Burros! Colorado's Official Heritage Sport

Home  »  Burros!

Nothing to do with Art & Design,
but burros keep me running—so to speak.

I run ’em, race ’em, ride ’em, and show ’em.

Pardner leads Kevin up Harrison Avenue at the start of the 62nd Anniversary International Pack Burro Race in Leadville as part of the Boom Days celebration Sunday.

Pardner leads up Harrison Avenue at the start of the 62nd Anniversary International Pack Burro Race in Leadville as part of the Boom Days celebration Sunday.

 

This year pack burro racing celebrates our 70th year of Haulin’ Ass!

Kevinin & Pardner at our Ute Park Ranch

Pardner & me at home

 

TRIVIA—

Q:  Is it a Donkey or Burro or an Ass?

A:  Yes.

“Donkey” is English; “Burro” is Spanish; “Ass” is short-hand-Latin from the species Equus Asinas—so all are correct. “Donkey” is more widely used east of the Mississippi and “burro” is more common in the West. To further confuse things, animals taller than 12 hands (48″) are more frequently referred to as donkey, while the smaller animals are called burros. However, you’re safe with any of the three terms. (We get a lot of miles and smiles out of “Ass” puns, so all are welcome!)

Kevin & Pardner Castle Rock Mule & Donkey Show. We earned 3rd place in Western Pleasure!

Castle Rock Mule & Donkey Show. We earned 3rd place in Western Pleasure!

 

TRIVIA—

Q:  So, then what’s Mule?

A:  A mule is the offspring of a male donkey and a female horse.

Donkeys and horses are the same Genus (Equines) but are different species (they have a different number of chromosomes). The result is that the offspring mules are infertile and can’t breed. So, whenever you want another mule, you need to go back to a jack and a mare. Mules are very desirable as they gain the best traits of both species: the endurance, sure-footedness and intelligence of the donkey combined with size, strength and speed of the horse.

Amy's sister, Karen is showing Pilgrim, and I am showing Pardrer at the Castle Rock Mule & Donkey Show.

Amy’s sister, Karen, showed Pilgrim at the Castle Rock Mule & Donkey Show

 

TRIVIA—

Male donkey:  jack
Female donkey:  jenny or jennet

Male horse:  stallion
Female horse:  mare

Male mule:  john
Female mule:  molly

Offspring of Jack and a Mare = Mule
Offspring of a Stallion and a Jenny = Hinny

 

Our three donkeys:

Pilgrim

Pilgrim

Pilgrim

Pilgrim is a Bureau of Land Management wild capture. He’s my first and is 19 years old. My best finishes with Pilg are 1st place in Central City, 2nd in Fairplay and 4th in Leadville. Pilgrim is as faithful and reliable as a donkey can be. He and I bonded and he’ll do anything I ask (but won’t do shit for anyone else!). Amy’s mom, Carol, chose him at a BLM auction.

Pardner

Diane and Pardner

Diane and Pardner

Pardner was the product of Curtis Imrie’s legendary jack, Maasai, and a wild jennie. Pard had everything: the brutish size, strength and temperament of the mammoth breed, yet the intelligence and surefootedness of the wild stock. He’d run every course several times. Tragically, Pardner died young on St. Patrick’s Day 2016—I miss you, big guy!

El Camino

El Camino. That's Spanish for "THE Camino"

El Camino

El Camino is our baby, he’s Pardner’s son. He won’t have the size of Pard, but he’s a spittin’-image-mini-Pard. He’s a pissy little dude and very high strung.
“El Camino” that’s Spanish for… “THE Camino”

WPBA logo

for more info visit

www.packburroracing.com

©2018 Stray Horse Arts, Inc. Leadville, Colorado.
dba The Mastin Group and dba Stray Horse, Lake County, Colorado.
30 years’ experience of Graphic Design in Summit and Lake County, Colorado. Printing, Ski Trail Map Design,
Custom Maps, Logo Design, Commercial Art, Painting, lllustration, Western Art and Fine Art.

Kevin M. Mastin, Ski Trail Map Artist, Illustrator and Graphic Designer.

info@kevinmastin.com