Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1901-10-18
SOME ODD CONTESTS.
RACES IN WHICH ALL SORTS OF
ANIMALS ARE PARTICIPANTS.

ANIMALS AXE PAX lClFAN >
The Surprises Thnt the Luck
Stakes" Run AZ MhuW, In India.
Have In Store-The Hurry scurry
Races at the Montreal Rcgnttas.
So much ingenuity has been eXpend-
al in dcvi,.ns novel and humorous
races that it grows more dithct.t ev-
cry year TO discover a new form of
competition.
An amusing If not very cic,atng
race was witnessed recently in thc de
partmcut of Lott in the south of
France The good ladies of "a certain
village were invited 10 compete i'm
400 meter race. each wife urundlmg her
spouse iu WheelharroW. The spec
tacle was highly exciting and divert
ing for the competitors who realized
that they had no chance of winning re-
lieved their disappointment 10y tipping
their respective husbands out of the
barrows and leaving them 10 rub them
selves aud bemoan their misplaced con
ldeuce.
There are few prettier and more sur
prisiug races than the ladies' race or
Luck Stakes. at MhUW. India. The
fair competitors race to "A line of bas-
kets resting ON the ground, and each
one. as she reaches her basket opens
the lid 10 see what prize awaits her.
From the three winning baskets spring
UP tiny recruit boys, who present pref
ty prizes TO the fortunate winners,
while from the remaining baskets there
emcIgcs veritable mcnagerie. From
one dove scars 10 the sky; from an
other scared cat bolts, ana others re-
lease geese. partridges, hens. dogs and
harcs, which ocurry away among the
crowd amid a babel OF sound
The hurry ~cuuy race. which Is
feature OF every Montreal regatta. is
I'm the highc- egree exciting. The
competing caI - are anchored some
distance from the starting point, and
at the crack Of the pistol the competi-
tors dive into the water, swim TO their
Canoes and paddle away for the ~
In LUCY as if for dear life.
Again the pistol cracks, and each
man throws his paddle overheard and
springs IN after it. regaiuins his seat
as quickly aS he can. When the pistol
fires again, each man must not only
tumble overheard. but before re-em-
barking he must upset his canoe and
right il again. process which n clever
canocist viii complete within four sec
onds
Another feature Is TO swamp the ca
noe, ill il TO the gunwale and then
empty ii. minute only being allowed
for the complete process. The man
who. after dozen or SO upsets. reach
es the goal first has amply earned his
prize
one OF the most amusing OF races Is
very popular in certain departments
In the south of France. The race Is
between boys. each mounted on a more
or less intractable pig. With its well
known perversity, pig will go In any
direction but the one desired. and the
efforts Of the riders 10 head the steeds
for the goal. the collisions, the grunts
and squcals. form combination which
is eXCruciatingly funny.
Almost equally amusing are the No
abs ark races which are 80 popular In
military circles in India. In one very
exciting race AT Bombay goat passed
the tape first and was followed at
long interval 10y an elephant. while, to
the amaZcmcnt of the OnlOokers, a
horse only just managed to come in
third
In certain parts OF the country barrel
races are in great favor. a number Of
men uundling beer barrels along the
streets. There Is usually special
competition for ladies, who are no whit
inferior TO their male rivals in the skill
full manipulation of the barrels.
At Nogent-sur-Marnc not long ago
there was grand international wooden
leg carnival. In which each competitor
must have lost one leg. 1t was here
that NJ Roulin won the zone legged
championship Of the world by cover
Ing distance Of 300 yards In the ex-
cellent time Of 80 seconds
a most amusing race was held some
time ago near Bordeaux. Each COM
petitor had dozen bladders attached
TO his neck by strings of different
lengths. There was high wind. and
tho course was full of obstacles. The
flying bladders buffeted the runners in
the face and all over the body. they
wound themselves like so many SER
penis round their legs and arms, and
generally made things so unpleasant
that before half a mile had been COW
cred every competitor had been
brought to earth more than once
I.nnllnn Tit BIS