Tetbury Woolsack Races

Scores of fearless competitors and thousands of spectators will be descending on Gloucestershire this May, when the Tetbury Woolsack Races 2010 comes to town.

While Gloucestershire plays host to more than its fair share of eccentric events, the annual Tetbury Woolsack Races is a very bizarre occurrence indeed.

What happens at the Tetbury Woolsack Races?

Each year the Tetbury Woolsack Races sees fearless, fit and sometimes downright crazy competitors run up a steep ‘1 in 4’ hill in the town with a weighty woolsack on their back. And this year’s event will be no exception – taking place on Monday 31 May 2010 – when competitors will enter the men’s team, ladies team, men’s individual, ladies individual or youth team championship in a bid to beat the day’s challengers across the finishing line in the quickest time.

The original course of 280 yards ran from The Royal Oak to The Crown, but since 1999 a shorter course of 240 yards – still an extremely challenging distance – has been implemented, and the woolsacks used were custom built by the British Wool Federation and weigh 60lb for the men’s races and 35lb for the ladies’.

As well as the competitive spirit present at the event, plenty of bravado and a whole host of sideline activities have contributed to making the Tetbury Woolsack Races a firm family favourite for residents and visitors alike.

Tetbury Woolsack Races 2010 schedule and activities

10am: Guggenmusik band Gugge 2000 will officially open the event at Tetbury Market Place, with the day’s attractions and side shows also starting up. Huge slides, fairground rides, a helter skelter, swings and a Punch & Judy show are all scheduled to take place at The Chipping through the day, while a bustling street market will also be in place in the town centre – also throughout the day. A medieval stilt walker and magician cum balloon modeller will also be working their way around town.

2pm: The world-famous Tetbury Woolsack Races will commence, with spectators taking to the street’s sidelines in order to nab a good spot from which to watch the action.

3.15pm: The Tetbury Woolsack Races Final will take place until around 3.45pm, with the best competitors hoping to set a new world record as they charge up the hill in the historic event.

History of the Tetbury Woolsack Races

Located in ‘sheep country’ in between Oxford and Bristol, Tetbury thrived as a wool town in the Middle Ages – becoming home to one of the country’s best-known wool and yarn markets by the 16th century. While the wool trade declined in the early 1800s, brewing took its place as the most important local industry, but the annual Tetbury Woolsack Races continue to pay homage to the two industries in this unique event – with competitors enjoying a few ales before heading-off up the hill with a heavy sack on their back.

The races are thought to have originated in the 17th century, thanks to young drovers showing off their strength to the local women by running up the hill with a woolsack. An official race day has now been running for more than 30 years, with world records for the event being included in the Guinness Book of Records.