BATTLE MOUNTAIN — The Battle Mountain Future Farmers of America (FFA) recently held a fundraiser inside the Battle Mountain High School (BMHS) gym called Donkey Basketball. The game pitted four teams — high school students, faculty and alumni — against each other.
Donkey basketball is played with five players on the court at one time, four of whom ride donkeys while the fifth plays center and cannot leave the center court circle unless the opposing team scores. Players do not have to dribble the ball, they simply need to stay on their donkey to score. If a player falls off of their donkey they can retrieve the basketball or pass to a teammate but cannot score unless they get back onto the donkey.
The evening held three games overall and during intermission guests stepped onto the court to pet the kind creatures and compete in more fundraiser games, including a half-court shot and a free-throw shooting contest.
Battle Mountain residents packed the gymnasium to watch 30 students and alumni participate in the games.
“It was a lot of fun and my donkey was in love with another, apparently,” said high school student Paige Ripley. “I couldn’t go anywhere unless the other donkey went.”
“It was hard to shoot because the donkey would turn whenever it wanted; it was really fun though,” said student Roy Chavira.
Ultimately, the high school boys won each game, defeating both the high school girls and alumni. The event brought lots of laughs and raised money for the FFA to participate in events across the state.
