A Day at the Races!
Last Saturday the Martinez family spent their day at the races, not to see the famed feats of horses, Grey hounds, or people, however. We went to the San Patricio 37th Annual World Championship Rattlesnake Races!
Here are some of our athletes. (no one asked for autographs)
Here are the starting gates/boxes. Take a close look at the name on box 29, I love it!
More snake boxes
Rattlesnake races have a lot more to them then just snakes. Here is the egg toss game. The object is to toss an egg to your partner across from you without breaking your egg. If you successfully accomplish this, you and your partner back ten feet away from each other and he throws the egg back to you.
By the end of it people were throwing eggs at each other across the expanse of the race track and a missed egg was a rather messy explosion. (We missed out on this little game, and I can't say I am too disappointed!)
A good ol' traditional sack race
Hello handsome!Believe it or not rattle snakes have some uses, the primary reason behind rounding up all the snakes was not for racing, but for medical research and to extract their venom for anti venom. Of course rattlesnakes being a source of anti venom would not be of any value if they did not bite people in the first place, which is a little counterproductive on their part. So see below pics for other uses for Rattlesnakes.
Wallets, key chains, hair pieces, headbands, bracelets, earrings, purses, hat bands, money clips, and the sky and your imagination are the limit! And as the old adage goes, "waste not, want not." what you can't wear or sell to a hospital, might make lunch!!!
Fried Rattlesnake, YUM, YUM!!!Not for the first time the Martinez got to dine scrumptiously on Rattlesnake. For those of you who have not had it, Rattlesnake, (like most things) taste like chicken, except it is a little more tough. Little Noah D. in the picture above certainly thought is was good and would not let anything come between him and his bit of snake for anything....
Unlike his big brother, who would not have anything to do with it!
The races begin! Object: To herd your snake with a six foot pole across the finish line on the other end of the field first, without hitting, prodding, or eating him in the process. (oh and without being bit!)
Little Josiah D. looks on with great interest. (The boys really loved the snakes!)
Each racer was given a snake handler to make sure the snakes kept on course and did not escape to terrorize the audience.
A snake being taken back to his box after a race.
Don't tread on me!
One mean looking dude!
Snake handler with handy claw.
Nate & Josiah loving every moment
This little fellow that the man is holding up was only over six feet long.
Calvin and Dad.We spectated for a while and then were prompted to get in on the action! Calvin and I (Jo) went to enlist ourselves. I was barely two weeks under age and was turned down, but Calvin was immediately excepted and sallied forth to do his duty on the field of snake racing.
A company there sponsored him and a snake and paid the entrance fee (yes, people actually pay to race poisonous snakes!)Calvin was given the below certificate.
It reads: "John Calvin etc. Did despite the fact that he has heretofore shown the normal amount of intelligence, prudence, perception, and sagacity expected of civilized persons, willingly and flippantly entered his mortal body into the 37th Annual World Championship Rattlesnake Races on March 21st, 2009 in Old San Patricio Texas.
Whereas, the aforementioned person, armed with only a pair of snake leggings and one 6 foot pole, did, in broad daylight, and in the presence of a multitude of horrified onlookers, cajole, guide, and pray one fully fanged vicious Rattlesnake towards the finish line of one of the most bizarre contest in human history.
And whereas, furthermore, such courage, gallantry, intrepidity, pluck, umpusilianimouse behavior (and just plain lack of horse-sense) should not go unrewarded, This certificate herewith Guarantees the aforementioned recipient, never to suffer from the bite of any Rattlesnake, provided only that said recipient never get within fifty feet of ANY snake in his lifetime, or any life to come.
Good Luck
(and may you soon return to your senses)"
(and may you soon return to your senses)"
Well he didn't return to his senses before the race, that's for sure!
On your mark...
Get set...
GO!
Calvin's snake was named Tail Gunner, and he really gunned for the finish line.... at first...
Tail Gunner decided that he was part Sidewinder a quarter way through, banked left, and never got back on the straight and narrow.
To make a long story short...
Calvin and Tail Gunner didn't win.
Tail Gunner being taken back to his box after the race.
The Rattlesnake racer
Part of the shout and cheer team.
Random
They were selling live snakes there too.
What a charming smile!
The petting zoo! If eating Rattlesnake does not satisfy your adventurous spirit, you come here to actually pet one. (which we all did)
Now talk about Crazy! These snake handlers take the cake! They would pick the snakes up with their little hook, put them on the table, try to hold them down with the hook as they quickly grabbed the snake behind the neck before it could strike them. We saw several unsuccesful strikes from the snakes who were being grabbed.
Well that is all for now and it is time to go. If anyone is interested in coming to Texas to see some Rattlesnakes, come in March and we will be happy to take you to the races! :)
Till next time!
