Call to end Sark sheep race is ‘urban wokery gone mad’

A Sark resident has described calls to end the island’s annual sheep races as “urban wokery gone mad”.

In a letter to the Sark Carnival Committee, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals group (Peta) wrote “using animals as exhibits has no place in modern entertainment”.

Former owner of Stocks Hotel Paul Armogie argued the Sark Sheep Racing Festival, which has taken place for 30 years, was “part of rural heritage” and said it would be a “tragedy” if it ended.

The festival committee said it had not yet received a letter from Peta, but was seeking advice and would respond “in due course”.

Jennifer White, associate director of media and communications at Peta UK, said the sheep racing was “archaic, outdated and cruel to sheep”.

She said: “Just because something is called a ‘tradition’ certainly does not make it right.”

“We know that sheep are incredibly sensitive, often timid animals and being forced to race in front of noisy crowds would likely be very stressful for them,” she added.

Ms White said: “It’s 2025, we do not need to be treating animals like wind-up toys.

“The best things is for the event to be cancelled, for the sheep to be taken out and for it to be replaced with willing human participants instead.”

Mr Armorgie responded: “If there was any whisper the sheep were being harmed or in any distress then it would not happen.”

He added that as an animal lover, if he thought there was risk, he would be the “first to shout about it”.

The race takes place annually in July and sees sheep race with teddy jockeys tied to their backs.

It often sees almost 2,000 people travel to the island to spectate.

All proceeds from the event go to the Professor Charles Saint Sark Medical Trust, which helped subsidise medical care in the island.

In the past upwards of £30,000 has been raised.