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SPORTS IN NEW MEXICO
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Golf
New Mexico is the
best-kept secret in the world of golf. We offer a large variety of courses
from the mountains of the north and Ruidoso that are great get aways in the
summer to the southern courses that offer golf year-round. New Mexico has the
trophy courses of the middle Rio Grande that host championship competition
and offer spectacular beauty and world-class challenges.
New courses are
springing up around the state with the Santa Fe Trail the centerpiece. On the
Trail, you’ll find everything from the breathtaking 27 mountain holes at
Paa-Ko Ridge to the tough 18 holes at Twin Warriors or the newly opened 18
desert holes at Sandia. The Trail starts with the 27 holes of Isleta to the
south and goes through Albuquerque and up the Rio Grande with the University
Championship Course, Sandia, Santa Ana, Cochiti and ends north of Santa Fe at
Towa and Black Mesa.
The key to golf in
New Mexico is affordability. You plan play a sundowner rate on a championship
course for as low as $28, including cart.
In the summer, you
can play picturesque mountain courses such as Pandora, Angel Fire, Taos or
Pinon Hills in the north or the Inn of the Mountain Gods or Alta in the high
altitudes of Ruidoso. In the winter, try 18 holes at Sonoma Ranch or Pichacho
Hills in Las Cruces.
Word is starting
to spread that golf is great in New Mexico where we have courses that are
beautiful, affordable and memorable.
Auto, Motorcycle
Racing
The most famous
family in the history of the Indianapolis 500 started with a garage and
junkyard on Albuquerque’s Westside. From those humble beginnings, the Unser
family has won 10 percent of all Indy 500s ever run. Big Al Unser is one of
only three drivers to win at the Brickyard four times. His brother Bobby was
the first in the family to win at Indy and finished with three victories
there and Al Unser Jr. became the first second-generation winner by taking
the checkered flag at Indy twice. The Unser Racing Museum is located on
Montano Ave. in Albuquerque.
New Mexico offers
every type of racing possible. From Aztec to Carrizozo, we have the regular
Saturday night oval races on both pavement and dirt for the usual classifications
such as modifieds, superstocks, trucks and sprints. We have two solid drag
racing facilities to go with as many as six motocross tracks. Clubs offer
recreational cross-country desert racing and there are many miles of mountain
and desert courses for ATVs and motorcycles.
With the climate
and topography that New Mexico has to offer, this state is a natural place to
have fun on anything with a motor and wheels, whether you want to speed
around an oval, blast down a straight line or face the challenge of a road
course that takes you up and down or around hills.
Rodeo
From the far
southeast corner of Hobbs and Lea County to the far northwest corner of
Farmington and San Juan County, from Lordsburg in the southwest to Raton and
Clayton in the northeast, rodeo is big in New Mexico.
This is a state
with a storied history of cowboys. Kit Carson roamed northern New Mexico and
Billy the Kid became legend during the Lincoln County War in eastern New
Mexico. Even in fiction, John Wayne rode the Rio Grande.
New Mexico is
still a cowboy and cowgirl state. Events sanctioned by the Professional Rodeo
Cowboy Association and Professional Bull Riders Association attract full
arenas and a full list of entries.
A rodeo event is
held every weekend, somewhere in New Mexico. Whether it’s the very popular
team roping or a full rodeo, it includes the pomp and ceremony with queens,
clowns and all of the uniquely patriotic ingredients that have become an
important part of being at a rodeo.
Horses, fancy
saddles, belt buckles the size of dinner plates and pointed boots are proud
traditions in New Mexico. They’ve always been part of this state, and
interest has never been higher.
Soccer
New Mexico has
developed into one of the real hotbeds for soccer, whether it be youth, high
school or college. The University of New Mexico reached the championship game
of the NCAA tournament in 2005 with a nucleus of local players.
This was one of
the first states to have a large soccer complex suitable for regional and
national tournaments. The 22-field facility on the Santa Ana reservation near
Bernalillo has hosted national events such as the NAIA tournament and
regularly is the site for large regional tournaments.
