Sheep racing marks the Queen's Diamond Jubilee in Barnsley

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/the-northerner/2012/may/28/sheep-racing-diamond-jubilee-queen-barnsley

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Have you come across – or indeed organised – any curious ways of marking the Diamond Jubilee? Here's one.

Cannon Hall Farm on the edge of Barnsley is holding a version of Royal Ascot using sheep instead of horses. There is no overt political comment in any of the publicity material, but theorists can have a whale of a time.

The contestants, inevitably referred to as 'woolly jumpers' amid multiple respellings of the town as Baansley, are already experienced and popular since being trialled last year. Their surprisingly deft management of jumps and thunderous duels along the straight have been popular with pretty much everyone who has been along to watch.

Richard Nicholson, director of the farm which is staging nine days of racing, says:

We pull out all the stops with our sheep racing and don't think there's another permanent course like ours anywhere else in the country.Over the Jubilee holiday we'll be running lots of races so anyone who hasn't seen the sheep in action before has plenty of opportunities to do so.

<br />The farm has a corps of 20 sheep trained to speed round the track, while a loudspeaker crackles out live commentary and there's a pretend Tote where you can pick a sheep to encourage and maybe win a non-monetary prize. Nicholson says:

The sheep are fairly easy to train once they realise there is a food reward at the end of the race. It often surprises people that they are so willing to race and jump the fences so well. They aren't put off by crowds and are keen to race and get their food treat.

<br />The Royal tribute races will be held every day fom June 2 to 10, on the hour every hour between noon and 4pm. Visitors can also watch sheep being sheared; a strangely fascinating sight.

The farm is set in the lovely countryside which surrounds Barnsley and comes as something of an eye-opener to those who live in a Hovis-ad, Parkinsonian world. Its other attractions include ferret racing; and for those who prefer a quieter day out, Cannon Hall itself is a graceful and interesting building housing a good museum. Britain's best collection of rhododendrons is just up the road at Wentworth Castle, home of Northern College.

Cannon Hall Farm alone had almost 250,000 visitors last year. It was bought by Nicholson's grandfather Charles for £7,100 in 1957, from the Spencer Stanhope family who also sold the hall to Barnsely council.