And the West is History: Chariot racer at fairgrounds – 1963

At the 1963 edition of the Spanish Trails Fiesta, the Yampa Valley Cutter & Chariot Association raced six chariots at the annual racing meet held at the fairgrounds. The Steamboat Springs association operated until at least 2007, racing chariots in the summer and cutters (horse-drawn sleighs) in the winter. Originally attributed to a “bored” cowboy who used a 55-gallon drum cut in half, the sport grew in popularity in the early 1960s. While chariot racing still exists in the United States, the nonprofit Yampa Valley Association ceased operations around 2010. – Ed Horvat for Animas Museum, edhorvat@animasmuseum (Catalog Number: 23.44.65 from the La Plata County Historical Society Photo Collections)