PETA activists call for Sark Sheep Racing Festival to be banned
4th July 2025
Animal rights activists have called for a sheep racing festival with a 30-year-long tradition to be banned.
The Sark Sheep Racing Festival, described as part of the island’s rural heritage, brings nearly 2,000 people to Sark to watch sheep race with teddy jockeys tied to their backs.
All the money raised during the event goes to a local trust which helps subsidise medical care on the island.
PETA has recently sent an “urgent” letter to the festival’s organising committee stating that the sheep did not “consent” to take part in the “confusing and stressful event”. The group claimed that organisers were “exploiting animals for entertainment”.
PETA vice president of vegan corporate projects, Dawn Carr, added: “There are plenty of fun and family-friendly rural activities without animals that can be celebrated. How about a potato and spoon race, a hobby horse jump competition, or a tractor tug of war.”
‘Vital’ rural tourism
In a statement, Mo Metcalf-Fisher, director of external affairs at the Countryside Alliance, said that PETA “routinely targets” agricultural events and shows involving livestock with “bizarre” demands.
“I can only assume it’s for attention and designed to cause a stir. The group, however, are best ignored.
“Sheep racing is a regular feature in many a show, enjoyed by families all over the UK. It should be allowed to continue, and I hope the annual Sark Sheep Race is a roaring success and raises lots of money for such an important local cause.”
While talking to Farmers Guide, Johnnie Furse, a spokesperson for the Countryside Alliance, added: “The Sark Sheep Racing Festival is a decades-long tradition that does fantastic work raising money for medical care on the island.
“It also helps draw thousands of visitors to the island, which only has a population of around 500. This sort of rural tourism is vital for small countryside communities and their economies.
“I wish every success to this year’s Sark Sheep Racing Festival, and would encourage anyone considering attending to go along and show their support.”
CA confirmed that last month, PETA called for a livestock parade at the Royal Highland Show to be scrapped and a statue to be erected in commemoration of the paraded animals. The organisation’s demands were rejected.
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