Soccer is a
natural for New Mexico because of the climate. In some parts of the state, it
is a year-round sport. Fields have popped up all over the state and players
of all ages from U-6 to adults keep them busy.
UNM attracts
capacity crowds for NCAA tournament matches. University Stadium in
Albuquerque has been the site for men’s and women’s games for Team USA
several times because of the hospitality and support they receive when they
visit New Mexico.
Boxing
Boxing has long
been an important part of New Mexico’s culture. On the amateur level, we have
a proud history with both Golden Gloves and USA Boxing.
New Mexico has
produced many world champions from light heavyweight champion Bobby Foster to
five-time world champion Johnny Tapia and two-time title holder Danny Romero.
Pro bouts in the Pit, Johnson Arena on the campus of the University of New
Mexico, Tingley Coliseum, the Downtown Convention Center, arenas in Hobbs,
Las Vegas and Santa Fe and at a long list of casinos around the state have
drawn national and international attention.
This state has
been a leader in promoting successful women’s boxing cards. New Mexico also
has served as a training site at elevation with facilities in Ruidoso and
Angel Fire.
New Mexico is the
home of world championship fights and world championship fighters.
Tennis
New Mexico is a
state that offers outdoor tennis year-round in the southern part of the state
to about a 10-month season in the central part.
Tennis requires
conditioning in the high altitudes of New Mexico where a long rally at the
elevations of Ruidoso, Taos or even Santa Fe can be a challenge.
The
longest-running professional sports event in New Mexico is the Coleman Vision
Tennis Tournament, a women’s event held in Albuquerque every year. The highly
successful tournament has become a tradition.
You’ll have no
trouble finding public or private courts scattered across the state. In the
winter, there are even indoor bubble facilities available in Santa Fe and at
the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque.
Outdoors
From fishing some
of the finest quality waters in the world to hunting elk, deer or even the
exotic Ibex, New Mexico is a paradise for an outdoorsman.
Nowhere else could
you find a place as unique as Bosque del Apache where hundreds of thousands
of water fowl stop on their annual migrations with bald eagles and rare
whooping cranes regular visitors.
Try fishing the
quality waters of the San Juan or Jemez rivers. On the Rio Grande or Pecos
rivers or many feeder streams, you can fish for trout in moving waters or
fish from the shore or a boat on one of the many lakes for striper.
If you truly want
to get close to nature, then backpack into the wilderness areas of the Gila
or Pecos where you might climb above the treeline and see no signs of
civilization for days.
New Mexico has
everything to offer for those who enjoy spending the day fishing, hunting or
hiking and the night gazing at stars that seem so clear and close that you
can reach out and touch them.
Facilities
One of the most
memorable minutes in the history of college basketball occurred in 1983 when
North Carolina State coach Jim Valvano ran around the court searching for
someone to hug after his team staged a major upset and won the NCAA men’s
championship.
That moment
happened in the Pit, officially known at University Arena, at the University
of New Mexico and is just one of many times the Pit has been used for NCAA
competition for men and women.
This state can
boast of having a long list of outstanding facilities. Isotopes Park, the
home of the top farm club for the Florida Marlins, is among the very best
ballparks in minor league baseball.
The Pan American
Center on the campus of New Mexico State University in Las Cruces is newly
remodeled and is the site for the Western Athletic Conference men’s and
women’s tournaments.
There has been an
explosion of championship golf courses across the state and the addition of
several new professional events.
The ski areas of
northern and central New Mexico have some of the finest slopes in the west
for skiing in the winter and mountain biking in the summer.
Basketball
Basketball fans in
New Mexico don’t just like the sport, they love it.
The state high
school tournament draws some of the largest crowds in the nation for the boys
and girls. There are girls’ high school teams that have sold out every home
game for four or five years.
And then there are
the college teams. The Pit in Albuquerque is ranked as one of the 10 best
sports facilities in the nation. It
was on the floor of the Pit where Jim Valvano and North Carolina State won
the NCAA championship in a memorable game in 1983.
For over two
decades, the University of New Mexico ranked in the top 10 in the nation in
attendance in the Pit. The Lobos consistently rank in the top five in
attendance in women’s collegiate basketball.
