Donkey racing in Colorado seeks state recognition

August 7, 2011 - When people think about Colorado, they think of many things. The state is home to professional teams in all four major sports. It is also a skiing mecca and a state famous for beer.

But one thing that most people probably don't know anything about is the heated sport known as pack burro racing, or simply donkey racing. There is a serious bid to make this the official state sport. I had briefly heard about donkey racing in the past. It certainly ranks among the stranger sports involving animals. But now donkey racing is starting to hit national headlines.

Those who are hoping for donkey racing to be the official state sport point out the fact that it is the only sport that originated in Colorado. While it may sound like horse racing, it is anything but similar. Instead of trained animals running around a track, donkey racing involves contestants enticing their donkey to complete a race course. This involves pushing, pulling, or any number of other humane methods to get the donkeys from start to finish. Contestants don't ride the donkeys. Instead, the animals carry various packs through the courses, which usually last for miles. The sport originated during the Gold Rush in the middle of the 1800s when prospectors would try to push their donkeys hard.


Donkey racing is clearly a sport that is under the radar, but the movement to make it the official state sport is growing. There are petitions, rallies, and other organized events aimed at encouraging the state government to recognize the sport. Once that happens, participants hope that the donkey racing will be seen as a legitimate competition rather than an event that most people would think of as crazy.

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