This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/the-northerner/2012/jul/26/hamster-gerbil-racing-cannon-hall-farm-barnsley-olympics
The article has changed 6 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Barnsley stages Olympics for hamsters and gerbils | Barnsley stages Olympics for hamsters and gerbils |
| (9 months later) | |
| Yorkshire's love of racing reaches some sort of peak at Cannon Hall Farm on the lovely rural edge of Barnsley, where the Northerner reported on the Diamond Jubilee sheep handicap in May. | Yorkshire's love of racing reaches some sort of peak at Cannon Hall Farm on the lovely rural edge of Barnsley, where the Northerner reported on the Diamond Jubilee sheep handicap in May. |
| Now the public farm at the back of the mansion has gone several sizes smaller, with hamsters and gerbils equipped with rather ingenious rodent-wheel powered cars. | Now the public farm at the back of the mansion has gone several sizes smaller, with hamsters and gerbils equipped with rather ingenious rodent-wheel powered cars. |
| This may rouse initial concerns about animal exploitation, but anyone who has seen a hamster or gerbil on a pet treadmill is unlikely to get the impression that they are miserable. The Barnsley race organisers have added a very small bit of gearing and transmission to harness their otherwise wasted energy. | This may rouse initial concerns about animal exploitation, but anyone who has seen a hamster or gerbil on a pet treadmill is unlikely to get the impression that they are miserable. The Barnsley race organisers have added a very small bit of gearing and transmission to harness their otherwise wasted energy. |
| Each animal is also going to have a limited spell on the racetrack, with the rest of the time off (possibly engaged in their traditional occupation of keeping the world's gerbil and hamster population buoyant). The farm's director Robert Nicholson says: | Each animal is also going to have a limited spell on the racetrack, with the rest of the time off (possibly engaged in their traditional occupation of keeping the world's gerbil and hamster population buoyant). The farm's director Robert Nicholson says: |
| The contestant that can run the fastest inside its ball will win. They go at their own pace, which adds to the drama and excitement, and, so they don't get tired, each hamster or gerbil will take part in no more than one race a day. | The contestant that can run the fastest inside its ball will win. They go at their own pace, which adds to the drama and excitement, and, so they don't get tired, each hamster or gerbil will take part in no more than one race a day. |
| The racers will have their own sporting colours and the course comes complete with live commentary and a sort-of non-gambling bookies, where you can choose your favourite and possibly win a prize. Other races meanwhile continue, including the traditional ferret ones, and the sheep's steeplechase over low jumps which has been so popular that it was extended last month to goats. | The racers will have their own sporting colours and the course comes complete with live commentary and a sort-of non-gambling bookies, where you can choose your favourite and possibly win a prize. Other races meanwhile continue, including the traditional ferret ones, and the sheep's steeplechase over low jumps which has been so popular that it was extended last month to goats. |
| The hamster and gerbil races start on Wednesday 1 August and will go at 12.30 and 2pm. Sheep racing takes place on the hour from noon to 4pm, ferrets go on the half-hour from 10.30am to 4.30pm and there will be at least one goat race every day. The season ends on 30 August and offers an alternative, or maybe supplement, to the London Olympics. | The hamster and gerbil races start on Wednesday 1 August and will go at 12.30 and 2pm. Sheep racing takes place on the hour from noon to 4pm, ferrets go on the half-hour from 10.30am to 4.30pm and there will be at least one goat race every day. The season ends on 30 August and offers an alternative, or maybe supplement, to the London Olympics. |
| Meanwhile in Manchester the Wythenshawe Games have been blessed by sunshine, a community version of the Olympics with the bonus of job references for around 200 volunteers who are helping to run the event. No gerbils or ferrets racing, but the coming weekend sees a big party in Wythenshawe Park and an attempt to break the world record Zumbathon. | Meanwhile in Manchester the Wythenshawe Games have been blessed by sunshine, a community version of the Olympics with the bonus of job references for around 200 volunteers who are helping to run the event. No gerbils or ferrets racing, but the coming weekend sees a big party in Wythenshawe Park and an attempt to break the world record Zumbathon. |
| Mexico is the current holder, with 3,869 participants in September last year. All info on the Wythenshawe games here. | Mexico is the current holder, with 3,869 participants in September last year. All info on the Wythenshawe games here. |
| guardian.co.uk today is our daily snapshot of the top news stories, sent to your inbox at 8am |