History

Photo credit: Kim Welk

Pack burro racing is a sport that is rooted in mining history. In the early days of mining in the western states, miners would pack burros (the spanish word for donkey) through the mountains while prospecting. Because the burros were carrying supplies, the miners could not ride the animals and so they would walk, leading the donkey.  Legend holds that burro races trace back to an incident in which two miners, finding gold at the same location simultaneously, raced each other to the claims office.  

Modern day pack burro races are held throughout small towns in Colorado, Arizona, California, New Mexico, Idaho and  more, to commemorate the miners and their burros.  During a burro race, a runner and a burro run/walk a designated course together, with the runner leading the burro on a lead rope. The first official pack burro race was held in 1949 between Leadville & Fairplay, Colorado and pack burro racing was named Colorado's official heritage summer sport in 2012.  Since then, the sport of pack burro racing has caught on in other western states, including Arizona.

The first burro race in Arizona was held in 2016 in Superior, Arizona.  With optional packs, it was called burro cross.  We are excited to bring burro racing back to Superior in 2026 and hope that racers and spectators will join in the fun for the quirkiest sport in the wild, wild west! 

source: wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pack_burro_racing