BRAY Donkeys & Denver

Runners must provide/arrange for their own burro. BRAY DOES NOT provide burros to participants. All burros attending the event (this includes any burros camping at Prospector Park but not running), MUST have a current (within the last year) negative Coggins/EIA test in the current owner's name. No participants under the age of 14 will be allowed on the course. 
Get your trusty long ear, your trusty lawn chair, and bring all the good vibes to Apache Junction's Prospector Park for the 65th Annual* Apache Junction Burro Derby! This approximately 5 mile course is flat and fast, although the scenery is so beautiful you and your burro may choose to simply mosey and enjoy for as long as possible. To start the day off after the vet-in and pre-race meeting, teams will parade from the equestrian camping area (campers may start arriving Friday afternoon for games, campfires, and burro shenanigans), in front of the main stage, to the start. At the ringing of the start bell they'll head toward the Superstition Mountains and the storied Lost Dutchman Mine before looping around and heading back to camp, finishing with approximately one straight, flat mile toward the trailers so your donkeys can get a nice ambitious hustle to the finish.
When the course is complete, finisher prizes are handed out, and your donkeys are cooled off and put away, its time to party! Head back over to the stage area to enjoy an afternoon of John Denver tribute bands, artisan and crafter booths, educational booths, games, and food trucks. When the concerts end feel free to keep the good vibes going and return to burro camp if you'd like for another night of campfire camaraderie before heading home on Sunday.   
While historically the Apache Junction Burro Derbies have been no pack saddles allowed, you may choose to use one if you prefer.
Prizes will be awarded to the top three finishers.
All finishers will receive a finisher medal and baseball cap
*a small, 60 year event hiatus was observed.
BRAY Burro (Donkey) Race Rules
Good sportsmanship is encouraged and will be rewarded. Please be kind, considerate and have a great time enjoying our wonderful animals and our open spaces. That is what the burro/donkey community is all about. 
All runners must keep their burros under control. Any burro that interferes with another runner or burro may be disqualified. The runner is 100% responsible for the safe handling and welfare of the burro throughout the entire event. 
The burro must be outfitted with a strap- (leather or synthetic) or rope-style halter. The runner may only be attached to the burro with a single lead rope that does not exceed 15 feet in length, measured from the end of rope to tip of buckle. The lead rope may only be connected to the halter tie ring, or tie loop in the case of a rope halter, and may not be affixed to the saddle or to any other part of the burro. Ropes are to be held in the runner's hands. Harnesses or other apparatuses used to tie or anchor the burro to the runner will not be allowed. Any runner who ties, anchors, or attaches themselves to a burro in any fashion beyond holding the rope in their hands will be immediately disqualified. The runner may lead, drive, or carry the burro. The contestant shall at no time progress except under their own power.
No intact jacks shall be permitted to race in a BRAY Burro Race. 
BRAY will have a completion of veterinary checks before every race for soundness and general health of the burro and after the race for soundness of the burro. A burro will be disqualified for unsoundness (before, during, or after the race). Please have your burro available for a vet-in by 8:00 am on the day of the race.
Any contestant mistreating their animal will be disqualified. No needles, electric prods, narcotics, clubs, or whips may be used. Jack chains may be used only if used with a pressure-release technique. (A jack 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 nose, eye, and/or chin injuries on the animal resulting from the jack chain will be disqualified. The jack chain is not permitted to be in the mouth of the burro. A race director may prohibit the use of a jack chain by a runner if they feel the chain is being misused. 
The race route must be followed. It will be marked by signs, people, or aid stations. Do not cut the course, such as cutting across switchbacks. Any burro leaving the course must be returned to the course without shortening the distance of the course. Any runner becoming separated from their burro (i.e., burro and runner are no longer racing as a connected team or unit) must return to the place they became separated before continuing the race. Failure to follow these rules will result in disqualification.
During the race, teams (1 person+1 burro) must remain a team from start to finish. No burro swapping. No assistants will be allowed to accompany any team. If the team becomes separated, the person must retrieve their burro then must return to the spot that they became separated and proceed from there to be considered for prizes and placing.
The winning team must cross the finish line as a unit. The person may be leading or following the burro but the burro's nose crossing the finish line first constitutes the winner.
Should a contestant be disqualified by a race official they may appeal their grievance to the BRAY Board. The decisions of the board will be final. If a contestant is disqualified due to burro injury or unsoundness they may not finish the course nor contest the decision.
In the event of a tie the prizes, if any, will be equally divided by the contestants involved.
Carrying and use of firearms will not be permitted.
Firearms, starter pistols, or firing blanks will not be permitted to begin a race. Races may be begun with a bell, buzzer, siren, countdown, or horn.
Additional Information
BRAY STRONGLY recommends runners secure a burro partner before registering for an event. Refunds will not be issued on the basis of a participant's inability to locate a burro teammate in time for the event. To register your burro partner for the event a participant must select "create a burro" to add your unique, password protected burro by name. Once a runner has done so they may register under the burro's name as their "team". Runners will not be able to add a burro for which they do not have a password. If a runner needs to switch burros prior to the event, or needs to add their burro's name to their team they can contact race management to do so.
The following is the definition of a burro and is to be used in selecting such. The word burro comes from the Spanish word meaning donkey. A donkey is defined as being an ass, of the species ‘Equus asinus’. They have chestnuts on the forelegs only, while other animals of the same genus of equus, such as mules or horses, have them on both the hind and forelegs. The tail has short hair, except on its lower portion , which has a brush. A registered veterinarian shall have the authority to disqualify any contestant and animal that does not match the above description, or whose animal is sick, doped (BRAY adheres to current USEF drug regulations), injured, unsound, or mistreated. The veterinarian will check the animal before and after the race. The race committee can hold winning burros in a designated area for 30 minutes to allow for veterinarian checks.
Each entrant or their sponsor will pay a fee as determined by BRAY Club for each race. BRAY Club will have discretion as to how the entry fees will be used; The Entry fee must accompany the entry application and will not be refunded. Runners must be 14 years old or older on the day of the race to participate.
 It is strongly recommended that all participants carry at least one quart of water and food such as gels or an energy bar. This is an unsupported race, meaning there will be no aid stations on course.
While it is a race, remember to slow down and enjoy the beauty and your burro. Safety first, competition second.