Professional Indian Horse Racing
Association
2013
Presented By:
What is PIHRA?
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The PIHRA is an association of teams, individuals, and sponsors
who participate in the sport of Indian relay racing, Indian flat
track racing, ladies Indian flat track racing, and Cowboy and
Indian flat track racing.
The mission of PIHRA is to bring the fun, excitement, passion and
heritage of Indian Horse Racing to a broader audience. Through
this process, PIHRA will strive to provide a safe and fair
environment for the team participants, their horses, and the
event spectators.
Starting with Indian Relay Racing, PIHRA, as the sanctioning body, will develop a season-long
championship series for each kind of racing, will ensure for each individual event promoter involved in
the series that a full field of the world’s best riders and teams will participate in their event, that a
uniform set of competition and safety rules will be applied, that all participants ascribe to a Uniform
Code of Conduct, that all teams will be professionally attired, and that advertised purses will be paid.
Further, PIHRA will undertake, at its discretion, activities to grow the affinity and reach of the
Professional Indian Relay Racing Series. By way of illustration, these activities might include the
negotiation of television rights for the series, the promotion of the overall series and teams within the
series, the promotion of rivalries between various teams and competitors, the specific promotion of star
players on the teams, overall series sponsorships, and various licensing and promotional activities.
PIHRA will strive, through its activities, to establish strong working relationships with individual event
promoters. PIHRA envisions that the promoters will lead the effort in terms of promoting each
individual event and that PIHRA will lead the effort in promoting the overall series. This method of
cooperation is proven to work and we have full confidence that it will work for the series.
PIHRA Functions
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• Establishment of the Association and its
bylaws and interface with members
• Assures that a full field of highly qualified
competitors are in place for the event
• Establishes and enforces rules and regulations
that ensure that each event is operated in a safe
and fair manner
Provides all event officials, judges, starters, and announcers
Oversees the safety and living conditions for all animals used in competition
Works with event promoters to ensure that the events are conducted in an
optimum manner.
Promotes the overall welfare of its members through its various activities
Promotes the overall series to a broad audience of individuals interested in
horse racing, equine functions, outdoors activities, rodeo, action and speed
entertainment, and Native Americans and their history and lifestyle
Gives back to the Indian community in an effort to improve the quality of
life on the various reservations.
PIHRA Management
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Operating under the auspices of an Advisory Board consisting of
elders and other respected members of the various Indian
nations, PIHRA has partnered with two outside organizations to
ensure that the goals and objectives of the organization are
optimally achieved:
Trademarketing Resources, Inc.(TRI), a large and respected
marketing services, events, branding, and licensing agency ,
founded in 1999 and headquartered in Clarkston, MI and with
offices and affiliates across the U.S. and abroad, has been hired as
Business Agent for the organization. TRI will initially handle all
business affairs for the organization, including sponsorships,
promotions, licensing, marketing, and other related activities
Since 1993, PoloGear USA the premier supplier of “Real Polo” merchandise to the Polo industry, the
inventor of the Nic Roldan Elite Free Shoulder Saddle™ that is revolutionizing the entire saddle industry,
the owner of the respected Verhan Saddlery, maker of dressage and jumping saddles, and a leading
supplier of apparel and promotional items worldwide, has been retained to work directly with PIHRA’s
internal management team, led by veteran Native racer/organizer Kendall Oldhorn, to work on the
production of the events themselves and the overall management and direction of the organization.
Kendall, as tribal facilitator, consultant and owner of the world champion M&M Express team, and Gary
Fellers, Founder and CEO of PoloGear as well as part-year resident of Wyoming and friend and advisor to
many in the Indian Nations, are well-suited to make sure that the events are run properly and as
promised.
PIHRA Advisory Board
• Lance Tissidimet-Fort Hall, Idaho
• Soup Ducheneaux-Eagle Butte, South Dakota
• Verlin Timbanna-Wyoming
• Kendall Old Horn-Crow Agency, Montana
• Newton Old Crow-Lodge Grass, Montana
• Wilmer Mesteth-Pine Ridge, South Dakota
• Carol Murray-Browning, Montana
• Otto Braided Hair-Lame Deer, Montana
• Lynwood His Bad Horse-Busby, Montana
• Kennard Real Bird-Garry Owen, Montana
• Don Wheeler-Blackfoot Idaho
• Veterinary Advisor-Dr. Ted Vlahos, Sheridan
Equine, Sheridan,
Wyoming
• Photographic Advisor-Diana Volk
What is Indian Relay?
The National Sport Of The Tribes Of the Upper Plains
Indian Relay is sport done mostly by Indians who live in
northwestern United States. Some people say that the sport has been
going on for 100 years or more, but the actual origins are unclear.
Relay appears to have developed independently in different tribes and
then competition between tribes commenced. Indian relay consists of
3 horses and four men. One rider rides all three horses bareback, one
mugger stops the incoming horse, two holders, one who sets up the
horse to be exchanged, and the back holder who controls the extra
horse.
The race starts in front of the grandstands. While starts vary from venue to venue, in most
cases the rider is mounted on the horse at the start. The rider takes the horse once around the
racetrack and comes in for the first of two exchanges. The exchanges happen in front of the
grandstands. After the first exchange the rider takes the second horse once around the track
and comes in for the last exchange. He then races around the track for the finish line on the
final horse. In the course of the race the exchange is one of the most important aspects,
because a race can be won or lost in the exchange area. For most race fans the exchange is the
most exciting part of the race. During the exchange horses may blowup, flip or get away from
the setup man, or the incoming horse may not stop and make the exchange very chaotic. It
often becomes a classic case of organized mayhem, but is always one of the most exciting
parts of a spectator’s weekend!
Sponsorship Benefits
• PIHRA offers exclusive access to the teams and
athletes that today participate in Professional Indian
Relay Racing
• Indian Relay Racing is one of the most popular, if not
the most popular, element at Rodeos and similar
events across the country
• Professional Indian Relay Racing offers unparalleled
opportunities to grow the affinity for the your brand
• Sponsorship of PIHRA events is an excellent way to continue to foster positive
relations with the Native American community and to help to improve the standard
of living on the reservations.
• PIHRA is offering prospective sponsors the opportunity to get in on the ground floor
of what is projected to be a large and fast growing business going forward.
• Sponsorships are available to meet virtually any need or marketing budget. PIHRA
will work with you to best match the assets we have to your specific marketing
goals. Whether your budget is small or large, the payoff will be substantial. And
you can feel good knowing that money from PIHRA sanctioned events flows down to
the various tribes of the northwestern United States. For more info, contact
indianrelay@trilicensing.com, or ask for the PIHRA Manager at (248) 625-9868.
Feel The Action!
Contact PIHRA Today!
PIHRA MANAGEMENT
Business Agent:
Trademarketing Resources, Inc.
Bob Horton, President and CEO
(248) 625-9868
Professional Indian Horse
Racing Association, LLC
5710 Bella Rose Blvd.
Suite 100
Clarkston, MI 48348
Phone: 248 625-9868
Fax: 248-922-4580
E-mail: PIHRA@trilicensing.com
Event Management
Gary Fellers/Jeanette Sassoon
PoloGear USA
(561) 301-0010
Kendall Old Horn
M&M Express Team
(406) 855-8492