Troy and Willie Saye are the outhouse race originators , coming up with the idea after a visit from a relative from Minnesota . The couple could not imagine the races not happening and feel fortunate to be giving so much back to the Shriners and their community of Nemo .
Each Outhouse Race team needs to have a team name and an outhouse theme . Some , like the Skidmarks , choose names that have references to all things related to the bathroom including references to not wanting to be left behind !
“ We took that on that next year ,” Willie said .
The year after that the couple took the races out of Nemo with proceeds benefiting the Western Museum in Deadwood .
“ That was the only year that we took the outhouse race out of Nemo and brought it up there . We had such a feedback on it everybody said ‘ don ’ t do that again ,’” Willie said . That year the races raised $ 10,000 .
During that time Troy and Willie were approached by the Shriners and asked if they would consider working with them . Since then the proceeds from the outhouse races have gone exclusively to support the Naja Shriners Children ' s Transportation Fund .
Willie -says there is no typical outhouse race attendee .
“ We have a broad range of people . We have people that come from Colorado and Nebraska . We ’ ve had people come from as far away as Florida . They wanted to see what was going on ,” she said . Willie ’ s biggest issue is where to host the out-of-towners since the Nemo Guest Ranch cabins are old and not insulated .
Of course locals from Pennington , Lawrence and Meade counties flock to the event as well .
Willie estimates about 2,500 people attended last year and the biggest issue is parking .
“ Some of our neighbors are good enough to let us use some of their parking lots but in the wintertime it ’ s not always easy because it ’ s not plowed ,” she said .
She says the event is easy to host because it ' s pretty much the same procedure each year . “ Just faces and people change ,” she said .
The races have never been canceled and have been run in all sorts of weather with Willie saying it ' s better with snow due to more traction and that mud makes it “ even more fun .” She adds , “ everything depends on the weather that day .”
The day is a long one and begins at 8 a . m . with chili cooking . People can come sample the chili , cooked by various businesses and chefs , at 10 a . m . Kids and couples can compete in shovel races soon after . At noon the outhouses get inspected . Each must adhere to a specific set of rules , including outhouse dimensions . Outhouses have to be human-powered and each outhouse must have four walls , a roof and a doorway as well as a seat with at least one hole . Outhouses can be attached to skis or wheels but no ropes can be used to push or pull the structure .
Each outhouse has to have a theme and be decorated accordingly .
“ Budweiser came one year and they had their five guys with their horse heads on and big socks that look like the clydesdales ,” Willie says .
People are racing against the clock and compete in one of three age group categories . The category is determined by taking an average of the racers ’ ages . The Sayes do this ” so we don ’ t have 65 year olds racing against 21 year olds .”
Kids have to be at least 12 years old to participate and entrants can be as old as 100 . While racers have normally been an older , middle-aged crowd , in the last couple of years more kids are getting involved in the actual racing .
8 Down Country Roads January / February 2025