| **NEWS
PRODUCERS, ASSIGNMENT EDITORS, WEB CONTENT EDITORS**
BROADCAST B-ROLL FOOTAGE AVAILABLE
FOR DOWNLOAD
TITLE:
48th ANNUAL CAMEL RACES AT VIRGINIA CITY, NEVADA
Preview
and Download broadcast quality MPEG 2 b-roll footage AVAILABLE
AFTER 11PM ON SEPTEMBER 9
STORY
SUMMARY:
Virginia City, Nev. (September 7, 2007) – The
48th Annual Virginia City International Camel Races brought
hundreds of spectators back to the Old West this weekend as
camels were raced in the event which started as a spoof almost
50 years ago. The tradition began when Bob Richards, former
editor of Virginia City’s Territorial Enterprise, Nevada’s
first newspaper, invented the story about racing camels out
of boredom in 1957, only to cancel the event each year. That
is until the then-fictional event intrigued film director John
Houson, and editors from the San Francisco Chronicle, Phoenix
Gazette and Indio newspapers who arrived in 1960 to participate.
The event has been a smashing success ever since, drawing participants
from around the globe.
In
addition to camel races, the event also featured ostrich and
emu races, all kinds of specialty acts and parades throughout
the weekend. Anyone willing to get on and race a camel was allowed
to participate. In fact, every year on the Friday before the
event “Grudge Races” are held where members of the
media can battle it out like they did at the first camel race
in 1960.
Camels were first brought to Nevada by the army to work the
Comstock load in 1856. In its heyday, Virginia City was the
greatest and largest city in Nevada built on strikes of both
silver and gold.
Currently
the largest national historic monument in the United States,
Virginia City is located only 16 miles south of Reno, Nevada.
Visitors to Virginia City can tour the underground mines, visit
numerous old saloons and even peek inside the once thriving
opera house.
For more information on the event, visit: www.visitrenotahoe.com
FOOTAGE
INCLUDES: Virginia City scenes, inlcuding parade, prior
to the Camel Races. Camel Races.
SOUNDBITES:
- Gary Jackson, Nevada Camel Co. commenting on orgin
of Camel Races.
PROVIDED
BY: The Reno-Sparks Convention and Visitors Authority
Contact: Nicole Shearer, Switchback PR + Marketing (530) 550-2252,
nicole@switchbackpr.com
TECHNICAL
INFORMATION / BetaSP REQUESTS:
Reno/Lake Tahoe Media Center
530-583-4206
erict@tahoemediacenter.com
###
Download
PDF Media Alert
TAPE
COPIES AND DUBS: To request a hard copy/dub
of any segment on BetaSP or Mini DV, please call (530)583-4206
or email eric@tahoemediacenter.com
|
