The 2023 High Desert Games for senior athletes age 50 and older will kick off March 17 with an opening ceremony and a free St. Patrick’s Day lunch at Bonnie Dallas Senior Center, 109 E. La Plata St.
Bonnie Dallas Senior Center Manager and Adult Programs Manager Jack Lowery projected a good turnout for the event-filled challenge this year.
According to Lowery, the High Desert Games have taken place since at least 2011. “I’m sure it happened prior to that year,” he said, but he was unable to locate records in the Senior Center archives for games held before 2011.
Lowery, now in his seventh year with the Farmington Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs Department, is also the Senior Olympics coordinator for San Juan County. “I’ve been in this business 30-plus years … been a senior center director in Illinois, Montana and Washington, and now here.”
He said the organization is expanding the number of events from last year to include billiards, disc golf, bocce ball, pickleball, shuffleboard, darts, eight-ball pool, table tennis, bowling, croquet, nine-hole golf, a 2K fun walk/run, free throw and “horse” basketball competitions and a field day with soccer skills.
Turnout for the annual event was around 130 to 150 participants prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2022, about 86 athletes enrolled and registration for 2023 is on track to exceed that number. Lowery said 51 athletes are signed up with a couple of weeks remaining for registration before the competition begins.
Gold, silver and bronze medals will be awarded, along with certificates for participants and volunteers.
Three levels of registration are available. The $15 level includes a T-shirt, the $20 level includes a lightweight hoodie, and the $25 level includes both a T-shirt and a hoodie.
While the High Desert Games are associated with New Mexico Senior Olympic Games, Lowery said they are not qualifying events for the state games.
Lowery said, “What’s nice, now, is that you don’t have to qualify” in order to compete at the state level. Athletes are now able to sign up for the state games, held in Las Cruces from July 7 to 11, without qualifying first. The state games, however, are qualifiers for the National Senior Games competition in Pittsburgh.
An informational meeting will be held for staff and volunteers at 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 15, at Bonnie Dallas Senior Center.
“We definitely encourage anybody aged 50 and older to come and participate in as many events as they would like,” Lowery said. He would like to see family members, friends and the community to come out to support the athletes.
“Like any other athlete, they like to be able to show their skills and have an audience and interact with them,” Lowery said. “It helps to create an upbeat atmosphere and the athletes love and cherish the support.”
Lowery also invited members of the public who are interested in the fast-growing sport of pickleball to sign up for a workshop on April 22 at Brookside Park Courts.
The broad-ranging High Desert Games runs through April and May, with the closing ceremony taking place May 31.
To compete in the High Desert Games, athletes may download the athlete and pickleball applications on the city of Farmington website. For more information, call (505) 599-1380.
