Saddle up: 55th International Camel and Ostrich Races continue this weekend in Virginia City
Submitted by editor on Sat, 09/06/2014 - 5:20am
The 55th International Camel and Ostrich Races continues this weekend in historic Virginia City. Watch as amateur jockeys attempt to ride galloping camels, squirrely ostriches and bolting zebras in an entertaining Comstock tradition known for amusing audiences for 55 years.
It started as a spoof in 1959 when The Territorial Enterprise editor Bob Richards published the results of a fictional camel race. While Virginia City locals took it tongue-in-cheek, the wire services picked up the story and it went national. The following year, Richards was challenged by the San Francisco Chronicle, who had taken the article seriously, to race. As legend has it, they leased camels from the San Francisco Zoo then raced down C Street, the town’s main drag.
Race weekend activities include the Camel Hump, an up-close and personal camel experience with thirsty camels popping into the town’s famous saloons to say hello to race attendees. New this year are theme days including: Derby Day Saturday; and Sunday is the Nevada Discovery Museum Kids Day with discounts offered for Terry Lee Wells Nevada Discovery Museum members.
“When the camels, ostriches and zebras come to Virginia City, an energy descends in our region and it’s all about the races,” Deny Dotson, Virginia City tourism director, said. “As a historic town there are several tales of notoriety and one of our favorites is how the race started as a spoof. We’ve come a long way over the last 54 years and modern day races have attendees rooting for jockeys to just cross the finish line, a task that’s not as easy as it looks. This year, we’ll be continuing the Camel Hump to C Street and of course we’re adding theme days.”
Schedule:
—Saturday to Sunday, Sept. 7: 10 a.m. gates open, 12 p.m. races start
Camel Hump:
Saturday, Sept. 6: 2:30 – 3:30 p.m. Camel Hump to C Street after the races
General admission tickets:
— Adults $15 Saturday, $12 Sunday
— Premium seating $18 Saturday, $15 Sunday
— Kids 4 and under are FREE
— Family pack includes four tickets, $40 Friday or Sunday; $50 Saturday
VIP tickets:
— VIP Hospitality Tent: Includes shaded seating, BBQ buffet and one drink; $50 Saturday, $40 Sunday.
— Cabana Tent: Up to 25 people includes private cabana with shaded seating, catered food, beverages, a server and premium race visibility; $2,000 Friday or Sunday; $2,500 Saturday
Bleacher seating fills quickly. Blankets, low back lawn or camp chairs allowed. No coolers or outside food or beverage allowed.
Photos by Duane Blood Photography.
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