At New Mexico
State, the 12,000-seat Pan American Center has been newly renovated with the
floor named for legendary coach Lou Henson.
There is no sport
more popular than basketball on the many Native American reservations across
the state.
Football
From the small
fields of high school six-man football to a packed University Stadium,
football has become a way of life in New Mexico
Football has taken
giant steps in the state in the last decade. The University of New Mexico has
turned a perennial loser into a program that expects to go to a bowl every
year, and usually does.
It all begins with
YAFL and works its way up to the high school level. The smallest schools
can’t field a full team, so they play for a state championship in six-man
football. The cities of Las Cruces and Clovis traditionally produce
powerhouses and the number of high school players being recruited by major
universities has increased drastically.
Friday nights and
Saturdays during the fall in New Mexico are dedicated to that ball with
points on the ends.
Track, Field and
Recreational Running
The clean air and
open spaces of New Mexico create a natural atmosphere for running. Whether it
be running cross country on the open Native American reservations in a sport
where the state is known as a national power, running on the tracks at the
colleges or just running for exercise, it is more fun to do in New Mexico.
The elevation of
New Mexico has long attracted world-class runners from around the world who
are preparing for national or even international competition. It isn’t rare
to see true contenders for Olympic medals running around a high school track,
along a trail or even on a city street.
To add to the
allure, Albuquerque has put together one of the finest indoor tracks in the
nation for its Downtown Convention Center and is attracting national
competition.
The state can
offer trails or courses for everyone from the serious runner to the casual
jogger who is trying to lose a few pounds and relieve the stress of a
business day.
Skiing
New Mexico
attracts snow lovers from across the nation and throughout Mexico to some of
the finest slopes in the U.S.
From bunny trails
to challenging courses with serious drops, New Mexico has the right course
for every level of downhill skier and snowboarder. The ski areas stretch from
Ruidoso in the south, through Albuquerque and across the northern part of the
state with Angel Fire, Red River and Taos the most famous.
Cross country and
snowshoe trails dot the landscape.
Giving a boost to
snow sports is affordability and convenience. Lift tickets are not as
expensive as at some of the ski areas in the neighboring states of Colorado
and Utah. The snow can be just as good in New Mexico with a shorter drive
from the airport or large population areas.
Ski New Mexico has
been successful at expanding options for skiers and snowboarders and keeping
prices reasonable at the same time.
Baseball
On a summer’s
evening, there might be nothing as relaxing and natural as nestling into a
seat at a baseball park and watching a few innings of the national pastime.
Albuquerque offers
maybe the best setting at any level of baseball to catch a game at Isotopes
Park. The Isotopes are the top farm club of the Florida Marlins, just one
step below the Major Leagues.
At the new park,
you watch the setting sun turn the Sandia Mountains into a brilliant array of
pinks and reds as the temperatures drop rapidly, quickly turning a hot day
into an enjoyable evening.
For 28 seasons,
Albuquerque’s entry in the Pacific Coast League was the Triple-A team for the
Los Angeles Dodgers. Many baseball greats such as Cy Young Award winner Orel
Hershiser, Davey Lopes, Ron Cey, Paul Konerko, Eric Karros and Mike Piazza
played for Albuquerque. The Dukes had some great managers with Tommy Lasorda,
Del Crandell, Kevin Kennedy, Mike Scioscia and Bill Russell.
The 2006 Triple-A
All-Star Game is being played in Albuquerque because baseball and New Mexico
are a great fit in a great ballpark with great fans.
Bicycling
Anything that is self-propelled
and rides on two wheels will find a natural home in New Mexico.
The state offers
the excitement and hard work of mountain biking on the many courses that are
associated with ski areas throughout the state. Angel Fire in northern New
Mexico was the site for the only World Cup of Mountain Biking event held in
the U.S. in 2005.
Or you could try
the Tour of the Gilia, a well-established race in and around Silver City
every year.
New Mexico has
trails and open roads that are inviting to anyone who just wants to take a
trip and see the beautiful countryside.
Albuquerque has
plans for a BMX facility that will attract national competition. Discussions
have even been held about the possibility of building an indoor velodrome in
Albuquerque.
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