March 12 – Cane Toad Races

March 12, 2016 – Cane Toad Racing in Port Douglas
Sugar cane is an important crop in Australia. When cane bugs started attacking the sugar cane someone decided that they should import 60,000 cane toads to eradicate the bug. The mistake they made was that the bugs are at the top of the sugar cane and toads can’t limb or jump. The toads multiply rapidly and eat a anything in their path. They have spread across the whole country. Drivers will swerve to run over them on the road.
The Iron Bar in Port Douglas decided to have fun with cane toads and has cane toad racing every night. There are 2 races.
For the first race, you buy a raffle ticket for $5. if your number is called, you are the jockey for that toad. You go up on the stage and you are handed a toad to hold. TThere are 6 toads. They have colored jerseys so the jockeys know which is theirs. Each jockey get a “whip” which is one of the noisemakers used on New years Eve and roll out when blown.
The toads are put in a bucket with no bottom that is on a table and the race starts when the bucket is lifted. The jockeys start blowing into their “whips” to get the toads to move. The object is to get your toad to fall off the table. When it gets to the floor the jockey picks it up and places the toad in the finish line bucket. It is very funny to watch.
The second race (the main event ) is the same but people bid in an auction to be jockeys.
The toads have names like Jerry Springer, Fat Bastard, and Skippys Love Child. The MC was great. After the 2nd race, anyone can pick up a toad. Just so you could see a cane toad, I had this picture taken.

Thanks to Susan and Mike for the pictures.