By Al Camp
Chronicle staff

     A pair of Marchands, Tony and Loren, won World Famous Suicide Race elimination races Aug. 3 in Omak.
     Runoff races are held when there are more than 20 entries for the race held after each of four performances of the Omak Stampede Aug 7-10.
     This year’s elimination races reduced a 23-horse field to 18 qualified horses, according to Pete Palmer of the Owners and Jockeys Association.
     The first elimination race sported a field of 12 horses, three of which left the Okanogan River without their riders. No horses or jockeys appeared to be hurt.
     Tony Marchand on Buckskin Tamarack sped past the early leaders in the Okanogan River, taking a shorter line to the shore.
     In the second race with 11 horses, Loren Marchand on Taz took the victory by holding off last year’s overall champ Patch and jockey Aaron Carden.
     Two horses entered the arena riderless.
     One of the jockeys, Montana Pakootas, took a header at the base of the Suicide Race Hill. He was stabilized then transported across the river where LifeLine Ambulance took him to Mid-Valley Hospital.
     When he received applause from the crowd, Pakootas gave a thumbs up sign as he was slid into the ambulance.
     Palmer said Pakootas was transferred late Sunday night to Sacred Heart Hospital in Spokane with breathing and lung problems.
     “He is in a lot of pain and broke up pretty good on his right side,” said Palmer of Pakootas’ multiple fractures of his shoulder and ribs.
     “They were still looking at his neck (which he broke less than a year ago during the Waterville Fair in a race horse accident) and had not got a chance to check his lower body,” she said.
     “I can honestly say that because of previous injuries that helmet probably saved his life or at least from worse injuries,” Palmer said.
     Heat one: 1, Buckskin Tamarack, Tony Marchand, George Marchand. 2, Skar Tar, Ryan Cate, Leroy Cate. 3, Bodacious, Winfred Pakootas, Clifford Louie.
     Heat two: 1, Taz, Loren Mar-chand, Jim Phillips. 2, Patch, Aaron Carden, Kevin Carden. 3, Thor Eddie Seyler, Mick Zabreznik.     
     Qualified entries by horse, jockey, owner:
     Bodacious, Winfred Pakootas, Clifford Louie.
     Buckskin Tamarack, Tony Marchand, George Marchand.
     Commando, Abe Grunlose, Lucille Pakootas.
     Diego, Steven Ford, Jeff/Steven Ford.
     Dozer, Tyler Peasley, Jonathan Abrahamson.
     Gambler, Jimmy Marchand, Milo Pakootas.
     Hurk, Oliver Pakootas, Kerry Carden.
     Morgan, Bryce Curry, Bryce Curry
     Party Boy, Louis Zacherle, Don and Leah Frazier.
     Patch, Aaron Carden, Kevin Carden.
     Rawhide, Ralph Moses, Bud and Kathleen Gottfriedson.
     Red A, Marty Stanley, Ralph Moses.
     River Boy, Kevin LaCourse/Henry LaCourse, Kevin LaCourse.
     Sinbad, Tony Marchand, Chris Corey.
     Skar Tar, Ryan Cate, Leroy Cate.
     Soldier Boy, Glen James, Don James.
     Super Dave, Casey Nissen, Casey Nissen.
     Taz, Loren Marchand, Jim Phillips.
     Thor, Eddie Seyler, Mick Zabreznik.
     Eliminated entries:
     Clever, Rich Gottfriedson/Ralph Moses, Bud and Kathleen Gottfriedson.
     Coyote Dillon, Duran Mar-chand, Smoker Marchand.
     Forgiven Affair, Eddie Seyler, Eddie Seyler.
     J-31, Montana Pakootas, Clifford Louie.
     Marv, Leroy Abrahamson, Gerald and Danielle Sam