The Blaydon Horse races of 1862.
I’m sure we all have famous local events and traditions which end up part of our folk law…
The Blaydon Races is one of ours. Made famous by the song of the same name, it has grown over the years to be a real crowd puller.

Description of the Race
The 1862 Blaydon Races Song is the National Anthem of Tyneside. 
The words of the song explain everything in the race here….

I hear there are traditional swamp races in some places…

The “Wattolympiade” (meaning Mud Olympics), is held annually in mud flats along the banks of the Elbe River in Brunsbüttel near Hamburg, Germany…

Anyone got any more??

We have the Melbourne Cup - ‘The race that stops a nation!’  First Tuesday every November. It’s bloody huge.

In the small town where I grew up they have an annual Brickthrowing Contest. It happens in Strouds around the world - Oz, UK, USA and Canada.

One of my favourites is another one in Gloucestershire, I think, you know the chasing of a cheese wheel down a steep hill?

BTW love the anthem and I reckon the geordie accent is very cool.

I also live in Newcastle, also a coal city, and some of our suburbs have English names like Wallsend, Gateshead and Stockton - you probably know that.

Also, a coincidence that my avatar is a magpie! (Australian Magpie Lark).

Cheers mate.

cunjevoi - 23 May 2012 11:07 PM

We have the Melbourne Cup - ‘The race that stops a nation!’  First Tuesday every November. It’s bloody huge.

In the small town where I grew up they have an annual Brickthrowing Contest. It happens in Strouds around the world - Oz, UK, USA and Canada.

One of my favourites is another one in Gloucestershire, I think, you know the chasing of a cheese wheel down a steep hill?

BTW love the anthem and I reckon the geordie accent is very cool.

I also live in Newcastle, also a coal city, and some of our suburbs have English names like Wallsend, Gateshead and Stockton - you probably know that.

Also, a coincidence that my avatar is a magpie! (Australian Magpie Lark).

Cheers mate.

Nice one Cunj, we Newcastleites must stick together!

I love the Cheese Race too, couldn’t remember where it was held though, another one I like is the Welsh Bog Snorkel Race which I did find here.

MARTIN UK - 23 May 2012 11:17 PM

cunjevoi - 23 May 2012 11:07 PM

We have the Melbourne Cup - ‘The race that stops a nation!’  First Tuesday every November. It’s bloody huge.

In the small town where I grew up they have an annual Brickthrowing Contest. It happens in Strouds around the world - Oz, UK, USA and Canada.

One of my favourites is another one in Gloucestershire, I think, you know the chasing of a cheese wheel down a steep hill?

BTW love the anthem and I reckon the geordie accent is very cool.

I also live in Newcastle, also a coal city, and some of our suburbs have English names like Wallsend, Gateshead and Stockton - you probably know that.

Also, a coincidence that my avatar is a magpie! (Australian Magpie Lark).

Cheers mate.

Nice one Cunj, we Newcastleites must stick together!

I love the Cheese Race too, couldn’t remember where it was held though, another one I like is the Welsh Bog Snorkel Race which I did find here.

Martin, shouldn’t that be “We Novacastrians”? And what about the Birdsville Races, Cunj?

Die fröhliche Wissenschaft (Rob) - 23 May 2012 11:23 PM

Martin, shouldn’t that be “We Novacastrians”? And what about the Birdsville Races, Cunj?

After a quick google, I can say yes Rob, your right, never knew that one…clever shite….

Never been to Birdsville, Rob, but one day I hope to snack on witchety grubs whilst watching the races there.

The UK seems to be big on quirky local events whereas Australia seems to be more preoccupied with ‘big things’.

As an aside, check this out: http://youtu.be/178HL72VnTA

My personal favourites, the big oyster (Taree) and the big potato (Robertson) were not included in this clip.

Oh and that cheese wheel footage is insane. Love it!

cunjevoi - 24 May 2012 12:15 AM

The UK seems to be big on quirky local events whereas Australia seems to be more preoccupied with ‘big things’....

Oh and that cheese wheel footage is insane. Love it!

I don’t know, I noticed this clip of Australia Day Dunny Race, that’s quite quirky I reckon.

As for the Cheese Wheel Race….yup, it’s crazy, people must get injured for sure.