Chariot Racing

As we looked around Saturday at the scant attendance, we laughed. Why don't they have chariot races in the summer time? Or is it just in Wyoming that they run in the fall and winter? We wouldn't know for this was our first attendance. But I've watched Ben Hur and you know he didn't run when it was cold outside, he was wearing a skirt.

 But, despite the cold wind and freezing temperatures, that left me cold for hours afterwards, we stuck around and crawled out of the truck to watch a race and jumped back in while the scores were declared to try and warm up a bit.

Then back out when the next set of horses trotted down to the starting gate. I'm not sure it wasn't worse on us but the warmth was hard not to seek.

But though we might of seen the race inside the truck, there is nothing like having the horses thunder past you and of course we had to wager a guess at the team we thought would win the next race. It turned out to be pretty easy to figure out. It was the team that trotted and galloped in sync with each other. Maybe it isn't always that way but Saturday it was. 

Our friends that went with us, said sometimes there are three teams racing on a track at one time. Saturday, there were only two.

This was just a small time competition with just six teams racing but we were impressed. Wow! can those horses run! It's got to be quite an adrenaline rush sitting in that tiny aluminum can behind those thundering hooves. If you ever got me to do this, I'd be like the lady in the picture wearing a protective vest and helmet only I'd be shaking so bad from fright, I'd be lucky to stay in the chariot. My mare may have been bred to do just this but she isn't hitting the track as long as I own her. I'm a big chicken and this is a dangerous sport.

Now that I've seen chariot racing, I want to see cutter racing. It's in the winter time and colder yet, but the wheels on the chariots are removed and skis are put on. Yup, I've seen videos and the action is intensified by the ice and snow.

If you get a chance, dress up warm and go watch chariot racing. It's worth the shivering.