Place
Brown Memorial Park
86 Co Rd 15
South Fork, CO US 81154
Description
Please join us for the 5th annual South Fork Alder Ass Race on Saturday, September 5, 2026!
IMPORTANT REGISTRATION INFORMATION: Please do not register for this race until you have been matched with a donkey teammate! This does not apply to Ghost Runners. Race registration is separate from donkey rental arrangements.
A brief history of the donkeys that now run Pack Burro Races
Donkeys first arrived on U.S. soil in 1784 as a royal gift from King Charles III of Spain to George Washington. By the 1800s, they were instrumental in building the American West, especially during the Gold Rush. When mining declined, many of these hardy animals were left behind.
Burros adapted and survived in some of the most rugged terrain in the West. Today, while wild burros face challenges similar to wild horses, many are rounded up, gentled, and trained. Pack Burro Racing has become not only a historic sport, but also a productive outlet for rehabilitating formerly wild burros.
“Burro” is the Spanish word for small donkey. In Pack Burro Racing, donkeys of all sizes- mini to mammoth compete and are commonly referred to as burros. Only a donkey/burro may compete in Pack Burro Races as we do nothing half-assed.
RULES:
Pack Saddle & Required Gear
Each burro must carry a pack saddle with traditional prospector's paraphernalia:
Gold Pan
Pick
Shovel
There is no minimum weight requirement. Missing gear at any point on the course results in disqualification (DQ).
Lead Rope Requirements
Must be attached to a halter
Single lead rope only
Maximum length: 15 feet (end of rope to tip of snap)
Rope must connect only to the halter
Flat-nosed halters are preferred for safety.
Control of Burro
The runner must maintain control at all times.
No cutting switchbacks.
Teams may pass safely along course edges.
Dropped lead rope = return to the point where it was dropped to avoid DQ.
If interference occurs, officials may issue a warning or DQ.
Jack/Stud Chains
Permitted only with proper pressure-release technique.
Any burro finishing with visible injury from a chain may result in disqualification.
Team = 1 Runner + 1 Burro
Teams must start and finish together.
No swapping burros. "You gotta dance with the one that brung ya." ~Curtis Imrie
No outside assistance from spectators or anyone outside of the race.
The burro’s nose crossing the finish line determines placement.
The runner may push, pull, use pressure release technique, or carry their burro across the fine line, but no riding allowed.
In the event of a tie, the prize money involved, if any, will be equally divided between the teams involved. However, this is ultimately up to the race director’s discretion.
Veterinary Checks
Burro owners may consider getting a veterinary check on their burro before every race.
Sick or injured burros should not race.
Out-of-state burros must have: Negative Coggins & Certificate of Veterinary Inspection
Disqualifications
Any runner mistreating their burro will be disqualified.
NO clubs
NO drugging
NO electric prods
NO needles
NO whips
Should a runner be disqualified by a race official, he/she may continue the race and appeal his/her grievance to the race director. The decisions of the race director will be final.
No Firearms
Firearms are not permitted during the race.
Participant Waivers/Release of Liability
No town, county, or private property owners along the course, sponsoring businesses, governmental agencies, persons, volunteers, race officials, or organizations will be liable in case of accident or injury to the runner or burro. Each runner must sign a waiver and/or release of responsibility before the race.
Colorado Equine Act
Under Colorado law, an equine professional is not liable for injury or death resulting from inherent risks of equine activities (C.R.S. 13-21-119).