| Alice Springs Camel Cup, July 2000 |
| Alice Springs Camel Cup, July 2000 |
An annual event for experts and novices alike. Camels aren't the most obedient beasts, so this can be much more interesting than your average horse race. Many of these jockeys have minimal training, and spills are common. As is the occasional camel deciding that they are NOT going to race.
The jockeys in the yellow shirts are the American team, the Aussie Yanks.
I do wish, though, that I had my camera out when one jockey's saddle fell completely off in the middle of a race, but he managed to not only stay on, but didn't even miss a beat. I think he placed third in that race.
 camelcup0002.jpg 136.03 Kb This is how a camel race starts. First, you have to get all these camels, who do know what's going on and can be a bit difficult, to sit down. Once the last one's down, they start the race from the recumbent position. |
 camelcup0003.jpg 102.82 Kb Coming around the turn. Unfortunately, the camels are the same color as the track, so they're a bit difficult to make out in this picture. |
 camelcup0004.jpg 115.00 Kb Two Aussie Yanks, neck-and-neck. The jockeys look a lot more excited than the camels :) |
 camelcup0005.jpg 178.21 Kb He looks like he's having fun! I believe this is the camel Troll and the guy from Ross River, who walked the 85Km from Ross River Homestead with Troll and two other camels. |
 camelcup0006.jpg 140.55 Kb |
 camelcup0007.jpg 137.54 Kb |
 camelcup0008.jpg 143.18 Kb Waiting for the start of the Honeymoon race. The camels have to race to this point, pick up their "brides", and continue to finish the race. Camels, by the way, are not the easiest animals to stop... |
 camelcup0009.jpg 157.98 Kb How to stop a camel: Block the way and wave your arms. Then run to control the camels before they take off again. |
 camelcup0010.jpg 141.13 Kb Then try to get the camels down, so the "brides" can get on. |
|
|
|
|
Page 1 of 1
