Brief by Central Staff
Pack-burro racing – January 2000 – Colorado Central Magazine
The Western Pack Burro Ass-ociation — the outfit that preserves and promotes Colorado’s only indigenous sport — convened in Leadville in late 1999 and elected the group’s first woman president, Sue Conroe of Salida.
She replaces Dave TenEyck of Golden, who has served two terms as president. He promoted gender equality by racing with Xena, a jenny — most racers run with jacks or geldings.
Barbara Dolan of Buena Vista, and her burro Chugs, won the women’s Triple Crown by placing first at the Fairplay, Leadville, and Buena Vista races. She got a traveling trophy, a $500 savings bond, and her name on the permanent plaque at the Commercial Bank of Leadville.
No male team won all three races. Tom Sobal and Bullwinkle won the Leadville race. Rob Pedretti and Zapata edged out Hal Walter and Spike by one second at Fairplay, and Hal edged out Rob by the same margin in Buena Vista. Spike was named “Burro of the Year” for 1999.
The burro racers maintain a web site at http://www.ris/~outthere/burros.html. And now, the fine print for this year’s races: