You can’t truly call yourself a fan of racing unless you’re glued to your screen (or on-course) during the Aintree Grand National. This linchpin event of UK racing is steeped in history and has mass appeal both at home and beyond these shores – a worldwide TV audience of 600 million tune in each year. In 2019 viewers got to see Tiger Roll achieve back to back National wins; history in the making and a feat not seen since the days of Red Rum. With beer money bets between friends and more substantial wagers with online and offline bookmakers, the Grand National is the one race nobody wants to miss.
But hold your horses (literally!).. are we perhaps getting too enamored with equine excellence? Has history and tradition clouded the view of our speciesist ways. Step forward Norfolk’s very own HAM NATIONAL. The race(s) form part of the Royal Norfolk Show – an activities week at Church Farm Rare Breeds Centre in Stow Bardolph, Norfolk. Other activities offered over the fun packed half term extravaganza include ‘meeting a guinea pig’ and ‘watching sheep being pampered’. It all sounds rather intriguing and borderline surreal.
The event actually includes a series of races on a 262ft course with three jumps. Numerous breeds can take part, even piglets, so nobody misses out! 80,000+ typically attend the two day agricultural show. As I understand it, the Ham National event has attracted such has oinking A-listers as Justin Bieboar, Brad Pig and Elvis Pigsley in recent years. Rather appropriately winner of the most races in 2017 was none other than Peppa Pig.
In 2019 Lewis “Streaky” Ham-ilton showed the other porky competitors how it’s done: