Boat Or Goat? A Brace Of Great Races To Rate And Berate

By Londonist Staff Last edited 107 months ago
Boat Or Goat? A Brace Of Great Races To Rate And Berate

goatracing

While Oxbridge toffs are thrashing about on the river this Saturday for their annual boat race, there’s an alternative caprine caper taking place at Spitalfields City Farm at the same time. We know which one gets our vote: the Oxford and Cambridge Goat Race! No kidding. While it’s not quite as established as the boat race (six years versus 86), it’s fresh and frisky and involves two African pigmy goats called Hugo or Hamish dashing around the farm.

Stat fans should know: Cambridge has won five years in a row and the course record stands at 56 seconds. Bleat that!

The event also includes food, beer, market stalls and live music — a Goateoke competition and He’s The Goatest Dancer contest — with all proceeds going towards the upkeep of the farm.

The Oxford and Cambridge Goat Race 2015 takes place at Spitalfields City Farm on 11 April from 1pm. The race is now sold out, but you can watch the fun from home on London Live (or follow them at @thegoatrace and on Facebook).

Image from the 2009 event by Ben Mason in the Londonist Flickr pool.

Last Updated 08 April 2015