Watch hee-haw hoopers bring in burro bucks for Burnet seniors
Enjoy a bucking good time at a donkey basketball tournament April 17 in the Burnet Middle School gym. The event raises money for Burnet High School’s Class of 2025. Dairyland Donkey Ball photo
Basketball meets barnyard as “Donkey Ball” trots into Burnet, bringing miniature mayhem, local personalities, and a mission to raise money for the Class of 2025.
The donkey basketball fundraiser is Thursday, April 17, in the Burnet Middle School gym, 1401 N. Main St. Watch as four hoops teams compete on the backs of small donkeys.
Proceeds from the first-ever Burnet High School Project Graduation event will help pay for a safe, substance-free celebration for graduating seniors at the YMCA-Highland Lakes.
Enjoy barbecue and a visit from the Easter Bunny at 6 p.m. Gym doors open at 7 p.m., and the first game starts at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $15 in advance or $20 at the door. The barbecue meal is $10.
Katie Hendrix, vice president of the Project Graduation board, is responsible for roping in the entertainment, and this isn’t her first rodeo.
“I grew up in East Texas, and we used to do donkey basketball as a fundraiser back in the ’90s” she said. “When we started planning this year’s fundraising events, I said we should bring it back. Everyone laughed … but come September, I started showing them videos.”
Hendrix pitched the idea to school officials, and to her surprise, they gave it the greenlight.
Four teams will face off in an 8-minute first-round game on Thursday night with the winners playing a 16-minute championship match. The tournament starts with Hoof Hustlers vs. Donkey Dunkers and Ba-Donk-a-Donks vs. Bareback Ballers. Each squad must have four players on the court, and they must be on their donkey to shoot or pass.
The sports spectacle will feature local “celebrity” players, including Burnet City Councilor Tres Clinton, Assistant City Manager Keith McBurnett, and Burnet County District Clerk Casie Walker.
The miniature donkeys are provided by Dairyland Donkey Ball, a family-run business that has been wrangling chaos since 2004.
“It’s not good basketball, it’s just good entertainment,” Hendrix said. “Most of the players will spend their time off the donkey, trying to pull it down the court. They’re small, tame, and super docile—just stubborn. That’s kind of the point.”
Hendrix said the money raised will go toward a mechanical bull, hypnotist, pool tables, and other fun games at the graduation night party. Organizers will split the remaining funds evenly among the attending seniors rather than use it on prize raffles.
“We wanted to keep it fair,” Hendrix said. “Not every kid or parent can volunteer, but every senior deserves to celebrate and walk away with something. That’s what this is all about.”
She hopes to see this year’s donkey-powered fundraiser become a Burnet tradition.
“We wanted to give the community something to look forward to that’s not just another raffle ticket,” she said. “It’s fun, it’s ridiculous, and it supports a really great cause.”