If the humans are getting into their unusual sporting events, why can't
the animals? There are just some of the unusual sporting races from
around the world that involve animals.
We at photofun4ucom love and respect animals. We do not condone or approve of
animal cruelty in any way, shape, or form, but as a blog that reports on
everything bizarre in our world, we thought that you should know about
some of the craziest ways that animals are being used for sport around
the world.
Ostrich Racing - racing on the back of the fastest birds
Did you know Ostriches can exceed speeds of 40 miles per hour? The good
folks of Chandler, Arizona, do. I'd love to see this one, just to see
what kind of wacky jockey decides to sit on an Ostrich. I'm thinking
there may be alcohol involved.
Camel Racing
You wouldn't think there would be camel races in the United States.
Then again, we do have a big desert, so why not? The Virginia City
Camel Races are a nostalgic reminder of the Comstock Lode, the first
large discovery of silver ore in the U.S., when I suppose they used
Camels to transport the silver. According to the official website, they
also race ostriches and emus, because that's how they roll in Nevada.
Sled Dog Racing
Sled dog racing is where dogs run for days and cover the distance of
over 1,609 kilometres. This sport was played in the 1930s and it took
place at the 1932 Games in Lake Placid. The event saw two races on a
25.1-mile course wherein only two countries had participated-- Canada
and the United States.
Horse race
Wiener Dog Racing
For those of us who don't drink beer, Oktoberfest celebrations in the
U.S. can be a bit boring. Unless you're lucky enough to live in
Cincinnati – those lucky Oktoberfest revelers have something entirely
different to give them a buzz – wiener dog racing!
To make sure
it stays sufficiently adorable, all participants must wear a chic hot
dog costume, though they do get their choice of topping.
October
2013 was the Seventh Annual Hillshire-Farm's Running of the Wieners
event. Over 100 contestants participated for the title of speediest
wiener. No word on who the winning wiener was, but in my eyes, they're
all winners if they look that adorable.
Frog Race
Sheep Races — catch me if you can
Pig Racing and Diving
And we end our collection of Great American Animal Races in the 49th
state. Why race pigs in Alaska, you ask? If you had to pick something
other than dog sled teams, you'd think moose, or elk. Something that
represents the state, right? At least, I did. But Alaskans appear to
prefer pigs. They're quick little guys, too. And in these races, there
are hurdles. I may need to find a Vegas sports book that takes pork
action.
Makepung - racing buffalo competition from Bali
cow racing - swiss
Cow Racing - indonasia
Lobster Races
You would think an annual lobster race would be held in Maine, but the
city of Aiken, South Carolina, has been racin' crustaceans "“ that's
right, the Aiken racin' crustaceans "“ since 1985 as a spoof of the
Kentucky Derby. This year's race, which just happened a couple weeks
ago, drew close to 10,000 fans.
Hamster Racing — rodent races in miniature vehicles
Lizard Racing Championships
Armadillo Races
Imagine little round knights in not-so-shiny armor, racing around a dirt
track. Sounds kinda cute. Although I've read they grow to 2 1/2 feet.
That's considerably less cute. Armadillo racing became popular in
Texas in the 1970s, and the Armadillo World Headquarters is in Austin.
(You heard me...the Armadillo World Headquarters.) Guess they're mighty
proud of their armored mammals down in Texas.
Zebra Racing
Porcupine Race
Squeeze this one in between visits to the Potato Museum and Philo
Farnsworth's home. The race is held each year for charity, but I'm sure
a few dollars need to be taken out for bandaids, just in case any
participants make their way into the crowd.
Snail racing
Yabbie Races
Cockroach Racing
This is one of the slimier races I've come across. The annual cockroach
races are held by the entomology club at Iowa State University. And if
you've ever hung out with the members of the Iowa State Entomology Club,
you know this is one rockin' event. They also put on something called
the Insect Horror Film Festival, which features gourmet insect tastings.
Who says there's nothing to do in Iowa in October?
Pigeon racing
In this sport, trained racing pigeons are released from a distance of
about 100 to 1,000 kilometers, measuring the time it takes for the birds
to return home. Often, only a few seconds separate the winners from the
losers — and the prize money. Pigeon fanciers train their athletes to
brave predators, storms and other threats, and the birds’ times are
clocked by computer chips attached to ankle rings. There are several
theories on how these birds home in on their destinations — they appear
to navigate by the sun and may also have a natural compass that allows
them to use magnetic north to find their home.
Kaninhop — rabbit show jumping
Cane Toad / frog Races
