Today I’m talking animals. If you’re a regular blog visitor you probably already know I have a soft spot for animals. Some people enjoy sports featuring animals.
Thirteen Sports Involving Animals
1. Polo – champagne, picnics and stomping in the divots during half time.
2. Bronco busting – cowboys!
3. Falconry – an old sport still practiced today in some countries.
4. Cockfighting – common during earlier centuries. Not my idea of sport!
5. Dogsled racing – I always think of Alaska in combination with dogsled racing.
6. Carriage driving – Prince Phillip is keen on this sport.
7. Pigeon racing – they have a way better sense of direction than me!
8. Dressage – very technical and graceful. Hours of training involved.
9. Camel racing – I’m thinking I wouldn’t want to be a jockey.
10. Show jumping – can be very tense to watch when the horse raps a rail. Will it fall?
11. Bull riding – my favorite rodeo event to watch. He-haw!
12. Bullfighting – I prefer the bullfights where the animals aren’t harmed.
13. Greyhound racing – not a sport I enjoy.
Have you participated in any of the above sports? Do you enjoy watching any of the above? Is there another animal related sport that you enjoy?
May 10th, 2012 at 5:35 am · Link
I’ve never had the chance to watch these sports live but would love to see some of them. Great T13.
May 11th, 2012 at 1:17 am · Link
My father was keen on rodeo while my husband likes horse racing. I didn’t have any choice :)
May 10th, 2012 at 7:13 am · Link
Seems like most of it involves speed.
May 11th, 2012 at 1:17 am · Link
That’s true! Speed is good in most of these.
May 10th, 2012 at 9:32 am · Link
Oh, interesting list. I would like to see falconry. Happy TT!
http://otherworlddiner.blogspot.com/2012/05/thirteen-facts-about-whales-many-of.html
May 11th, 2012 at 1:18 am · Link
I’ve seen a demonstration while we were in England. It’s pretty amazing, and the birds are beautiful. Their talons look dangerous though!
May 10th, 2012 at 9:48 am · Link
I’ve never watched any of these and the only thing I can think of would be like a dog agility course. Not really a sport but the dogs look like they are having fun most of the time.
May 11th, 2012 at 1:20 am · Link
The dog obedience contests are brilliant to watch. The dogs seem to really enjoy participating, although a lot of training is required.
May 10th, 2012 at 10:26 am · Link
I’ve not participated in any of these sports. About the closest I’ve come is watching the movie Secretariat. :-)
May 11th, 2012 at 1:20 am · Link
LOL – the horse racing world is a competitive one, that’s for sure :)
May 10th, 2012 at 4:16 pm · Link
I think toad jumping should be on the list!
May 11th, 2012 at 1:21 am · Link
LOL – sounds like an interesting sport to me.
May 10th, 2012 at 4:46 pm · Link
Sheep dog trials should have been an automatic inclusion for a Kiwi.
When I was young and very foolish, I went to a country rodeo and opened my mouth too wide, with the result I found myself sitting on the back or a somewhat irritated bull. The gate opened and I lasted two jumps before we parted company and I dived under the nearest rail to the amusement of all assembled.
I resisted all suggestions to repeat my hasty retreat, but won the wooden spoon for the shortest ride.
May 11th, 2012 at 1:23 am · Link
LOL I thought of sheep trials after I posted. None of my family have been involved in sheep trials, which is probably why I didn’t think of it.
I think you were very brave to get on the bull. My father and brother both rode briefly. My cousins were more successive and actually went to the US to compete.
May 11th, 2012 at 3:42 pm · Link
I think foolish is still a better description.
May 10th, 2012 at 5:52 pm · Link
Many years ago, we raised Samoyed (white huskies). Even though we lived in Texas, a group had formed to train the dogs how to pull sledges.
Well, actually, they didn’t need to be taught. They instinctively pulled. All we taught them were the commands for left and right. We could go quite fast on plain old paved asphalt.
Our dogs went berserk whenever we pulled out their harnesses. They loved pulling more than any other treat.
May 11th, 2012 at 1:26 am · Link
There’s a guy that lives somewhere around us who gets pulled around by his dogs. The dogs bark the entire time and seem to really enjoy pulling a cart.
I imagine you would get pretty speedy on asphalt! Fun for everyone. :)
May 11th, 2012 at 12:31 pm · Link
Oops! I thought I had visited you yesterday, but apparently not. So sorry!
I can’t say that I am into any of these sports, though watching the Kentucky Derby on TV first Saturday in May is tradition (not t6hat I ever have luck picking horses–good thing I never bet any real money on it, lol). My younger sister used to do horse shows in middle and high school and won a number of ribbons in barrel racing and dressage.