Sherston mangold hurling contest is called off (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Sherston mangold hurling contest is called off

4:49pm Monday 1st October 2012 in Malmesbury By Fuchsia Singleton-Hoare

Mangolds are off the menu in Sherston this year with its traditional hurl cancelled due to a shortage in the root vegetable.

The Mangold Hurl dates back to the mid nineteenth century, and Sherston is the only village in Wiltshire to still hold an annual competition.

Mangolds are beetroot-related root vegetables, often used to feed cattle in the winter.

Keeper of the Challenges, Paul Ormiston, said: “We just couldn’t get hold of any; maybe we’ll grow them ourselves next year. I can’t remember one being cancelled before, we had a close call but found some after an appeal. This year there’s been no luck.

“It’s an organic event – it just sort of happens. The first few times I was Keeper of the Challenges a few people signed up early but now people just turn up on the day. We could put some notices around the village. Hopefully it will be something that comes back stronger; we definitely need to look earlier and wider.”

Last year a record of 20 teams took part with around 500 spectators. The mangolds were donated by a farmer from the Cotswolds and were given to a local rare breeds farmer to feed his pigs.