The Omey Races

The weather has been pretty fabulous so far here! Sitting outside a lot reading and relaxing (see picture!) but today, (Saturday) is the day of the Omey Races and the weather has turned bad!The blue skies and seas have gone and its now grey, cloudy and wet!

Let me explain the Omey Races.

Every year at this time they construct a racetrack on the beach between Omey and the mainland while the tide is out and have a horse race. (Not to be confused with the Galway races which is a much grander affair!)

We saw them put out the posts to mark the racetrack at low tide yesterday and now today we can see lots of people arriving with horses and setting up stalls selling everything from wicker baskets to fish and chips. The early races are for kids on ponies, this is often their first big horse race, and there is lots of enthusiasm even if sometimes the ponies take off across the beach with the tiny riders hanging on for grim death! The later races are full blown affairs with some pretty good looking horses.

As usual the Bookies appear to be the winners! And in case you're asking, the answer is "No! I didn't put any money on a horse!"