking companions. they can take the load off your hiking and backcountry travels. in arizona, full of wild burros, and horses there is a program with dept of corrections whereby inmates tame & train the horse or burro and you can adopt a "finished product".