The London Pantomime Horse Race: Horses saddled up for 10th annual panto race

BY TOBY PORTER
toby@slpmedia.co.uk

Racing is mostly tall, expensive horses being whipped by short men.

So the 10th London Pantomime Horse Race, in Greenwich on Sunday, is an improvement.

You’re less likely to lose a pony on a bet because you could probably beat the competitors in a race.

And if the horses walk into a bar afterwards, the landlord is less likely to say “Why the long face?”

Especially as this is the Star Wars special edition – with storm troopers, Darth Vaders and some unusually large Yodas.

And there were six pit-stops along the route –which may go to show that you can take a horse to water but can’t make it drink.

There was a pre-race ceremony at Devonport House at 11.30am, the race at 1pm and music and dancing from 3.30pm – which may prove an issue, with some of the panto participants having two left feet.

Our friends on the other side of the pond also got in on the act this time, too, with a twin race in Chicago six hours later.

The madcap horse race in Greenwich featured a day of live music, with the London Humanist Choir and popular U2 tribute act ‘U2 Tribe’.

Also performing was an all-singing space diva version of Princess Leia, singing her intergalactic hit song, Don’t Mess with This Princess.

There was also a Star Wars-themed panto horse dance-off contest, Strictly Neigh Dancing at the pre-race ceremony at Devonport House.

Darth Vader, the stormtroopers and Jedis escorted more than 30 panto horse teams, all dressed in the style of Federation characters, along the streets of Greenwich, shortly before the 1pm race began.

Competitors this year faced extra hazards such as random asteroid belts, surprise steeple-jumps and
space hoppers.

The 2019 race day event is raised money for four charities Make A Wish UK, Harpenden Riding for the Disabled and The Running Charity.

It also raised money for Help Rosie Walk campaign – to enable Rose Bella’s family to raise sufficient funds to pay for surgery and rehabilitation, to enable Rosie to walk.

The six-year-old, from Plumstead, suffers from a type of cerebral palsy, spastic diplegia, affecting her lower limbs, so she cannot walk unaided.

But her condition does not meet the NHS criteria for treatment, so her family are attempting to raise £50,000 for an operation in

February, and the rehab afterwards.

The after-race show featured a fundraising auction for the charity, also known as “Rosie Legs”.

Items for sale included signed memorabilia from Star Wars cast members, plus signed shirts from Cristiano Ronaldo, Jonny Wilkinson and Martin Johnson.

Bidders won holidays, weekend breaks and a VIP dinner at Gordon Ramsey’s Michelin starred restaurant, Petrus.

The London Pantomime Horse Race was sponsored by estate agents Conran.

It is an open question whether the horses got their oats afterwards.

The end is neigh for annual race

The 10th London Pantomime Horse Race could be the last.

The annual event has taken up more and more of organiser Mark Biddiss’ time every year.

The music promoter has announced he needs to ensure he is not headed for the glue factory and to earn a living.

“From being just a fun day out I dreamt up in 2012, it has turned into a global phenomenon and I have been working on this one since January to make sure it can happen,” he said.

“I was hoping someone would come along to take over, but that has not happened.

I have been saying for years I could not do it any more, that it is too expensive for me to stage, but no one has come forward. There is a lot to organise – such as catering for more than 160 people, including organisers and competitors. There are the races, stewards and musicians.

It is a big responsibility because it is so well known. It was once such fun, but not now – it is too much for one person.”

Mr Biddiss has made a career out of unorthodox musical promotions and writing comedy.

Then he had an idea amid the controversy over Greenwich not being involved in the 2012 London Olympics.

He said: “The whole thing was a bit of a pantomime – so I thought we should do our own thing, with pubs and businesses. Eccentric fun for the community.”