How many times have you heard a disgruntled punter refer to his losing bet as anything but being a horse? They get called a lot of names, including being a 'real Camel'. This one always makes me smile because I know where the real Camels race in Australia.
Every July during the 'dry' season at Alice Springs they run the annual Camels Cup. This race day is sponsored by the Central Australian Lions Clubs and is supported by other local community organisations with all the proceeds being distributed to local charities. It is a day that every one should attend at least once in their lifetime simply because it is a highly hilarious and unique experience.
If you understand much about Camels, you will know them to be temperamental, unpredictable, nasty mannered and a few other epitaphs. So each year each race will be different. Perhaps this is why a losing punter on a horse race will often refer to his bad bet as "a bit of a Camel", which really is a serious insult.
Many people are unaware of just how many Camels there are in Australia. The Camel is not a native animal to this country but they are very much part of Australia's history and without them, it would have taken much longer to open up Northern Australia. Early in the 1900's when inland Australia was being settled, there was no railway or roads, and the only way to service the Stations and fledgling communities was to use the Camel Trains that were operated by Afghan Cameleers. It was these brave and hardy souls who went from South Australia, across the desert into Darwin carrying supplies.
These Camel Trains operated until the 1940's and were essential in the carrying of equipment and supplies to the railway workers and the overland Telegraph line when it was put through from South to North of Australia. This overland telegraph line saved many lives; and back in those days it wasn't used to broadcast the outcome of horse or Camel race except for the results of the Melbourne Cup, which is Australia's famous annual horse race run the first Tuesday in November each year.
It was when the Camel Trains were replaced by road and rail transport that the camels were turned loose into the desert. Now they have increased dramatically in numbers and have become a troublesome feral animal that is currently undergoing culling operations. The lucky ones are now being exported in large numbers to Saudi Arabia because our feral camels are still 'pure breeds' and haven't had their blood lines diluted. The even luckier Camels get to race in the Camel Cup in Alice Springs each July.
So if you are a horse racing gambler who occasionally calls a lost bet 'a bit of a camel' why not reverse the result and call your camel "a real horse"?
Every July during the 'dry' season at Alice Springs they run the annual Camels Cup. This race day is sponsored by the Central Australian Lions Clubs and is supported by other local community organisations with all the proceeds being distributed to local charities. It is a day that every one should attend at least once in their lifetime simply because it is a highly hilarious and unique experience.
If you understand much about Camels, you will know them to be temperamental, unpredictable, nasty mannered and a few other epitaphs. So each year each race will be different. Perhaps this is why a losing punter on a horse race will often refer to his bad bet as "a bit of a Camel", which really is a serious insult.
Many people are unaware of just how many Camels there are in Australia. The Camel is not a native animal to this country but they are very much part of Australia's history and without them, it would have taken much longer to open up Northern Australia. Early in the 1900's when inland Australia was being settled, there was no railway or roads, and the only way to service the Stations and fledgling communities was to use the Camel Trains that were operated by Afghan Cameleers. It was these brave and hardy souls who went from South Australia, across the desert into Darwin carrying supplies.
These Camel Trains operated until the 1940's and were essential in the carrying of equipment and supplies to the railway workers and the overland Telegraph line when it was put through from South to North of Australia. This overland telegraph line saved many lives; and back in those days it wasn't used to broadcast the outcome of horse or Camel race except for the results of the Melbourne Cup, which is Australia's famous annual horse race run the first Tuesday in November each year.
It was when the Camel Trains were replaced by road and rail transport that the camels were turned loose into the desert. Now they have increased dramatically in numbers and have become a troublesome feral animal that is currently undergoing culling operations. The lucky ones are now being exported in large numbers to Saudi Arabia because our feral camels are still 'pure breeds' and haven't had their blood lines diluted. The even luckier Camels get to race in the Camel Cup in Alice Springs each July.
So if you are a horse racing gambler who occasionally calls a lost bet 'a bit of a camel' why not reverse the result and call your camel "a real horse"?
