I found it interesting to learn that there are sports that purely use animals. I believe that using animals adds a whole new dimension of competition. It's important to point out that it can be very exciting to witness, just as long as there's no violence. I, in no shape or form, condone animal cruelty. It's disgusting and there's no room for it on earth. The importance should be on fun and excitement. Both parties (humans and animals) should have fun doing it and not doing it out of shear force.
Elephant Polo is a variation of the traditional game of polo. The obvious exception is the use of elephants instead of horses. It's practiced in Nepal, Sri Lanka, Rajasthan (India) and Thailand. I don't think I'd try this. I don't think I'll have the confidence to ride an elephant - sit on one maybe. Additionaly, with the height of an elephant, I don't think I'll be able to reach the ball or even hit the ball.
Camel wrestling is a sport in which two male Tülü camels wrestle, typically in response to a female camel in heat being led before them. It's mostly common in the Aegean region of Turkey but is also practiced in other parts of the Middle East and South Asia.
There exists a competition known as Ferret Legging. It's a test of endurance or just the ability to “have your tool bitten and not care.” Also known as ferret-down-trousers and put ‘em down, the rules of the sport are pretty tight. Competitors have two ferrets placed inside their pants, which are tied firmly at the ankles and belted up at the waist, thereby eliminating any point of escape for the furry creatures. The competitor then stands before judges, enduring the misery of the ferrets' razor-sharp claws and teeth. Other rules state that competitors cannot be drunk and the ferrets must not be sedated. Also, the ferrets must have a full set of teeth that have not been blunted or filed. The man who stands the longest, wins.
This is definitely not for me. I wouldn't feel comfortable having an animal crawling up my body. This is especially true if they have sharp teeth and claws. They will scratch and bite my body all the way until they are successfully free.
A sport that would definitely interest me is Turkey Bowling. Turkey bowling is a sport which is based on ordinary bowling: a frozen turkey serves as a bowling ball and 10 plastic bottles of soft drinks or water are the bowling pins. The turkey is bowled down a smooth surface, for example, ice. It's commonly associated with Thanksgiving and is popular in minor league ice hockey in the United States and Canada. This sounds like fun. Unlike regular bowling, there won't be any gutters. I might actually do well.
Snail racing is very much a real thing. Races are usually high-paced and adrenalin-fuelled spectacles. Snail racing is a little more of a relaxed affair. The race is one of the few animal competitions that can be held on a tabletop, so it can be played almost anywhere by anyone.
Usually, the common garden snail, native to Europe, is used. It can be tricky to spot the difference between the competitors. Racing snails are usually painted with colours to help identify the race participants.
They are then placed in the center of a ring around 12 inches in diameter and the winner is the first to cross the edge. The longest-running snail race takes place in Congham, England. To give an idea of the speeds involved in snail racing. The fastest ever winner clocked in with a completion time of two minutes.
I believe that I would easily get bored from this sport. At the usual pace of snails, I would liken it to like watching paint dry. I will easily get bored by it. To me, it's a total snore fest (no offence to anyone who likes it).
Cockroach racing is a club gambling activity which started in 1982 at the Story Bridge Hotel in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. The event is held on 26 January, which is Australia Day and is given the title "Australia Day Cockroach Races". This type of racing has spread to many parts of the world, including the United States.
In North America, cockroach racing has recently become a popular feature for money, prizes or just for its entertainment value. It's held in exhibitions promoting entomology where the public and entomologists participate.
In the first-ever event held in 1982, the winning cockroach was called 'Soft Cocky'. Cockroaches are brought to the races by the participants but the roach could also be bought at the venue of the races. The preferred option is, however, to bring one's own cockroaches, from the stable. The proceeds from the event are given away to charity.
It's fun to learn that there exists competitions for pet lovers, including myself. There is a competition known as cat agility. Cat agility is a sport that involves cats going through several agility obstacles while led by their handlers. Cats are judged on their level of skill through each obstacle course, as well as how quickly they get through the entire program.
Canine Nosework refers to the use of a dog’s natural ability to sleuth out a variety of scents to locate several targets. In fact, specialised schools train dogs in identifying hundreds of scents. These schools are particularly useful in helping dogs who work with law enforcement.
Treibball is a game that would probably make B.F. Skinner happy. This is because It's a positive reinforcement, competitive sport that originated in Germany. The goal of treibball is to gather 8 large balls and drive them down the field to a soccer goal. A dog must drive each of these balls down into the goal within a certain amount of time. This sport turned competitive in 2008. It was originated to strengthen a dog’s herding skills.
Canicross is a game created for both dogs and their owners. This sport puts both dog and dog owner to the test by training them to run cross country distances. Canicross is the sport of running cross country with dogs. It originated as an exercise used to keep mushing dogs (sledding) well trained and active during the summer months. Canicross accommodates more than one dog at a time but it can be done with a single dog.
Dog parkour is an extreme sport that is trendy among those who want to live on the edge – literally. This challenges people to run and jump over hurdles, skip along walls, performing handstands and other acrobatics in rapid succession.
Dog parkour combines dog agility with the sport of parkour through jumping, climbing, balancing, crawling and other exercises.
All these sports described above seem to be a lot of fun. However, it may only be appealing to some people. Some of these sports are not for me. Each one is fascinating for varying reasons. The importance is to have fun and more importantly, the animals aren't harmed.
In fact, after every event, there should be a sign saying, "No [insert animal's name] were harmed during the race/event" - like in the movies.
A special shout out to Ronette for giving me the idea to do this kind of post/article.
Source Material
Gazur, B. 2022. 10 Bizarre Animal Races. ListVerse.
OVRS Staff. 2019. 5 unusual sports involving pets. Oakland Veterinary Referral Services.
Vega, N. 2012. 10 Bizarre Animal Sports. Oddee.