Annual Suicide Horse Race Draws Cheers and Jeers

08/12/2005

It’s probably the most controversial horse race in America – perhaps even in the world. The Omak Stampede Suicide Race in North Central, Washington. This year, two major sponsors pulled out of the event under pressure from animal rights activists. But the race goes on. Correspondent Austin Jenkins was there last night [Thursday night] and filed this report.

TO THE FANS IT’S THRILLING. THE SUICIDE RACE IS THE FINALE TO EACH NIGHT’S OMAK STAMPEDE RODEO.

Rodeo Announcer: "We’re going to take the horses across the river and we’re going to take ‘em to the hill and when the last bull bucks the lights are gonna get brighter and we’re going to have us a downhill race."

IT’S A NIGHT-TIME RACE. THE HORSES AND THEIR JOCKEYS CASCADE DOWN A STEEP SANDY HILLSIDE, PLUNGE INTO THE OKANOGAN RIVER, EMERGE ON THE OTHER SIDE AND GALLOP TO THE FINISH LINE IN THE RODEO ARENA. SPECTATORS LINE THE BANKS OF THE RIVER TO WATCH. THIS COUPLE IS FROM BRITISH COLUMBIA AND WAS HERE LAST YEAR.

Spectator 1:"Oh, I think it’s good, clean fun. I’d love to be younger and I’d do it."

Spectator2: "You kind of say a little prayer that everyone comes out fine and the horses are fine."

A COUPLE OF HOURS BEFORE THE RACE, MIKE HARRY OF THE COLVILLE TRIBE SAYS HIS OWN PRAYER.

Mike Harry: "My feelings first is sit back and pray for my horses and rest of the riders and horses so they won’t get hurt or killed or anything like that."

AT AGE 52, HARRY BEEN RIDING IN THE SUICIDE RACE SINCE HE WAS A KID. HE SAYS THIS DOWNHILL-STYLE EVENT IS A NATIVE AMERICAN TRADITION. A FEW FEET AWAY IS HIS HORSE, OMAK FOX AND HOTSHOT, A YOUNGER BAY THAT HIS SON WILL RIDE. HARRY SAYS THERE’S ALWAYS FEAR AT THE STARTING LINE.

Mike Harry: "If you yell and scream coming off the hill, you release the fear that’s inside you. And once you start screaming and yelling your horse will go faster."

CRITICS SAY THE FEAR IS WARRANTED. THE PROGRESSIVE ANIMAL WELFARE SOCIETY OR PAWS SAYS SOME 20 HORSES HAVE DIED IN THE LAST TWENTY YEARS. THE GROUP HAS BEEN TRYING TO STOP THE RACE BY LOBBYING SPONSORS TO PULL THEIR SUPPORT. ZIBBY WILDER IS A PAWS SPOKESWOMAN.

Wilder: "We have video of two horses drowning in the river, we have video of horses tumbling end over end five, six, seven times and landing on their sides in the water at the bottom of the hill. We have people tumbling down the hill getting stepped on by the animals. It’s horrifying."

RACE ORGANIZERS SAY CHANGES HAVE BEEN MADE OVER THE YEARS: FEWER HORSES IN THE RACE, BETTER SAFETY EQUIPMENT, MORE TRAINING, VETERINARY SUPERVISION.

ON THIS NIGHT, THE STARTER PISTOL FIRES AND ALMOST INSTANTLY A KNOT OF HORSES ROCKETS OVER THE LIP OF THE HILL. MOST STAY ON THEIR FEET AND HIT THE RIVER SECONDS LATER. BUT ONE HORSE STUMBLES AT THE TOP. IT ROLLS OVER AND OVER AGAIN. HIS RIDER IS MOTIONLESS ON THE HILLSIDE. ANOTHER HORSE AND JOCKEY WRECK AT THE BOTTOM. A RESCUE BOAT AND JET SKI RACE TO HELP. IT TURNS OUT THE SPILLED RIDERS ARE MIKE HARRY AND HIS SON JOSH. THEY’RE BRUISED AND BANGED UP, BUT WALKING. THEIR HORSES ARE OKAY TOO. JOSH SAYS HE’LL RACE AGAIN.

Josh Harry: "Ya, I’m coming back tomorrow. I’m good enough to race again. It’s going to take more than that to put me down."

RACE ORGANIZERS SAY NO HORSES WERE BADLY HURT IN THIS RACE ALTHOUGH A COUPLE HAVE WOUNDS THAT NEED BANDAGING. I’M AUSTIN JENKINS IN OMAK, WASHINGTON.

Copyright 2005 Austin Jenkins KPLU