Five unusual race meetings that stop the nation
If you’re not into the Melbourne Cup and looking to get out of town for some truly bizarre racing, Australia isn’t lacking in alternatives.In fact, if you want to see almost any type of critter racing for a prize, we’ve got you covered.
Ferret racing, Kyneton, Victoria
Ferrets are bred to chase rabbits down burrows, so perhaps these long wheelbase bunny-munchers are naturals when it comes to racing. That’s where Kyneton, about an hour northwest of Melbourne, comes in. The town’s annual Daffodil & Arts Festival includes a festival of ferret racing with a number of sprint and marathon events held over/in a devious course of PVC pipes. About 80 ferrets took part this year, and if you somehow tire of the racing, Kyneton’s beautifully historic Piper Street will be an appreciated distraction.
Cow racing, Mount Compass, South Australia
If you thought a dairy cow’s life was uneventful – eat, milk, eat, milk, etcetera – you probably haven’t been to Mount Compass on the Fleurieu Peninsula. Every year the town hosts the Compass Cup in which participants bid for a cow, then ride it in the race. Naturally, it’s all a bit chaotic (not to mention an interruption to Betsy and Buttercup’s daily routine) but with plenty of other events on during the day – milk-crate loading, milk drinking, dog jumping and a ute parade – it’s all wholesome fun for the family.
Sheep racing, Booligal, NSW
When a region such as western NSW has so many sheep, it makes sense that a town like Booligal would want to race them. Every year at Easter, on the town’s cricket oval, most of the town’s residents turn out to bid for a potentially speedy sheep, decorate it, and then watch it sprint the course. Other events include “guess that sheep’s weight”, a fancy dress turn-out and, more alarmingly, a post race barbecue. It all definitely worth the long drive of about 800km from Sydney.
Yabby racing, Windorah, Queensland
It may be difficult to imagine the excitement of watching a field of freshwater crayfish racing at speeds of up to 0.2km/h, but that’s just what turns on the townspeople of Windorah at the annual International Yabby Races (a lead up to Spring’s Birdsville Cup.) A big crowd turns up outside the pub in the evening to cheer on 10 yabbies in four races to be the first to make it out of the ring. There’s plenty of beer, plus fun for the (human) nippers…and it’s only a 14 hour drive from Brisbane.
Camel racing, Alice Springs, Northern Territory
It’s a measure of how seriously Alice Springs takes this sport that the annual Camel Cup is held at the world’s only purpose built track for dromedary racing. In a full day of fairly dusty competition, jockeys and their mounts vie for the cup which was once an international event, thanks to rivalry with (of all places) Virginia City in Nevada, North America. When the camels aren’t racing there are rickshaw events, and the day attracts plenty of Outback characters, so entertainment is guaranteed
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