“ACWO is proud to assist in supporting the warden race team and congratulates them on their success! Baker to Vegas is a great event that showcases the strength, drive and camaraderie of officers throughout the country and the world. Great job, team!”
ACWO President Trevor Pell
LAS VEGAS – The April 5-6, 2025 Baker to Vegas race is now in the history books and the countdown clock for 2026 is already ticking with much anticipation. It’s a grueling law enforcement 20-leg relay race from Baker, California to Las Vegas, Nevada through day and night hours, hot temperatures and sometimes fierce winds. The race attracts law enforcement officers from throughout the country and around the world.
Of the many teams that participated this year, officers at the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) were the only wildlife officers to enter the race.
“2025 was a remarkable year for the warden race team,” said Matt Henderson, a team captain. “244 teams from all over the world entered the event. The competition in all categories was fierce, especially in the Open Division. Last year, our team competed in the 800 Division (a division where the average age of our 20 runners must be 40 years old). We were forced into the Open division this year because of an infusion of youth on the team, which is a great thing to see as interest in our team continues to grow!”
Despite some uncertainty that came with moving to the Open Division, the team felt confident heading into race weekend. Conditions were tough, as winds were in the runners’ faces all day and increased as the day turned to night, making already difficult nighttime legs extremely challenging! The team was unphased and remained focused. The team’s last runner carried the baton across the finish line at approximately 5:27 a.m., making the team’s total time 15 hours and 27 minutes. This was one of the team’s fastest finishes and was extremely impressive considering the conditions runners faced. The wildlife officers placed 7th out of 23 teams in the Open Division and 22nd out of 244 teams overall.
“We are proud of our team and also extremely grateful for the years of continued support many organizations have provided us, said Henderson. “The California Statewide Law Enforcement Association (CSLEA) Affiliate – Association of Wildlife Officers of California (ACWO) has been a huge supporter of our team for multiple years now. We are extremely appreciative of this support as it makes pulling this race as well as others, such as the Bataan Memorial Death March, possible. On behalf of the warden race team, we thank ACWO for its support. This race and the warden race team as a whole are about so much more than just running. They are huge morale and camaraderie boosters, promote health through physical fitness, and promote overall wellness for our officers. Thank you!”
ACWO members on the team:
Running Team: Ryan Cordero, David Brookes, Dan Beaky, Rich Walker, Clark McLennan, Adam Nassman, Matt Wells, Peter Witman, Matt Henderson, Ethan Worthley, Philip Lamb, Justin Demianew
Alternate Runners: Aaron Sturtevant
Support Staff: Bobby Wardlow, Tim Bolla, Andrew Pietrobono, Gary Peabody, Nathan Coyle (ACWO Director)
