6 October 2013

Boorowa and the Running of the Sheep

| johnboy
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kelpies

Thanks to Zan’s very helpful tip in the Wotz on guide I was aware of Boorowa’s Running of the Sheep.

Having previously been ignorant of Boorowa’s very existence I hit up Google Maps and was surprised to learn it was a mere 1 hour and 18 minutes from the Inner North of Canberra.

Thus Goosepig and I set our alarms rather early for a Sunday morning, packed our ludicrous city Kelpies into the back of her little car, and set out for the open road.

kelpies

A stop at the Yass Maccas took longer than planned (a very strange crew behind the counter spanning the age gap from near infants to positive geriatrics) meant we were running the clock tight to the 12pm sharp running of the Sheep through the Booroowa main street.

Coming into town it was clear this was indeed a Very Big Deal.

Thousands of people were packing the streets and empty parking was on the very far edges of town.

But we found a spot, walked briskly to the barricades, and were well in position to see the sheep run.

Things kicked off a couple of minutes late with a swarthy young bloke dressed like a pamplona bull runner completing the course.

Was this theatre or a streaker? We could not say.

In due course the sheep did indeed come down the street, kelpies in attendance, and were smartly confined.

Our city kelpies were suitably impressed by kelpies on the back of quad bikes.

Here’s the little vid I cut together which gives a feel for the event:

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Postalgeek said :

Must’ve been a slow day in the paddock when they thought this one up 🙂

Ignorant pleb. This event has been running (pun intended) for years.

Australia was built on the sheep’s back, dontcha know. And the Aborigines’ backs and a fair few Irish too. Why mention that? Because the Running of the Sheep is part of Boorowa’s Irish Woolfest.

IP

watto23 said :

i was underwhelmed by the number of sheep.

I started counting them, but fell asleep.

i was underwhelmed by the number of sheep.

thanks for the vid. I couldn’t get there as I was stricken with sniffles and racking cough which would’ve scared the dogs and sheep out of town. I will get there one day though.

Must’ve been a slow day in the paddock when they thought this one up 🙂

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