Cheese Rolling

[Scottishbengal]

This coming weekend see's the annual Cheese Rolling event, at Coopers Hill, in Gloucestershire, England.

A large "wheel of cheese" is set rolling down the hill, which has gradients in parts of 1:2 and 1:1, and is then chased by the participants. Whoever reaches the bottom of the hill with the cheese wins a grand prize ..... yep you've guessed it, the cheese!

Every year there are multiple casualties - broken arms and legs, cuts, bruises, dented pride even! All in the name of "sporting tradition".

Any of you folks have any weird-ass local "customs" such as this ?

[Turi]

We have the Haxey Hood where two neighbouring villages only seperated by a field (Haxey and Westwoodside) attempt to retrieve the "Hood", a leather type baton to their villages local pub. It's like a massive game of unrefereed rugby, dozens of people on each side take part.

It's supposed to be Britains oldest traditional tussle. Roughly about 700 years old.

[Scottishbengal]

sounds similar to the "football" match played at new year in Kirkwall, (Orkney), where the town is split into two teams (the "uppies" and the "doonies") dependent upon where in the town you were born. The object of the game is to get the ball across the town to the other side - it takes all day apparantly, and there are no rules (or so I am informed).

[BengalszoneBilly]

Any of you folks have any weird-ass local "customs" such as this ?

Yes we do! Here in the Southwestern United States, a bunch of guys will get together and go to an eating establishment called "Taco Bell". There we will eat copius quantities of spicy Mexican food.

The next day we will participate in a tradition called "Cheese Cutting"!!

[Barbarian]

In college, my buddies and I used to play "Rodeo"--where you take a girl from the bar home, have your buddies hide in the closet. Start doing the girl doggie-style--and at the right minute, yell out "Rodeo!!! Rodeo!!!"

See if you can hang on for 8 seconds.

[denverbengal]

This coming weekend see's the annual Cheese Rolling event, at Coopers Hill, in Gloucestershire, England.

A large "wheel of cheese" is set rolling down the hill, which has gradients in parts of 1:2 and 1:1, and is then chased by the participants. Whoever reaches the bottom of the hill with the cheese wins a grand prize ..... yep you've guessed it, the cheese!

Every year there are multiple casualties - broken arms and legs, cuts, bruises, dented pride even! All in the name of "sporting tradition".

Any of you folks have any weird-ass local "customs" such as this ?

I saw a story about that on tv last year. Those people are downright crazy the way they just tumble down that hill. I can definitely see how many bones get broken. It's a wonder no-one has been killed doing that (or has it happened?). Am I wrong in assuming that many pints get drunk beforehand? I'd sure need a ton of liquid courage to attempt something like that.

Anyway, I don't know of any similar traditions either in Ohio, or here in Colorado, but a friend of mine who lives in Washington D.C. travels to Sussex County Delaware every Fall to witness the annual "Punkin Chunkin" contest. That's where a bunch of people get together with their various "machines" (i.e. catapults and air cannons) to see who can launch an 8 to 10 pound pumpkin the farthest. Some of the longest travel up to 4,000 feet. It's not as dangerous as the cheese roll (unless you happen to be standing underneath a pumpkin that has just traveled 4,000 ft), but much alcohol gets consumed, which I'm sure enhances the festivities a bit. I just read on their website that they're expecting a machine from Belgium and possibly some from England as well. You can check it out at www.punkinchunkin.com