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London. It was intended to publicise a rugby club, but the three cantankerous, lumbering beasts on show were not your usual cauliflower-eared prop forwards. With the River Thames serving as the oasis and three humpbacked beasts of burden setting the scene, Britain hosted its first ever camel races on Thursday.

Two camels, Sarah and Sharifa, took part in the three races of about 50 meters that ran along the banks of the river that cuts through the city of London.

Sarah won all three, galloping across Potters Field in the shadows of Tower Bridge and into the winner’s circle for a champagne celebration.

“After months of training, winning was the best feeling in the world,” said Andy Probert, Sarah’s jockey. “This is a dream come true.”

The event was staged to help promote Saracens, a London-area rugby club. Sarrie, the third of the trio of camels, is the team’s mascot, but she did not participate in the races.

“It was my first time seeing a camel, let alone riding one,” said Saracens player Michael Tagicakibau, who appeared at the event along with teammate Tom Mercey. “It was something quite different but I found it a comfortable experience — although I was shaking at the start.”

The stunt drew dozens of spectators. Some, like the local Southwark Tigers rugby team, knew about the event beforehand. But others stopped by — many appearing a bit bewildered by it all — to get a glimpse of the huge animals.

The camels were led around in circles behind the starting line in order to get them moving before the rope was raised to start the race. Sharifa, however, kept spinning even as Sarah bolted for the finish line in the final race of the day.

“She’s excitable,” said Sam Burton, Sharifa’s rider. “And it was a difficult experience for her because she’s not used to that much weight.”

But when surrounded by photographers after the race, Sharifa seemed unaffected by the loss, sticking her head up to cameras and forcing some photographers to lean away.

Rugby

Associated Press