Courtesy photos For the second year in a row, the Shady Burro Enduro race that takes place in South Fork has won the Enduro of the Year award through the Rocky Mountain Enduro Circuit. Event coordinator Jud Barlow and his team were recognized for their efforts and are looking forward to many years to come.

SOUTH FORK — For the second year in a row, the Shady Burro Enduro was awarded Enduro of the Year from the Rocky Mountain Enduro Circuit. This local enduro race is continuing to make headlines for their imaginative racing courses that utilize the trails around South Fork and for their continued support of the community in the San Luis Valley.

The Shady Burro Enduro has a long history in the South Fork area, but it wasn’t until 2016 that the race began to gain speed on the enduro circuit. In years previous to the comeback in 2016, the race hadn’t been in South Fork since the 1980s until Rocky Mountain Enduro Circuit member Scott Bright gave it new life and brought it back to the San Luis Valley.

The Shady Burro Enduro’s job doesn’t start or end at the finish line. The entire force of volunteers and

coordinators are out in the hills weeks before the event cleaning up trails, fixing anything that needs fixed from winter and spring conditions and they work hand in hand with the Rio Grande National Forest as well as BLM and the Town of South Fork to make sure the trails around the area are taken care of and in top condition for future use.

In fact, the group has done so well, they were approved for a 5-year permit this year to come back every summer and host their event. This is a huge accomplishment in the outdoor enduro world as

many of the enduro races gained bad publicity a few years ago and now that those bridges have been mended, the sport may have a long life here in Colorado.

In years since, the race made a name for itself not only among enduro racers but among the community of South Fork and the Rio Grande National Forest as well. Volunteers under Bright’s leadership began building partnerships and reputations that proceeded the race in the best of light. As the years went on, Bright and his team became respected among their peers, the Town of South Fork and the Forest Service as excellent forest and trail stewards as well as courteous guests.

Jud Barlow has taken over the reins from Bright and the race just keeps getting better and better.

“We are so excited to receive Best Enduro for the second year in a row,” Barlow said. “It is the overall quality of the event and the trail system outside of South fork speaks for itself. That coupled with the location of the town and the support we have there through the town and the local Forest Service is what makes this such an awesome event.”

The race in 2022 sold out in 10 days, which is a huge accomplishment for Barlow and his team. Barlow also received a Worker of the Year award, which he proudly passed to his wife Tina who is instrumental in the planning of the Shady Burro Enduro.

“We have an awesome team of people who make this possible and Tina is instrumental in that. She deserves recognition for the work she helps me do,” Barlow said.

Barlow’s luck didn’t stop there. He was also voted to serve as President for the Rocky Mountain Enduro Circuit board.

“I haven’t decided if that is a good thing or not yet, but time will tell,” laughed Barlow. “We also welcomed Brad Smith, who with his experience with the Colorado Off Highway Vehicle Association, will prove to be a huge asset for us.”

Something else that makes the Shady Burro Enduro rise above all the other events throughout the state is that every year the event donates to the Colorado Trails Preservation Association to help increase the need for trail stewardship and maintenance throughout the region.

“That is just one more thing that makes Shady Burro Enduro special,” Barlow said.

Barlow also wanted to thank local supporters Matt and Jesse Entz for their continued support and George Pennington for his involvement and help with the event.

“There are so many people who are involved in this event that deserve a thanks but if I listed them all, I could go on for days. So, a huge thanks goes out to everyone who works to make this event the best it can be,” Barlow said.

The Shady Burro Enduro will be back this summer.