The inaugural Goat Derby drew hundreds of residents and local tourists to Lalanasi Lodge in Laikipia East.
The goat racing competition on Sunday drew young and old people alike, who enjoyed the fun-filled contest in which goats competed in several 100m hits.
The goats run in the derby, and the first to cross the finish line is declared the winner.
During the two-day event, Lalanasi General Manager Daniel Kamau stated that it was the first of its kind and drew a diverse crowd from across the region.
He explained that, in addition to promoting local tourism and agribusiness, particularly among young people, the event aimed to raise awareness of various investment opportunities in farming, livestock keeping, and the need for environmental conservation.
Though not a popular sport, Kamau observed that, despite its uniqueness and fun, it was an opportunity to educate residents and participants on the importance of dairy goat rearing.
Although the main event is goat racing, with people betting on their favourite goat to win, there is much more to see and do.
Before the race, participants (handlers) choose their favourite goat and mark it for identification. Then everyone joins in to chase their favourite goats to the finish line.
According to some of the participants, it was a fun-filled weekend of its kind, save for some challenges that came with some of the goats failing to run as they would like, forcing them to devise methods to drive them to the finish line.
Ms. Edith Koech, Assistant County Commissioner for Munyaka Division, praised the event, saying it will encourage young people to engage in agribusiness and find meaningful ways to make a living.
She emphasised the importance of environmental conservation through tree planting, stating that the area lacks consistent rains, causing most families to go hungry.
