Welly Wanging - A Great British Tradition

Britain has a big history of bizarre sporting traditions. Amongst these is that of 'cheese rolling' which is an annual event in Gloucestershire. In this sport, locals chase a large round cheese down a sleep slope. Unfortunately, because of insurance and health and safety rules, this years cheese rolling event is in jeopardy. However, another traditional sport that is more popular than ever is that of welly wanging; so what is it and where did it originate?
The rules of the sport are extremely easy to master; you pick up a welly boot and throw it as far as you can.

The sport is thought to have originated in the county of Yorkshire, where the village of Upperthong is the home for the annual World Welly Wanging Championships. The reason the event started is still uncertain, but is rumoured to have been during an incident when somebody accidentally spilled a pint of beer into someone's welly boots; whether this is factually correct or not is the matter of some doubt!

So, that's the 'what' and the 'where' answered; the 'why' may be more difficult to fathom! Certainly, the Brits aren't usually reknowned for their sporting prowess in the mainstream events, but activities such as cheese rolling and welly wanging are pastimes engrained in parts of the British society; they're taken light-heartedly and make for a fun few hours during the summer months.

The pastime also has it's own organising body; the World Welly Wanging Association, which has it's own compilation of rules, just a couple of which are listed below:-

"Welly wanging is a sport open to all people irrespective of age, sex, race, creed, religion, nationality and colour. And people from Lancashire."

"The use of wind assistance is allowed and, indeed, encouraged. Waiting for a suitable gust, however, is limited to one minute. No artificial or man-made wind is to be used."

While the standard sport has remained the same for generations, there are several variations, including one where the competitors launch the wellington as if they were kicking off a pair of shoes.

Some other nations also have their versions of the event. There are annual Boot-Throwing events in several European countries which include Poland, Finland and Germany. In New Zealand, the town of Taihape claims the title of the gumboot-throwing capital of the country.

Back in Great Britain, the winners of the annual Welly Wanging World Championships receive the traditional prize of a leg of Yorkshire lamb, donated by a local butcher. It is then traditional that the winners will follow the friendly ethos of the sport by inviting their friends over for a Sunday lunch. The winner of the children's event shall receive a crisp five-pound note.

A British tradition that is still alive and well. Around the country, people will be picking up a welly boot this summer and throwing it as far as possible.

Carl Fraser is Managing Director of Totally Commerce Ltd, owners of http://www.TotallyShoes.co.uk - Retailers of leading brand footwear in the UK.

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