Emerald Downs; Indian Relays, Team Poitras takes the Muckleshoot Gold Cup

6/17/2024

(Auburn, WA) The 9th annual Muckleshoot Gold Cup was up for grabs again and 21 Tribal teams came to Emerald Downs to compete and try to take home the top prize. The question was would there finally be a repeat winner of the Gold Cup or would anbother new name be added to the list of Champions?

It indeed would be another new team and this year a 1st year participant in Poitras Relay from Saskatchewan, Canada added their name to the Cup. Poitras Relay won this in the closest finish in Gold Cup history overtaking Mountain Crow Relay in the home stretch to win by a 1/2 length.

Had Mountain Crow held on for the win they too would have been a new addition to the list of Champions. Team Abrahamson was the closest to being the 1st repeat Champions finishing 3rd.

Here are the list of Champions!

2024: Poitras Relay
2023: Two Medicine
2022: Omak Express
2021: Amskapi Pikunii
2020: cancelled Covid
2019: River Road Relay
2018: Abrahamson
2017: Starr School
2016: Carlson

We got a chance to talk with the Indian Relay Publicity Director and Announcer Gayle Skunkcap on the growth of the Muckleshoot Gold Cup the cultural significance of the Indian Relays.

ESN talks with Gayle Skunkcap

Below is our coverage with race replays, interviews, pictures (photo gallery at bottom of page) and our re-caps from all 3 days of competition. A special thanks to Emerald Downs Media Director Vince Bruun, Promotions Director Gary Dougherty and Video Director for their contributions to this coverage.

Day 3, Sunday
Championships and Consolation Races

We did it!, We did it! yelled winning rider Jay Peeaychew as the Poitras Relay team celebrated after winning the Muckleshoot Gold Cup Championship in exciting fashion.

The relay team from Meadowlake, Saskatchewan made their first appearance at the Indian Relay at Emerald Downs a winning one. The team is owned by Curtis Poitras. They have previously competed in both Thoroughbred races and Indian Relay all over the country and Canada. First prize in the Championship heat was worth $11,200.

“Seven years ago I was lying in bed watching these races on Youtube,” said Peeaychew who charged passed Mountain Crow Relay in the final stretch run to win by a 1/2 length. That is one of the closest margins in the history of the Muckleshoot Gold Cup Championship race.

A huge throng of fans came out to watch the three relay heats on Father’s Day as the three-day event came to a close. Just over 9,000 fans enjoyed Championship Sunday.

Day 3, Championship Race

Championship Results

1st, Poitras Relay (Jay Peeaychew), Meadowlake, Saskatchewan, 3:28.94.

2nd, Mountain Crow Relay (Alvah Curlew rider), Crow Agency, MT, 3:29.28.

3rd, Abrahamson Relay (Scott Abrahamson), Omak, WA, 3:33.19.

4th, Carlson (Chazz Racine), Browning, MT.

5th, Sp’q’n’i Relay (Riley Prescott), Wellpinit, WA.

6th, Birdinground Relay (Tristan Birdinground), Crow Agency, MT.

DNF, Omak Express (Tyler Peasley), Omak, WA. (Lost horse)

ESN talks with Jay Peeaychew

Championship Race Replay and post race Interviews

Day 3, Sunday
2nd Consolation Race Results

1st,Tissidimit (Azeri Coby), Fort Hall, ID, 3:37.01. ($2,800).

2nd, Old Sun (Vincent Bertelson), Siksika, Alberta.

3rd, River Road Relay (Coty Brown), Crow Agency, MT.

4th, Grizzly Mountain (Francis Marchand), Omak, WA.

5th, Starr School (Tahj Little Plume), Browning, MT.

6th, Rock Relay (Ashton Old Elk), Hardin, MT.

DNF, Arrow Lakes (Ryder Abrahamson), Inchelium, WA. (Lost horse)

ESN talks with Azeri Coby

2nd Consolation Race Replay

Day 3, Sunday
1st Consolation Race Results

1st, Amskapi Pikunii (Ian Big Tobacco), Browning, MT, 3:32.95 ($5,600).

2nd,Teton (Miaus Teton), Lincoln Creek, ID.

3rd, Strong Horse Relay (Matthew Pakootas Jr.) Nespelem, WA.

4th, Cedar Ridge (Jorge Galloway) Fort Hall, ID.

5th, Dancing Warrior (Kaden Brings Plenty), Pine Ridge, SD.

6th, Two Medicine (Jesse Carlson), Browning, MT.

7th, Buffalo Jump Express (Chris Carlson), Browning, MT.

ESN talks with Ian Big Tobacco

1st Consolation Race Replay

Day 2, Saturday
Preliminary Round 2

Saturday’s action featured day two of the 2024 Muckleshoot Gold Cup Indian Relay Races. The ninth annual three-day competition culminates with Sunday’s championship $10,000 Muckleshoot Gold Cup.

In Saturday’s races, Mountain Crow Relay, Carlson Relay, and Birdinground Relay each won heats and berths into Sunday’s Gold Cup.

