Goat Races on Easter Monday in Mount Pleasant

Oh my goodness, the goat races were a riot!  It felt like the Kentucky Derby of Tobago.....people clamoring for tickets, wearing their fun clothes, food concessions, booths with things for sale, kids games and rides, Easter bonnet parades and competitions, trumpeters, foot races, egg and spoon races, and the main attraction.....the goat races.  Here is the ticket booth where you paid $40.00 for a ticket.  

 A goat racer waiting for his turn to compete.  I didn't realize that the goat has a runner who runs with it.  Those guys have to be fast.  They are only allowed a 9 foot lead rope.  There are many races and a winning goat can progress to the championship round.  There is quite a purse for the winner.

 I loved the Easter Bonnet competition.  They had it by age group and the winner of these also won some money.  Some of these little girls hats were so elaborate that it was hard for them to hold up their head.  The mom's were crazy people.  I guess it was the stress of winning.

 The goats were called and then walked up to the starting gate.  People were taking pictures and enjoying the moment.  Oh, one of the rules was the runner had to wear white shorts.

 A few goats got away from their jockeys and were chased down and brought back to the start.  

 Spectators lined the course.  The bugler played the Kentucky derby tune and the race was on.  It went very fast....a few seconds and it was over.

 Another happy Easter bonnet contestant.  

 Not sure about these guys.  They did look dapper!

 Goat #1 was named Obama.  He lost!

 Older girls participating in the Easter Bonnet competition.  

 Hum......not sure about this guy.  

We took some videos of the goat races and when we get home we'll show them to you.  It was truly a unique day in Tobago culture.  Oh, by the way, Tobago doesn't have Easter Sunday on the calendar, but they do have Easter Monday and Easter Tuesday on the calendar because those are days off work.  What about the real reason for Easter?  Easter Tuesday goat races are in Buccoo.   In Buccoo they also do crab races.  We didn't get to see those.  Shucks, darn, shoot as Elder Little would say!