Turtle Racing - Versions

Versions

Several variations of turtle racing exist. While turtle racing typically takes place on land, turtle races have occasionally occurred in pools as well. Some races begin with the turtles racing from a starting location and end when they reach a designated finish line. Outdoor races occasionally start the turtles in a sunny spot near a shaded area and the turtles by nature race into the shade. Other races begin with the turtles all being placed in the center of a large circle, the first to pass outside of the circle is deemed the winner. In some cases, a large lid is placed on top of the turtles before the race and the race begins when the lid is lifted off of them. The turtles are often distinguished by numbers painted or taped on their shells.

Some other events use floating artificial turtles in place of animals. The artificial turtles are floated from a starting point downstream or down a set of stairs to a finishing point.

In 1950 a patent was granted to Ambrose Groh of Cincinnati, Ohio for his turtle racetrack. Groh attempted to create a track that would allow a number of spectators to watch the race and would cause the turtles to start moving at the same time.

Venues

Turtle races often occur at fairs and local celebrations. For example, Turtle races are a prominent part of the annual Turtle Days festival held in Churubusco, Indiana, in honor of the Beast of Busco. In Lepanto, Arkansas the races are accompanied by beauty pageants that crown the "Turtle Derby Queen". They are also often used as fundraisers for organizations including aquariums, Catholic parishes, and student groups. Turtle racing also now commonly occurs at bars, where the races sometimes take place on shuffleboard tables.

Speed

Several estimates have been given for the average speed of a racing turtle. S.N. Castle, an early turtle racer, said that his turtles could travel 100 yards (91 m) in four hours. In 1930, organizers of a large turtle race in Pittsburgh said that their turtles could reach speeds of up to 12 inches (30 cm) per 30 seconds. A later proponent of turtle racing once claimed that the fastest turtles he raced traveled up to 1⁄₄ mph (0.4 km/h), though he only raced them over short distances. At the 1974 Canadian Turtle Derby, the champion turtle raced from the center of a 25-foot (7.6 m) circle to its edge in thirty nine seconds.

The size of a turtle is not necessarily an indicator of how fast the turtle will race. Some turtle racers have been surprised at the speed that of smaller turtles exhibit.