The beasts of burden in the Colorado mineral booms of the late 1800s were burros – the Spanish word for a small, sturdy donkey. Males are jacks, females jennies, and each is better suited than a horse to carrying loads up and down precarious mountain passes – if it wants to.
A donkey's stubbornness is legendary (though fans will tell you if one won't do something, it likely has a good reason). That’s a factor making Colorado's only indigenous sport unpredictably thrilling. The first official pack burro race went over Mosquito Pass in 1949.
Today, Fairplay's annual event covers nearly 30 miles. A runner leads with a halter and a rope. The burro bears a prospector’s pack saddle. Runners may not ride their burros, but pushing, pulling, and heaving are allowed. There's a cash prize for crossing the finish line first, and a dubious honor for coming in at the very end: "Last ass over the pass."
About Colorado Postcards
Colorado Postcards are snapshots of our colorful state in sound. They give brief insights into our people and places, our flora and fauna, and our past and present, from every corner of Colorado.
