World Championship Hen Racing Report - 1 August 2009

All the hens had to be ‘standing’ at the line. The rules had been amended to stop people launching their unsuspecting racers. The hens were set down steadily and the race started. The black hen’s owner called out ‘false start’ in an attempt to get a better start for his hen (usually a ploy of 2^nd rate jockeys) . However, the race was on. Rosie had overcome initial nerves and stress after a few minutes of cajoling and handling. But suddenly she was overcome by the entire event & was shortly joined by a former battery hen cum family pet. Seeing this huddle the black hen stopped with these two and the three racers were as thick as thieves, still as statues, just 10 inches from the starting tape. Meanwhile, an uncontested local hen strutted directly to the finishing line in what can only be described as a walk over.  It was the bantam with attitude.

Rule number 2 'no dogs allowed'.  There were two very dejected dogs having to wait patiently outside the competition looking suitably shifty whilst their owner had to stand on top of the stone wall to watch proceeding from a distance.





It's surprising how resourceful white van owners can be.  Many people took the opportunity to rent a hen for the event from a white van man. The lessees  lined up with identically boxes and it was like a pick and mix Heinz 57 of hens one after another.  A group of teenagers had come down from Grimsby for the event & called their hireling ‘stig’. The photo on the right hand side shows an example of one of the hens for rent sat in her box.

A young farmer from a nearby village brought 2 hens caught roaming about the farm with signs of their feral fun life about their feathers. They were together in a large cage looking confused and nonplussed like they’d never been contained in their life; because they never had.  Photo on the left hand side shows Popcorn and stable mate Flipper, named & owned by Charlie Marks of Tinkerley Farm in Kirkireton.