Mule Days May 22 -27, 2012, Cost: $13-15/ day, general admission.  muledays.org

Tri-County Fairgrounds
Sierra St. & Fair Drive
Bishop, CA
(760) 872-4263  Tickets

Bishop Mule Days spectators will get a huge kick seeing the grand, 20-Mule Team serving as Grand Marshal in the 2011 Bishop Mule Days. Twenty-mule teams originated in the late 1800s to ferry borax out of the Death Valley. Led by Bishop's own Bobby Tanner, the 20-Mule Team's unique hitch requires many hours of preparation for an appearance such as Bishop Mule Days. This year Tanner also secured use of the famed Borax wagons, adding a distinct historical value to the team's Bishop performances.

 Mike Boothe Memorial Arena, Tri-County Fairgrounds.  Cost is $42 for Reserved Grandstand seats and $37 for General Admission.    (760) 872-4263. 

What is Mule Days?

Ever since 1969 the town of Bishop on the eastern slope of the Sierra Nevada mountains, comes alive with the annual presentation of Mule Days on Memorial Weekend. Part mule show, part test of skills, and part Wild West show, the event is comprised of  14 shows featuring over 700 mules with their trainers, riders and packers. More than 30,000 people attend the event at  Tri-County Fairgrounds and the Mike Boothe Arena. Western, youth, English, cattle working, gaited, coon jumping, racing, musical tires, gymkhana, packing, shoeing, chariot racing, team roping and driving are the mule show categories.

Mule Days Schedule of Events (from 2011)

Tuesday  8 AM, Main Arena
Amateur Pleasure Driving
Pleasure Driving
Ride & Drive
Donkey Pleasure Driving
Donkey Hitch Class

Tuesday  1 PM, Main Arena
Green English Pleasure
Amateur English Pleasure
Green Hunter Hack
Hunter Hack
English Pleasure
Side-Saddle Pleasure
Donkey Pleasure - English

Wednesday  , 8 AM, Main Arena
Amateur Hunters
Green English Warm-Up Hunters
Green English Working Hunters
English Warm-Up Hunters
English Working Hunters
Green English Jumping
English Jumping

Wednesday  1 PM, Main Arena
Gambler's Choice – Single Mule - Prelims
Donkey Gambler's Choice
Timed Obstacles - Single Mule
Mini Donkey Driving
Hitch Class - 2 Up

Wednesday  1 PM, East Arena #1
Western Dressage - Basic 2
Western Dressage - Primary 2
Western Dressage - Primary 4

Wednesday   5 PM, Charles Brown Auditorium
Opening Night Supper, with Dave Stamey

Thursday   7 AM, Main Arena
Main Arena Closed

Thursday  6 AM, East Arena #1
Dressage Training Level 1-Test 2
Dressage Training Level 1-Test 3
Dressage Level 1-Test 1

Thursday 7 AM, West Track
Green Gambler's Choice Trail
Gambler's Choice Trail

Thursday
Main Arena Closed

Thursday  2 PM, East Arena #1
Jack Halter
Donkey Halter
Get of Sire
Model Pack Mule Halter
Mule Team Halter

Thursday  7 PM, Mike Boothe Memorial Arena

Country Concert

Friday  8 AM, Main Arena
Gambler's Choice Teams
Cloverleaf Barrels Prelims
Chariot Barrel Race
Green Steer Stopping
Steer Stopping - Prelims
Donkey Cloverleaf Barrels
Farm Class
Steer Stopping - Prelims

  8 AM, East Arena #1
Western Riding – Green & Bridled
Green Reining
Bridled Reining
Donkey Reining
Amateur Reining

Friday   1 PM, Main Arena
Green Amateur Western Pleasure
Green Western Pleasure
Donkey Pleasure
Amateur Western Pleasure
Bridled Western Pleasure
Green Cow Working
Cow Working

Friday  1 PM, East Arena #1
Youth Classes

Friday 1 PM, West Track
Keyhole Prelims
Polebending Prelims
Donkey Keyhole
Donkey Polebending

Friday  4:30 PM, Charles Brown Auditorium

Mule Days B-B-Que

Friday  7:30 PM, Main Arena
Americana Class
Western Pleasure Stakes
Gambler's Choice Driving Finals
200 YD Western Race
Team Roping-Open-Finals
Cloverleaf Barrels Finals
Dolly Parton Race
Chariot Lap Race
Individual Packing Scramble

Friday  7:30 PM, East Arena #1
Youth Diamond Hitch
Non-Pro Box Hitch
Non-Pro Diamond Hitch
Non-Pro Packing Contest
Youth Individual Packing Contest
Youth Individual Scramble

Saturday  10 AM, Main Street, Bishop
Mule Days Parade

Saturday  1 PM, Main Arena
Grand Entry
Timed Cones – 6 Up
Hitch Class 6-Up
Coon Jumping
Pack Train
300 YD Western Race
Costume Class
Individual Packing Contest
Lee Green Ring Race
Team Packer Scramble

Saturday  1 PM, East Arena #1
Green Western Trail
Amateur Western Trail

Saturday  1 PM, East Arena #2
Youth Trail 13 & Under
Youth Trail 14-17
Donkey In-Hand Trail

Saturday  7:30 PM, Main Arena
Speed Shoeing
Donkey Race
4 Abreast Hitch
Polebending Finals
Box Hitch
Chariot Race
Steer Stopping - Finals
Chariot Steer Stopping
Mark Berry Mystery Packing Scramble – New!

Saturday  8:30 PM, Charles Brown Auditorium
Mule Days Adult Country Dance

Sunday  7 AM, Main Arena
Cow Cutting-Green & Bridled
Cattle Sorting-Open
Log Skidding Single & Teams
Pulling Contest

Sunday  8 AM, East Arena #1
Model Saddle Mule Halter
AMA Halter

Sunday  8 AM, East Arena #2
Mule Shoeing

Sunday  10 AM, Charles Brown Auditorium
Cowboy Church

Sunday  1:30 PM, Main Arena
Hidden Creeks Ranch Jumper Classic
400 YD Western Race
Youth Box Hitch
Team Packing Contest
4-Up Timed Cones
Diamond Hitch Contest
Hitch Class 4-Up
Keyhole - Finals
Chariot Race
Team Roping - Finals
Run, Ride & Lead
Team Packing Scramble

Sunday  1:30 PM, East Arena #1
Bridled Trail

Sunday  1:30 PM, East Arena #2
Donkey Trail

Sunday  7 PM, Main Arena
World Champion Awards

Sunday  7:30 PM, Main Arena
Bridled Reined - Finals
Unicorn Hitch
Bedroll Race
Musical Tires
Chuck Wagon Race
Pack Off

Tri County Fairgrounds gets its name from the three counties it serves: Inyo, Mono and Alpine

Other great annual events in Bishop, California include Halloween celebrations and  free Community Band Summer Concerts.