Omak Express, the reigning Indian relay racing champions, are among the 18 teams competing in the Muckleshoot Gold Cup, June 10-12, at the Emerald Downs in Auburn, Washington. Photo from Facebook
The Muckleshoot Tribe of Washington is preparing to host 18 relay racing teams next month and Indian Country will be able to catch all of the action. The Emerald Downs in Auburn will be live streaming the Muckleshoot Gold Cup on its website from June 10-12. Comcast SportsNet NW, an affiliate of the NBC Sports Group, is also airing the races. “We know there are a lot of viewers who have never seen Indian Relay Racing and I’m sure there will be a lot of new fans of the sport after they see how exciting it is," Emerald Downs President Phil Ziegler said in a press release. As part of the competition, the teams will race twice around the one-mile track at the facility and exchange horses every half-mile. Each team’s rider must leap from one galloping horse to another in their assigned exchange box while other team members assist in handling the horses. The teams are coming from Idaho, Washington, Oregon and Idaho. Based on their locations, the teams include members of the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes, the Colville Tribes, the Umatilla Tribes, the Blackfeet Nation and the Crow Tribe. The teams will compete for $50,000 in prizes. The Muckleshoot Casino is sponsoring the competition.
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