Republican state Rep. Tom Massey says skiing has been declared the official winter sport, so he plans to sponsor a resolution next year declaring pack burro racing as the official summer sport of Colorado.
Western Pack Burro Association spokesman Brad Wann tells a local television station that donkey races are a tribute to the miners who would race back to the office with their donkeys after they struck gold to claim it.
Today's competitions are five to 29 miles long. Competitors run alongside the donkeys, which are required to carry 33 pound packs and mining tools.
