S
samkydd
Guest
I remember going to this annual event as a small child in the early to mid 1960s, and recently found a few photos. Apart from the usual kids and parents' events; sack race, fishing a cork out of a bucket of water with your head, egg and spoon etc there were a few sideshows which were quite entertaining, plus of course the brass band, gymnastic display teams and prize/trophy giving ceremonies.
One of the sideshow attractions was in the form of a wooden horse which a person had to mount from the tail end and sitting astride, try and cross its body to the neck without falling off. This was made harder by the fact that the body was made of two or three revolving and quite well lubricated wooden cylinders. The slightest wrong movement would result in the person trying his hardest to keep his balance to stay on, twisting and turning hips and legs, and failure obviously resulted in falling off on to the ground. I'm not sure what the prize was for getting across, but needless to say not many people succeeded (I've got a feeling in the old addled memory banks that the prize was a threepenny bit).
It would probably be banned these days on the grounds of Health and Safety but it was simple and ingenious!
If anyone else remembers this great device, or has a photograph to share I'd be very grateful because I've never seen such a horse since!
One of the sideshow attractions was in the form of a wooden horse which a person had to mount from the tail end and sitting astride, try and cross its body to the neck without falling off. This was made harder by the fact that the body was made of two or three revolving and quite well lubricated wooden cylinders. The slightest wrong movement would result in the person trying his hardest to keep his balance to stay on, twisting and turning hips and legs, and failure obviously resulted in falling off on to the ground. I'm not sure what the prize was for getting across, but needless to say not many people succeeded (I've got a feeling in the old addled memory banks that the prize was a threepenny bit).
It would probably be banned these days on the grounds of Health and Safety but it was simple and ingenious!
If anyone else remembers this great device, or has a photograph to share I'd be very grateful because I've never seen such a horse since!
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