Blindsides, scrums and tries return to Ski Town Park on Saturday for the 51st annual Cowpie Classic rugby tournament. 

The tournament is hosted each year by the Steamboat Springs Rugby Football Club and the Steamboat Women’s Rugby Charging Heifers. There will be 12 men’s teams competing, five women’s teams and an old boys game between Steamboat and Boulder. 

The tournament, which began in 1975, was hosted at Emerald Park last year due to renovations at Ski Town Park, located beside the Tennis Center bubble. The tournament returns to its usual spot this year with merchandise, food and drink vendors for spectators. 

“Those fields are renovated and should be looking good,” said Steamboat Rugby’s Rob Schwarz. “I like Emerald because you get some natural shade, but Ski Town has always been the home of Cowpie so it’s nice to bring it back there too.” 

After a competitive loss to Aspen earlier this summer, Schwarz said the boys are hungry to exact some revenge. The Steamboat men kick-off the tournament with a game against Grand Junction at 8 a.m. on field one. 

They follow up with a second game against Denver Highlanders at 10:30 a.m. and will have to wait for the playoff games which begin at 3:30 p.m. 

The Steamboat women take on Boulder at 9:40 a.m. on field one with a second game at 12:10 p.m. before their final or third-place game at 5:10 p.m. 

The old boys take the field at 2:40 p.m. 

Steamboat’s three rugby teams swept last year’s 50th tournament and Schwarz says fans may see similar results on Saturday. 

“We are feeling good about this year too,” he said. “We are hoping to repeat the success with  another strong squad.”

The Cowpie Classic began as the Steamboat-Oly Beer Invitational Rugby Tournament in 1975, according to Steamboat Pilot & Today archives. Steamboat placed fourth with a team from Colorado State University taking the first-ever crown. 

The original tournament became infamous when rodeo livestock made their way on the field, leaving behind cowpies for the ruggers to compete on. 

Steamboat’s rugby teams invite all to spectate the event and learn more about the sport. Schwarz recommends parking in the Meadows Lot, on the other side of the tennis and pickleball complex. 

“(Cowpie) has been such a huge tradition for us and a mainstay in Rocky Mountain Rugby,” Schwarz said. “This and the Aspen Rugger Fest are two tournaments that have been going on for a really long time and kept rugby alive in the Rocky Mountain Region.”