State Champion Chariot Races cross finish line in Saratoga

Saratoga is the host for

the Wyoming State Championship

Chariot Races

this year, taking the place

of what would have been

the 35th annual Donald E.

Erickson Memorial Chariot

Races.

The races will begin

March 7 at 1 p.m., at the

Buck Springs Arena east

of Saratoga. Post time

March 8 is at 11 a.m.

Much of the weekend

will be familiar to race

goers as the Saratoga Lions

Club plans to have

the Calcutta on at 8 p.m.,

March 6 at the Hotel Wolf.

Bidders will have an

opportunity to bid on their

favorite chariot team before

the races at the Hotel

Wolf, and then track-side

Calcuttas will be held prior

to each race during the

weekend.

At 6 p.m., March 7, the

Lions Club and the Platte

Valley Community Center

hosts the prime rib

banquet, which is open to

racers and the public and

is catered by the Hotel

Wolf. Tickets for the banquet

can be purchased at

the door.

Bidders will have another

opportunity to participate

in the Calcutta

after the banquet. The

advantage is the bidders

can see how the teams did

earlier in the day as race

times will be posted.

Racers will vie for the

championship and the

Interstate Racing Association

Traveling Trophy.

On Saturday, a race will

be chosen at random for

the “Norm Epler Memorial

Race” with the winner receiving

a hand-blown glass

chariot team.

An award ceremony,

based on combined times

will follow the Sunday

races. The races feature

chariot teams from all

over Wyoming and surrounding

states. These are

fast paced races — only a

quarter mile long — and

two-to-three teams run at

a time. Each team features

two horses harnessed to a

small chariot with a single

driver at the reins.

 

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