Run with a donkey in the "Town Too Tough to Die!"  Please join us for the 7th Annual Tombstone Desert Donkey Dash on Saturday, April 18, 2026!

Registration & Shirts
Register early to guarantee your preferred shirt size.
Available sizes: S, M, L, XL, 2XL (while supplies last).

MANDATORY
Each runner must have a personal donkey or have arranged for one prior to registering.  No solo runners allowed. No other equines permitted.  No riding. This is an in-hand trail race.  Donkeys must be sound, healthy, and fit to race.  Mistreatment of any donkey results in immediate disqualification.

A brief history of the donkeys that now run Pack Burro Races

Donkeys first arrived on US soil in 1784 as a royal gift from King Charles III of Spain to George Washington. The donkeys first worked the plantations, but by the 1800s, were helping to build the American West. They were used by miners during the Gold Rush era, but by the turn of the century, many of these hearty little donkeys were abandoned. The donkeys found ways to survive the most unforgiving, yet extreme terrains around the American West. Resilient, they can feed on desert vegetation. While herds of wild burros now face the same threats today as wild horses, they are also being rounded up and domesticated. After being gentled and trained, many who run their donkeys find that the running activities are quite therapeutic and offer a great outlet for rehabilitating once wild and/or feral donkeys. 

“Burro” is the Spanish word for small donkey. However, many different sized donkeys from mini to mammoth can race in a Pack Burro Race and are interchangeably called “burro.” They only have chestnuts on the forelegs, while animals of the same equine family, such as mules (a hybrid cross between a donkey and horse) or horses, have these chestnuts on the hind and forelegs. The tail of a donkey has shorter hair, except on its lower part, which has a brush. Only a burro/donkey is allowed to run in a Pack Burro Race as we do nothing half-assed.

The Rules:

Pack Saddle & Paraphernalia Requirements 

There are 3 distances: 

The 13 mile long course- each donkey must be equipped with a pack saddle carrying prospector's paraphernalia, including a pick, gold pan, and shovel (no toys permitted). There is no minimum weight requirement for the paraphernalia. If any of these items are missing or get lost on the trail, the runner/donkey team will be disqualified (DQ).

6 mile short- pack saddle not mandatory

3 mile intro- pack saddle not mandatory

Lead Rope 

The donkey must be outfitted with a lead rope for handling that is attached to a halter (a flat-nosed halter is preferred for safer racing over rope halters which tend to get loose and shift on the donkey's face, yet rope halters are a better tool for groundwork training). The runner may only be attached to the donkey with a single lead rope that does not exceed 15 feet in length (measured from the end of the rope to the tip of the snap). The lead rope may only be connected to the halter. 

Control of Donkey 

Donkeys are controlled by way of the runner handling a lead rope that is attached to the halter of the donkey. All runners must keep their donkey under control on the course, and not cut switchbacks (except for a single-track trail, runner/donkey teams can pass as long as they remain near the course edge if slower teams are blocking the course or obstructing the advancement of another team). If the runner/donkey interferes with another runner/donkey team, the out-of-control team may be disqualified or given a warning.  If the runner loses control of their donkey, by way of dropping the lead rope, the team must return to the point where the lead rope was dropped to stay in the race in order to not obtain a DQ. We encourage you to take your donkey back and not give up on your donkey’s race to get an honorable finish. 

Jack/Stud Chains 

Jack/Stud chains may be used with a pressure-release technique, to safely control a higher-spirited donkey. (A jack/stud chain is a chain or strap which is used to apply pressure over the muzzle or under the chin.) Any racer coming across the finish line with any injuries on the donkey resulting from the jack/stud chain may be disqualified.

Team = 1 Runner & 1 Donkey

The runner and donkey starting this race must remain a team throughout the race. No assistants will be allowed to accompany any team. Spectators or anyone outside of the race are not allowed to assist the forward progress of any team. No swapping donkeys with another runner or both teams will be disqualified (“You gotta dance with the one that brung ya.” ~ Curtis Imrie). The winning combination consists of a runner and donkey, who must cross the finish line as a unit. The runner may be leading or following the donkey, but the donkey's nose crossing the finish line first, constitutes the winner. 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. 

The runner may push, pull, apply pressure release, or carry their donkey across the finish line, but no riding is allowed!

Veterinary Checks 

Donkey owners may consider getting a veterinary check on their donkey before every race. Sick or injured donkeys should not race. Out-of-state donkeys will be required to obtain a negative Coggins test and health certificate before entering the state as required by state law.

Disqualifications 

Any runner mistreating their donkey will be disqualified. No needles, electric prods, drugging, clubs, or whips, other than the lead rope, may be used. 

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 

Carrying and use of firearms while running is not permitted.

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 donkey. Each runner must sign a waiver and/or release of responsibility before the race.

Arizona Equine Limited Liability Statute

”Arizona, as well as many other states, have enacted legislation to protect those in the equine industry from liability if a participant suffers an injury or death from an inherent risk of an equine-related activity. Arizona’s Equine Limited Liability statute provides an equine owner is not liable for injury or death if: (1) the participant took control of the equine prior to injury or death; (2) if the participant or the parent or legal guardian of a minor participant signed a release before taking control of the equine; (3) if the owner or agent has properly installed suitable tack or the participant personally tacked the equine with tack provided by the owner or agent of the equine; or (4) the owner or agent assigns a suitable equine based on a reasonable interpretation of the participant’s representation of his or her skills, health and experience with and knowledge of equines. A.R.S. § 12-553(A).”

Rules revised Feb 2023