World Black Pudding Throwing Championships facts for kids
Get ready for a super fun and unique event! The World Black Pudding Throwing Championships happen every year in a town called Ramsbottom. This town is in Greater Manchester, England. People gather outside the Royal Oak pub on the second Sunday of September. It's a day full of laughter and flying puddings! This event also helps the community. All the money raised goes to good causes in the local area.
This championship used to be held at a different pub, the Corner Pin, in a nearby place called Stubbins. But that pub closed down and became offices. So, the fun moved to the Royal Oak.
Contents
The World Black Pudding Throwing Championships
A Look Back: The History of the Game
Local stories say this strange tradition started a very long time ago. It might even go back to the Wars of the Roses. This was a big fight between two powerful families in England. One family was the House of Lancaster. The other was the House of York.
The Legend of the Wars of the Roses
Imagine a battle in 1455 in Stubbins, Lancashire. The soldiers from both sides ran out of their usual weapons. What did they do? They started throwing food at each other! The Lancashire soldiers threw black pudding. The Yorkshire soldiers threw Yorkshire puddings. It sounds like a very messy battle!
The competition was brought back to life in 1839 by a pub owner. Then, in 1984, the Stubbins Community Trust started it up again. Since then, it has been a very popular event. Thousands of people come to watch every year. It's a big day for Ramsbottom!
How to Play: The Rules
So, how do you win the World Black Pudding Throwing Championships? It's simple, but tricky!
- Competitors stand ready to throw.
- They get three black puddings to throw.
- The goal is to knock down as many Yorkshire puddings as possible.
- These Yorkshire puddings are placed on a tall stand. This stand is about 7.6 metres high. That's like throwing a pudding at the top of a two-story building!
The person who knocks down the most Yorkshire puddings wins the championship.
Past Champions
Many people have tried their luck at throwing black puddings. Here are some of the champions who have won this unique competition over the years:
| Year | Winner |
|---|---|
| 1996 |  Dave Howarth (ENG) |
| 2000 | David McCabe (ENG) |
| 2001 |  Jim Riley (AUS) |
| 2002 | Steven Pilkington (ENG) |
| 2003 | Nick Connor (ENG) |
| 2004 | John Burns (ENG) |
| 2005 | Mark Greaves (ENG) |
| 2006 |  Dave Jones (WAL) |
| 2007 | Paul Rudge (ENG) |
| 2008 | Adam Arthern (ENG) |
| 2009 |  Huseyin Ozluk (TUR) |
| 2010 | Terry Adams (ENG) |
| 2011 | Warwick Turner (AUS) |
| 2012 | Alan Cunliffe (ENG) |
| 2013 | Huseyin Ozluk (TUR) |
| 2014 | John Barrett (ENG) |
| 2015 | Mark Cannon (ENG) |
| 2016 | Gavin Ogden (ENG) |
| 2017 | Nick Pennell (ENG) |
| 2018 | Andrew Ferrier (ENG) |
| 2019 | Tom Lowden (ENG) |
