Champions of Indian Relay: Arrow Lakes Express wins 2024 Indian Relay Championship of Champions | Sports | tribaltribune.com

Three teams from the Colville Confederated Tribes earn a spot in the Indian Relay championship race with Arrow Lakes Express joined by Abrahamson Relay, and Omak Express

CASPER, Wyoming. - Colville tribal member Terrence Holford (Jockey) guided Arrow Lakes Express to their first-ever Indian Relay Championship of Champions title on Sunday (Sept. 22) evening in Casper Wyoming.

“This is what we’ve worked for all year,” said Terrence Holford, Jockey for

Arrow Lakes Express. “We put all we had into this race and we had a good outcome. This is what we trained for all summer long.”

The old cliche turned out to be true for Arrow Lakes Express, hard

work does pay off as they brought home one of the most elusive Indian Relay titles in the sport and doing so over 900 miles and 15 hours

away from their hometown in Inchelium, Washington.

Holford and Arrow Lakes didn’t get out to the best start but the mean green team from Inchelium wasn’t about to give in and toss the towel.

“I didn’t really get the greatest start,” said Holford. “We had an awesome first exchange and unfortunately I saw the wreck happen right in front of me and from there, we jumped up to the front and kept it from there.”

The two teams involved in the mid-race wreck were Abrahamson Relay and Mountain Crow.

Of the six teams that earned a spot in the championship race, three teams

represented the Colville Confederated Tribes as Arrow Lakes Relay was joined by Abrahamson Relay and Omak Express. S'PQ'N'I the fourth team from Washington state to earn a spot in the championship race, is also represented by Colville tribal descendant Riley Prescott and mugger Danny Trevino (Colville tribal member).

The Arrow Lakes Express relay team;

•Rider, Terrence Holford

•Mugger, Lonnie Simpson Jr.

•Setter, Adrian Erickson

•Back holder and starter, Quentin Holford

“Congratulations Arrow Lakes on bringing the championship back to Washington,” said Virgil Tonasket, mugger/ holder for Omak Express and Colville tribal member. “I’d always tell Joe Holford you guys win. Inch Town’s going to throw you a parade. Well, pugs hopefully you're smiling down on your boys and their parade for you guys.”

Omak Express with Jockey Tyler Peasley (Colville tribal member) would

go on to place second, with S'PQ'N'I and Jockey Riley Prescott (Colville Tribal descendant) placing third, and In It To Win It placed fourth in the championship race. Both Abrahamson Relay and Mountain Crow would end up being disqualified.

There were 44 men’s relay teams racing this weekend and a total of 85

relay teams which included; kids, youth, junior, women’s, and men’s teams.

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