Three sister tribes unite for the Tri-Ute Games, an annual youth sporting event 

Friday - July 12, 2024 by Clark Adomaitis – KSJD/KSUT Reporter 
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Athletes from the three Ute sister tribes meet for the Tri-Ute Games in Ignacio, hosted once again by the Southern Ute Indian Tribe. Teams go head-to-head Wednesday, July 10 – Friday, July 12 competing in co-ed basketball, volleyball, wrestling, golf, archery, skateboarding, hand games, and the Ute Warrior challenge – closing out the final day. Ahead of the multi-day sporting event, teams gathered at the SunUte Community Center for opening ceremonies. The Tri-Ute Games encourage friendly competition, good sportsmanship, and interconnection as the young athletes compete in their respective sports and events.
Team Southern Ute assistant archery coach, Jack Frost Jr., lead the older group of boys from Southern Ute, Ute Mountain Ute, and the Ute Indian Tribe during the archery portion of the Tri-Ute Games on Thursday, July 11. The 3D archery course was set up along the Bear Trail between the Multi-Purpose Facility and the SunUte Community Center. Before starting their friendly competition, the boys gave a cheer, whoop, and holler to have fun and to be safe. The games were hosted by the Southern Ute Tribe and returned to Ignacio this year.
Leandro Litz shoots his compound bow at a 3D target on the Bear Trail during the 2024 Tri-Ute Games.
Ute Indian Tribe archery coach, Effie Wall helps identify who shot which arrow on the bull elk 3D target during the Tri-Ute Games on Thursday, July 11.
Winners and judges of the Tri-Ute skateboarding competition stand together for a photo after the announcement of winners.
Maynard Taylor hits his best moves during the Tri-Ute skateboarding competition on Wednesday, July 10 at the Píinuu Nuuchi Skate Park. Taylor went on to take first place in the competition.
Tri-Ute Games athletes from Southern Ute, Ute Mountain Ute and the Ute Indian Tribe, as well as their families, competed in a Coon Shoot. A Coon Shoot is a nighttime archery competition that involves shooting at a target in the dark with a reflector on the main kill zones.
The Tri Ute Golf tournament kicked off bright and early on Thursday morning, July 11, after breakfast was served at the Hillcrest Golf Club in Durango, Colo. SunUte Recreation Coordinator, Elijah Weaver (right) discussing the golf cart assigning with Patrick Lang (middle) and Reelize Murray (left.)
Junior Miss Ute Mountain Ute, Jerilyn Arnold introduces herself and welcomes all three Ute tribes to the Tri-Ute Games in Ignacio.
Chairman for the Ute Indian Tribe, Luke Duncan welcomes all three Ute tribes to the Tri-Ute Games.
Chairman of the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe, Manuel Heart delivers a welcome speech to all participants and families during opening ceremonies for the Tri-Ute Games at the SunUte Community Center.
A hand game participant from the Ute Indian Tribe performs songs on the drum for the hand games.
Ute Indian Tribe hand game participants join together to sing and play.
The Ute Indian Tribe’s co-ed volleyball team huddles together during a timeout.
The Southern Ute co-ed volleyball team focuses as the other team gets ready to serve.
A Ute Mountain Ute basketball player jumps to score a point.
Tommy Seibel, Southern Ute co-ed basketball player focuses and aims for the basket.
Team Ute Indian Tribe and Team Southern Ute kick off co-ed basketball on Wednesday, July 10. Neato Wilbourn defends home court against Utah players.
Team Southern Ute wrestler takes on his opponent from team Ute Indian Tribe, both working for a pin during the wrestling matches held on Thursday, July 11.
An athlete from team Ute Indian Tribe, and Phillip Velasquez, team Southern Ute, shake hands before the start of their wrestling match.
Tri-Ute wrestling took place at the Ignacio High School Aux Gym, athletes from each team went head-to-head in their respective weight classes and even sparred towards the end of day one.
SunUte Staff joined the fun, sliding across the large slip and slide with the Tri-Ute athletes, coaches, and chaperones.
Malia White Thunder joins in on the fun, completing the hula hoop jump during the Ute Warrior Challenge.
Team Southern Ute athletes take a splash and slide across the large slip and slide.
As part of the Ute Warrior Challenge course, athletes must crawl under string before heading to the next obstacle.
Many coaches and chaperones completed the Ute Warrior Challenge alongside the athletes, some even tried the slip and slide during the challenge.
The Ute Warrior Challenge took place at the SunUte Park, starting with a run on the Bear Trail, where athletes go over and under obstacles, and enjoy a cool slip and slide before heading to the Multi-Purpose Facility.
Team Southern Ute athlete, Ember Vigil makes a pass during their volleyball match on Thursday, July 11 at Ignacio High School.
Team Southern Ute 9-11 year olds compete against team Ute Indian Tribe during their first volleyball match at Ignacio High School.
After set one of their games, Ute Mountain Ute and Ute Indian Tribe athletes give each other high-fives practicing good sportsmanship during their competition.
Team Ute Indian Tribe and Ute Mountain Ute join together for a friendly Hand Game match at the SunUte Community Center, sharing songs and teaching the fundamentals of the game.
Tri-Ute athletes gather for a game of volleyball ahead of the closing ceremony on Friday, July 12.
Team Southern Ute and Team Ute Mountain Ute battle for the jump ball during their match on Wednesday, July 10.
A player from the Ute Indian Tribe takes a two-point attempt with a layup on Wednesday, July 10 at Ignacio High School, competing against Team Southern Ute.
Closing the three-day Tri-Ute event, SunUte Community Center staff pass on the “Ute Circle of Life” flag signifying that the Ute Indian Tribe is next to host the Tri-Ute Games in Ft. Duchesne, Utah. Following the annual Tri-Ute Games, the flag is passed on to the next host tribe.
Photo Credit: Divine Windy Boy | The Southern Ute Drum
Photo Credit: Krista Richards | The Southern Ute Drum
Photo Credit: Krista Richards | The Southern Ute Drum
Photo Credit: Krista Richards | The Southern Ute Drum
Photo Credit: Divine Windy Boy | The Southern Ute Drum
Photo Credit: Divine Windy Boy | The Southern Ute Drum
Photo Credit: Krista Richards | The Southern Ute Drum
Photo Credit: Rosaleigh Concepcion | The Southern Ute Drum
Photo Credit: Zuriah Baker | The Southern Ute Drum
Photo Credit: Zuriah Baker | The Southern Ute Drum
Photo Credit: Zuriah Baker | The Southern Ute Drum
Photo Credit: Zuriah Baker | The Southern Ute Drum
Photo Credit: Zuriah Baker | The Southern Ute Drum
Photo Credit: Zuriah Baker | The Southern Ute Drum
Photo Credit: Zuriah Baker | The Southern Ute Drum
Photo Credit: Zuriah Baker | The Southern Ute Drum
Photo Credit: Zuriah Baker | The Southern Ute Drum
Photo Credit: Divine Windy Boy | The Southern Ute Drum
Photo Credit: Divine Windy Boy | The Southern Ute Drum
Photo Credit: Divine Windy Boy | The Southern Ute Drum
Photo Credit: Divine Windy Boy | The Southern Ute Drum
Photo Credit: Divine Windy Boy | The Southern Ute Drum
Photo Credit: Divine Windy Boy | The Southern Ute Drum
Photo Credit: Divine Windy Boy | The Southern Ute Drum
Photo Credit: Divine Windy Boy | The Southern Ute Drum
Photo Credit: Divine Windy Boy | The Southern Ute Drum
Photo Credit: Divine Windy Boy | The Southern Ute Drum
Photo Credit: Divine Windy Boy | The Southern Ute Drum
Photo Credit: Divine Windy Boy | The Southern Ute Drum
Photo Credit: Divine Windy Boy | The Southern Ute Drum
Photo Credit: Divine Windy Boy | The Southern Ute Drum
Photo Credit: Divine Windy Boy | The Southern Ute Drum
Photo Credit: Divine Windy Boy | The Southern Ute Drum
Photo Credit: Divine Windy Boy | The Southern Ute Drum
Photo Credit: Divine Windy Boy | The Southern Ute Drum
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Southern Ute hosts Tri-Ute athletes in Ignacio 