Carlson Relay with Chazz Racine riding posted Saturday’s fastest time, 3:32.32, while edging Poitras Relay in Heat 2. Carlson took the inaugural Muckleshoot Gold Cup in 2016.

Day 2 Preliminary Heat #1

Heat 1 Results
1st Mountain Crow (Alvah Curlew rider), Crow Agency, MT, 3:32.86; 2nd Sp’q’n’I Relay (Riley Prescott), Wellpinit, WA, 3:34.35; 3rd Cedar Ridge (Jorge Galloway) Fort Hall, ID, 3:36.65; 4th Dancing Warrior (Kaden Brings Plenty), Pine Ridge, SD, 3:37.39; 5th Teton (Miaus Teton), Lincoln Creek, ID; River Road Relay-dnf; Strong Horse Relay-dnf.

Race Replay

Day 2 Preliminary Heat #2

Heat 2 Results
1st Carlson Relay (Chazz Racine), Browning, MT; 3:32.32; 2nd Poitras Relay (Jay Peeaychew), Meadowlake, Saskatchewan, 3:33.70; 3rd Two Medicine (Jesse Carlson), Browning, MT, 3:38.10; 4th Omak Express (Tyler Peasley), Omak, WA, 3:40.45; 5th Buffalo Jump Express (Chris Carlson), Browning, MT, 3:42.63; 6th Starr School (Tahj Little Plume), Browning, MT, 3:51.33; 7th Rock Relay (Ashton Old Elk), Hardin, MT, 4:04.50.

Race Replay

Day 2 Preliminary Heat #3

Heat 3 Results
1st Birdinground Relay (Tristan Birdinground), Crow Agency, MT, 3:32.69; 2nd Abrahamson Relay (Scott Abrahamson), Omak, WA, 3:33.19; 3rd Amskapi Pikunii (Ian Big Tobacco), Browning, MT, 3:35.69; 4th Grizzly Mountain (Francis Marchand), Omak, WA, 3:49.87; 5th Old Sun (Vincent Bertelson), Siksika, Alberta, 4:16.69; Arrow Lakes-dnf; Tissidimit-dnf.

Race Replay

Day 1, Friday Night
Preliminary Round 1

In Friday’s races, Poitras Relay, Omak Express, and Sp’q’n’i Relay each won qualifiers placing each in prime position to reach Sunday’s Gold Cup.

Poitras Relay of the Saulteaux Nation in Saskatchewan, Canada, posted the evening’s fastest time of 3:31.00 for two miles in wining Heat 1 with Jay Peeaychew riding. Defending champion Two Medicine of the Blackfeet Nation in Browning, MT, finished fifth in the second heat and needs a big race Saturday to qualify for the final.

Omak Express, the 2022 champions, edged Mountain Crow Relay to win Heat 2 in 3:31.62 while Sp’q’n’i Relay of the Spokane Nation prevailed in Heat 3 with Riley Prescott riding.

Day 1 Preliminary Heat #1

Heat 1 Results
1st Poitras Relay (Jay Peeaychew rider), Meadowlake, Saskatachewan, 3:31.00; 2nd Abrahamson Relay (Scott Abrahamson), Omak, WA, 3:32.25; 3rd Birdinground Relay (Tristan Birdinground), Crow Agency, MT, 3:33.43; 4th Rock Relay (Ashton Old Elk), Hardin, MT, 3:42.83; 5th Cedar Ridge (Jorge Galloway) Fort Hall, ID, 3:53.75 6th Dancing Warrior (Kaden Brings Plenty), Pine Ridge, SD; 7th Arrow Lakes (Ryder Abrahamson), Inchelium, WA, 4:01.83.

Race Replay

Day 1 Preliminary Heat #2

Heat 2 Results
1st Omak Express (Tyler Peasley), Omak, WA, 3:31.62; 2nd Mountain Crow Relay (Alvah Curlew), Crow Agency, MT, 3:32.47; 3rd Teton (Miaus Teton), Lincoln Creek, ID, 3:37.26; 4th Tissidimit (Azeri Coby), Fort Hall, ID, 3:37.63; 5th Two Medicine (Jesse Carlson), Browning, MT, 3:38.16; 6th Strong Horse Relay (Matthew Pakootas Jr.) Nespelem, WA, 3:39.05; 7th Grizzly Mountain (Francis Marchand), Omak, WA, 3:49.87.

Race Replay

Day 1 Preliminary Heat #3

Heat 3 Results
1st Sp’q’n’i Relay (Riley Prescott), Wellpinit, WA, 3:36.43; 2nd Amskapi Pikunii (Ian Big Tobacco), Browning, MT; 3:37.25; 3rd Carlson Relay (Chazz Racine), Browning, MT, 3:38.86; 4th Old Sun (Vincent Bertelson), Siksika, AK, 3:40.97; 5th Starr School (Tahj Little Plume), Browning, MT, 3:48.90; 6th River Road Relay (Coty Brown), Crow Agency, MT; 7th Buffalo Jump Express (Chris Carlson), Browning, MT, 4:24.03.

Race Replay