6/12/2026
(Vince Bruun, contributed)
(Auburn, WA) The 10th annual Muckleshoot Gold Cup Indian Relay races will begin Friday night at Emerald Downs. The Gold Cup puts up $85,000 in prize money and 21 relay teams are signed up to battle for their share of that money along with the prized Cup.
Last year, Omak Express became the first 2-time winner of this event. Omak Express took advantage of an opportunity where a DQ got them into the Gold Cup heat and pulled away for a convincing 10 length win in the Championship run with Tyler Peasley riding.
With that win Omak Express became the first two-time winner of the Gold Cup. Omak Express is back to defend their title and try to become the first back-to-back winner and 3 time Champion. Omak Express won their first Cup in 2022.
The subject of a recent 60 Minutes profile, Indian Relay Racing is surging in popularity, according to publicist Gayle Skunkcap Jr. “It’s America’s original extreme sport, it’s history stretches back 500 years,” Skunkcap said this week on the podcast Horse Racing NW.
In Indian Relay, teams race twice around Emerald Downs’ one-mile oval, exchanging horses every half mile with two changes on the backstretch and one in front of the grandstand.
The other 6 teams that competed in the Gold Cup finals are all back to compete this year. Here is the 2025 Finals heat finish order:
1st, Omak Express (Tyler Peasley rider), Omak, WA.
2nd, Mountain Crow (Weston Bird In Ground), Crow Agency, MT.
3rd, Bird In Ground (Tristan Bird In Ground), Crow Agency, MT.
4th, Tissidimit (Miaus Teton), Fort Hall, ID.
5th, Two Medicine (Jesse Carlson), Browning, MT.
6th, Sp’q’n’i (Riley Prescott), Spokane, WA.
7th, Poitras Relay (Joe Jackson), Meadow Lake, SK.
Here’s the full roster of teams set to compete this weekend:
2026 Muckleshoot Gold Cup Teams
Abrahamson Relay – Omak Wash. (Colville)
Arrow Lakes – Inchelium Wash. (Colville)
Beegup Relay – Pocatello Ida. (Shoshone Bannock)
Big Tabacco Relay – Siksika Nation, Alberta (Blackfeet)
Bird In Ground Relay – Crow Agency Mont. (Crow)
Black Bear – Cochin, Sask. (Saulteaux Nation)
Dancing Warrior – Pine Ridge SD (Sioux)
Frontline Relay – Fort Thompson, SD (Sioux)
Grizzly Mountain – Omak Wash. (Colville)
Little Mountain Relay – Pryor Mont. (Crow)
Mountain Crow – Crow Agency Mont. (Crow)
Omak Express – Omak Wash. (Colville)
Poitras Relay – Meadowlake Sask. (Saulteaux Nation)
Racine Relay – Browning Mont. (Blackfeet)
River Road Relay – Crow Agency, Mont. (Crow)
Spqni Relay – Wellpinit Wash. (Spokane)
Strong Horse Relay – Nespelem Wash. (Colville)
Teton – Lincoln Creek Ida. (Shoshone Bannock)
Tissidimit – Fort Hall Ida. (ShoshoneBannock)
Two Medicine – Browning Mont. (Blackfeet)
Young Money – Browning Mont. (Blackfeet)
Muckelshoot Gold Cup Champions
2025: Omak Express (Tyler Peasley)
2024: Poitras Relay (Jay Peeaychew)
2023: Two Medicine (Cody Carlson)
2022: Omak Express (Tyler Peasly)
2021: Amskapi Pikunii (Chris Carlson)
2019: River Road Relay (Darren Charges Strong Jr.)
2018: Abrahamson (Scott Abrahamson)
2017: Starr School (Isaiah Cross Guns)
2016: Carlson (Chazz Racine)
We’ll have coverage of the Relay races in a separate post from our regular racing coverage.
www.elisportsnetwork.com
