- Animals in sport
Animals in sport are a specific form of
working animal s. Many animals, at least in more commercial sports, are highly trained. Two of the most common animals in sport arehorse s anddog s.Many organisations are dedicated to prevent
cruelty to animals , with supporters criticising the mental or physical suffering caused to animals, the death of the animals, or the fact that they are used at all.Types of animal sporting events
There are many types of animal sporting events, with varying levels of participation from humans. Some are solely between the animals while others use the animals in a lesser role. Most sports involve training, while some can also involve
selective breeding .There are some large-scale events that include animals in a variety of sports. A
rodeo can comprise many different sports, ranging frombull riding topole bending .Racing
Racing is the most popular form of animal-related sport, particularly
horse racing . Some racing events directly involve humans as riders while others see the animals race alone. In some sports the rider is not directly riding the animal(s), instead being pulled along. Examples of this includedogsled racing and popular ancient Greek and Roman sport ofchariot racing .Greyhound racing , a popular form of animal racing, dates back to the 1800s in theUnited States , after the dogs were brought over fromEurope to help control thehare population.Fact|date=May 2008 While track racing is the most common, there are other forms of racing.Pigeon racing , for example, seeshoming pigeons finding their way home from a set distance away.Racing events are a common way to gamble, with billions spent worldwide every year.Fact|date=May 2008 This is one reason that some countries or states have made such sports illegal.
One-on-one and team events
There are some non-racing competitive events involving animals.
Polo is an example, with competitors hitting aball withmallet s while on horseback.Elephant polo dates back to the early 20th century when members of the British aristocracy inNepal began playing the sport.Fact|date=May 2008In the 14th to 16th centuries
jousting was a popular one-on-one tournament event involving knights on horseback.Fighting
In most counties the act of two or more animals fighting each other, such as
cockfight ing, is seen as cruel and is therefore illegal. Some legal animal fights take place around the world, includingcow fighting andcamel wrestling . There are also some legal forms of sport where humans fight animals, such asbullfighting which has a long history in Spanish and Portuguese tradition. Not all animals are large, however, withcricket fighting being a popular (though illegal to gamble on) sport inMacau andHong Kong . [ [http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/08/16/cricket_fighting_ring/ HK feds bust illegal cricket fighting ring] ]There are several other
blood sport s in history that were intended as entertainment, many of which involved baiting by dogs. Many different types of animal have been placed into a pit, sometimes tied to a post, and set upon by dogs. This ranges fromrat-baiting andbadger-baiting tobear-baiting andlion-baiting . There are even some tales ofhuman-baiting .Animals that take part in animal fights are usually specifically bred for strength and stamina.
Hunting
Hunting began as a crucial component of
hunter-gatherer societies, being an important source of food. The domestication of animals and the development ofagriculture lessened the need for hunts, with food being more readily available. Hunting became a sport for those of the highsocial class es. In most parts ofmedieval Europe , the upper-class (aristocracy and higher clergy) obtained as privilege the sole rights to hunt in certain areas of a feudal territory.Dangerous hunting, as for lions or wild boars, usually on horseback (or from a
chariot , as in Pharaonic Egypt andMesopotamia ) also had function similar to tournaments and manly sports: an honourable, somewhat competitive pastime to help the aristocracy practice skills ofwar in times of peace. Inancient Rome the "Venatio " was a form of entertainment that pitted humans against animals in an amphitheater.In modern times, hunting is usually legal as long as the hunter has a license, though there are some unregulated forms in some countries. Animals can be on either side of a hunt, assisting the hunters or being hunted themselves.
Fishing is somewhat different from other hunting and is most commonly a pastime or hobby. However, it can also be a competitive sport.Fox hunting has been a controversial issue, particularly in theUnited Kingdom , regarding the its necessity and the cruelty involved (SeeFox hunting legislation ).Pigeon shooting was one of the shooting events of the1900 Summer Olympics .hows of training or breeding
Shows are intended to highlight the excellence of training or breeding of the animals involved. There are a variety of horse riding sports in this category, including
show jumping anddressage , both of which feature at theOlympic Games .Dogs, being easily domesticated, are one of the most popular animals to have in shows.
Sheepdog trial s have been popular in many countries and are used to show how well adog can herdsheep . Otherdog sports of this category includedog agility events, whereby the dogs must tackleobstacle course s, andobedience trial s, where they must execute a predefined set of tasks.Crufts , aconformation show for dogs, has grown since it started in 1886. While dogs are the most common show animal,cat show s are also common. Both of these animals have a wide variety of breeds and compete in categories, comparing each individual to the breed "ideal."Some unusual animals also take part in shows, such as the competitors in
rabbit show jumping and finches invinkenzetting .Popular culture
Films and television series about animals in sport can be realistic or fictional, involving animals in an activity that they cannot really perform. "
Seabiscuit (film) " is a fairly accurate portrayal of the famous American horse of the same name, while "", a film about ahockey -playingchimpanzee , is unrealistic.The 1980 animated film "
Animalympics " is a spoof of the Olympic Games and featuresanthropomorphic ised animals. In the combinationlive action andanimation film "Bedknobs and Broomsticks ", animated animals play a game of football.From 1976 to 1999, the
BBC broadcast "One Man and His Dog ", atelevision series about sheepdog trials. They also commissioned three series of "Pets Win Prizes ", agame show with contestants' pets having to perform in various tasks."
Man vs. Beast " is an American television show that pitches humans against animals in a variety of unusual challenges, includingcompetitive eating between world championTakeru Kobayashi and aBrown Bear .References
ee also
*
Animals on television External links
* [http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/content_pages/record_subcategory.asp?subcategoryid=87 Animal Sports records] at
Guinness World Records
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