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Posted on 05/09/2026 7:19:59 PM PDT by Uncle Miltie
A rescued miniature donkey named Miguel has become one of Wyoming’s most in-demand wedding bartenders by wandering through cocktail hours with beer strapped to his sides. “It’s a great conversation starter,” said the beer burro business owner
At first glance, it looks like something out of an old Western postcard gone slightly off the rails.
It’s a miniature donkey weaving through a Wyoming wedding crowd with baskets of ice-cold beer strapped to its sides while guests in boots and cocktail dresses scramble to take photos with it.
Beer burros like Miguel, a rescued miniature donkey, are becoming increasingly popular around the Cowboy State.
“It’s one of those things where people don’t expect it,” said Alexis von Gontard, who runs a beer burro business near Sheridan. “Then they see the donkey walk up with drinks on its back, and it breaks the ice instantly.”
It’s about the most Wyoming wedding or special even accessory, with Miguel often posing in as many selfies as the guests.
That’s even if those who drink too much of what Miguel’s serving up try to ride him or get the tiny donkey to drink a toast with them.
The mechanics are surprisingly simple, and much more than a novelty, von Gontard said.
The donkeys wear custom saddle packs loaded with canned beer and seltzers packed on ice.
During cocktail hour, they wander through the crowd while guests free up the crowds at the bar by helping themselves to directly from the baskets.
“It’s not just about grabbing a drink,” von Gontard said. “It’s about the moment.”
Jasmine Scholes, owner of Jackson-based Black Tie Burro, said beer donkeys donkeys instantly change the energy of an event.
“It’s a great conversation starter,” she said. “Honestly, I think we spend more time taking pictures with the donkeys than actually handing out drinks.”
That tends to happen when a formally-dressed donkey decked out in flowers suddenly walks up loaded down with ice-cold Coors Light.
Hops On Hooves Scholes accidentally got into the business after buying a miniature donkey named Zeus as a companion animal following the death of one of her horses. About three years ago, she started bringing him to events.
He carried palms for Easter and made an appearance at a Cinco de Mayo party at the bank she manages, where he wore a tiny sombrero while customers were served chips and salsa by Zeus.
Then somebody asked whether the donkey could show up at a wedding. That’s when the demand for beer donkeys snowballed.
“Oh my gosh,” Scholes said, adding she remembers thinking that, “This could be a thing here.”
Now Black Tie Burro handles weddings, airport events, parties and promposals with a growing herd of miniature donkeys that includes Zeus, Zadie Sugar Britches, Hickory, Otis McStuffins and MissChief McBray.
Meanwhile, von Gontard’s operation revolves around Miguel — a rescue donkey who went from an unwanted breeding animal to Wyoming’s most in-demand bartender.
“He was so thin, he hated people,” von Gontard said. “He didn’t want to be touched.”
Now he spends weekends carrying drinks through crowded weddings while guests line up to take selfies with him.
Everybody Loves A Beer Donkey The response from event guests is almost entirely positive, Scholes said. “They’re just big puppy dogs,” she said.
They wear custom pack saddles fitted with baskets full of cans on ice, then just wander around greeting guests while people lose their minds.
“Everybody loves donkeys,” Scholes said. “The kids do. The adults do. Of course, some people try to ride them. But they're mini."
And yes, drunk wedding guests absolutely make donkey jokes all night. “There’s all kinds of puns,” Scholes said, adding she's considered having a "Kiss my A**" booth for the right clients.
“It adds a little bit of magic. Something people will talk about long after the event is over,” said von Gontard.
In Wyoming that blend of tradition, novelty and connection seems to fit right in.
“It’s fun, it’s memorable, and it brings people together. That’s really what it’s all about,” she said.
The Logistics As whimsical as it may appear, operating a beer donkey business involves a bizarre amount of planning.
Scholes arrives at events hours early to coordinate refill stations, layouts and drink logistics with wedding planners.
The donkeys wear discreet collection bags covering their rears during events because wedding venues generally prefer the animals not leave surprises on the dance floor.
Even so, accidents still happen.
“He did do that in the barn,” said Elizabeth Taliento, general manager of a Big Horn event venue that hired Miguel for a Christmas event. “We had a snow shovel, and we shoveled that up, and then just a little mop real quick, and it was taken care of in two seconds.”
Taliento said Miguel became an instant hit despite leaving an unwanted present.
“He was fantastic and great with the kids,” she said. “It was just magical.” Scholes says she uses "booty bags," which are discreetly worked into their costumes and don't leave a mess at all.
There are also practical concerns most people probably never consider — like the fact that miniature donkeys are technically desert animals, said Scholes.
“They absorb, like, 95% of the nutrients they eat,” she explained. “It doesn’t take much for the weight to come on them.”
That means the beer donkeys can get beer bellies from people sneaking them beer or other snacks.
The Beer Burro Boom Beer burros have been a growing national trend for years, especially in Arizona, Texas and Colorado. Wyoming was inevitable.
The state already has outdoor weddings, ranch venues, open bars, and a population that appreciates both livestock and cold beer.
Combining the two was only a matter of time, von Gontard and Scholes said. A tiny donkey walking toward you carrying a cold beer is objectively funny and fun.
That’s the business model.
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AOC got a new gig?.............
Having those poor little donkeys serve up donkey piss. Ugh. It's just not right.
Back in my college days of yore, the original Coors was called RMGP (Rocky Mountain Goat Piss) by detractors, usually Budweiser drinkers.
Waiting for the appearance of the ASPCA
I moved from Texas to Wyoming. Weird place.
In my college days in Columbia, Missouri at Mizzou, there was a mystique about that magical Coors from out west in Golden. It wasn’t old in Bud / Busch Country, but sometimes a smuggler would bring a load in. The hard-to-get aura made it seem wonderful. But it was still Rocky Mountain Goat Piss. The “Rocky Mountain Spring Water” was a great line. Later I learned the secret to Olympia Beer — “It’s the Water.” None of them talked about their great hops, malt or barley, just the water. Weird.
AND won’t steal the tips.
There’s always a jackass at a wedding.
This is brilliant.
Absolutely brilliant.
L
“Miguel” the donkey? Sounds racist and misogynist.
AOC the donkey is a much better name.
I’m glad they rescued him
How about Number 7 as an homage to Grizzly Adams?
While novel, this is not new as I attended a large wedding reception in South Texas a couple of years back that featured a beer donkey.
AOC has employment after politics...
(Or, perhaps a second job during)
Perhaps not. A Tesla Optimus 3 connected by Starlink to the massive server farm probably has greater experience and intelligence than AOC
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