Earlier in July, the Southern Ute, Ute Mountain Ute, and Ute Indian tribes got together for their annual friendly sports competition for youth. Youth athlete registration numbers soared as this year’s Tri-Ute Games was the first time the event included all three sister tribes since the COVID-19 pandemic, and some registration requirements were opened to second tribal descendants. 

At the Ignacio High School gymnasium, young athletes from the three Ute tribes played volleyball against each other at the annual Tri-Ute games. This year, the Southern Ute Tribe is hosting its sister tribes, the Ute Mountain Ute and Ute Indian tribes, in Ignacio. 

K’ia Whiteskunk is the recreation director for the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe. She says the three sister tribes’ gathering for this annual event shows unity and gives young people a chance to meet friends and relatives. 

“We have relatives from the other tribes that we don’t get to see. But this is a time that helps youth get to know each other and come together that maybe normally wouldn’t. I think also health-wise, difficulties and different diseases and like diabetes… so keeping the kids active is important,” Whiteskunk said. 

Over at the Southern Ute Bear Trail, athletes in colored shirts run the Ute Warrior challenge. 

Darnell Muniz is a recreation specialist at the Sun Ute Community Center. He’s guiding kids running along the road after they’ve slid down a slip-and-slide. 

“The challenge is having them running about half a mile on our Bear Dance trail all the way to the community park… we have various events like army crawl, slip and slide, and three-legged race,” Muniz said. 

Muniz says that this year’s Tri-Ute games was the first one since the COVID-19 pandemic to see all three tribes reunite. In July 2022, the Ute Games only included two tribes. Temperature checks and COVID masks were mandatory on the host reservation at the time. 

This year, the Southern Ute and Ute Indian tribes opened youth registration for this year’s games to descendants of tribal members. Muniz says over 200 youth athletes participated this year. “It’s bringing these kids together because a lot of them probably don’t know that they have cousins there or relatives in and around those areas, and cousins meeting up, or friends meeting up,” Muniz said. 

The “Ute Circle of Life” flag has been ceremoniously passed on to the Ute Indian Tribe, signifying that next year’s Tri-Ute Games will be hosted in Fort Duchesne, Utah. 

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