Oh, when the goats go racin’
Aug 28, 2006
IT came as no surprise that all the winners of this year’s annual Royal Ascot Goat Race at the Speke Resort and Country Club, Munyonyo event were she-goats: they practically spent the entire afternoon running ahead of the horny Billy goats that mounted them at the slightest opportunity!
By Alex Balimwikungu and Pidson Kareire
IT came as no surprise that all the winners of this year’s annual Royal Ascot Goat Race at the Speke Resort and Country Club, Munyonyo event were she-goats: they practically spent the entire afternoon running ahead of the horny Billy goats that mounted them at the slightest opportunity!
Gaetano’s Studio 53-sponsored Billy goat was the biggest offender and for his sins, he was disqualified from the race by the judges!
The goat race, arguably the biggest event on the Kampala’s social calendar, might have appeared rushed this year, but everything fell in place. As usual, it had that characteristic glitzy and ritzy aura about it and the finest of society was once again in abundant attendance, making it the pompous, regal, yet fun social jamboree we have come to know over the years.
Fun because goats (as we all probably know) aren’t really a ‘racing’ kind of animal. A couple of guys prodded the goats along by pushing a big barrier behind them and forcing them to move forward. Not exactly at breakneck speed but they moved all right. Unlike a few times before, the crowd was actually enthusiastic, and braved the rains to watch the goats.
Before the afternoon downpour, the grounds adjacent to the lakeside would pass for a catwalk — it was a fashion extravaganza! Skimpy was the order of the day as most women dressed like they were auditioning for an R-Kelly music video. Not that the men were complaining. Model Priscilla Ray, the biggest culprit as usual, was at her naughty best. We also had men turn up in boxer shorts and others in dresses.
This time round, there were only four hospitality tents, which included Crane Bank, Kenya Airways, Mid-com and the joint Kampala Casino- utl tent. As usual, the Crane Bank tent had the largest crowd and understandably so. It catered for guests of all the companies under Ruparelia Group of Companies and satisfactorily so.
The Kampala Casino/Utl tent was synonymous with mean looking kanyamas (muscular men) many actually feared to venture near. Mid-com was strategically located next to the lake, and many of their guests felt the cool lake breeze while enjoying their sumptuous lunch.
Kenya Airways, however, outshone them all. It appeared more organised — no hustle, enough space to toast and hug, many minders, some actually imagined they were getting flight service!
MTN, UBL and Nile Breweries were conspicuously absent.
It was an early closing though for the corporate tents this year. At exactly 6:00pm, all tents declared their bars closed. Even then, many were only too glad there were no breathalyzers on the way back to town. With beer-slurred voices, they sang praises to Afande Kaihura as they drove back in a convoy
IT came as no surprise that all the winners of this year’s annual Royal Ascot Goat Race at the Speke Resort and Country Club, Munyonyo event were she-goats: they practically spent the entire afternoon running ahead of the horny Billy goats that mounted them at the slightest opportunity!
Gaetano’s Studio 53-sponsored Billy goat was the biggest offender and for his sins, he was disqualified from the race by the judges!
The goat race, arguably the biggest event on the Kampala’s social calendar, might have appeared rushed this year, but everything fell in place. As usual, it had that characteristic glitzy and ritzy aura about it and the finest of society was once again in abundant attendance, making it the pompous, regal, yet fun social jamboree we have come to know over the years.
Fun because goats (as we all probably know) aren’t really a ‘racing’ kind of animal. A couple of guys prodded the goats along by pushing a big barrier behind them and forcing them to move forward. Not exactly at breakneck speed but they moved all right. Unlike a few times before, the crowd was actually enthusiastic, and braved the rains to watch the goats.
Before the afternoon downpour, the grounds adjacent to the lakeside would pass for a catwalk — it was a fashion extravaganza! Skimpy was the order of the day as most women dressed like they were auditioning for an R-Kelly music video. Not that the men were complaining. Model Priscilla Ray, the biggest culprit as usual, was at her naughty best. We also had men turn up in boxer shorts and others in dresses.
This time round, there were only four hospitality tents, which included Crane Bank, Kenya Airways, Mid-com and the joint Kampala Casino- utl tent. As usual, the Crane Bank tent had the largest crowd and understandably so. It catered for guests of all the companies under Ruparelia Group of Companies and satisfactorily so.
The Kampala Casino/Utl tent was synonymous with mean looking kanyamas (muscular men) many actually feared to venture near. Mid-com was strategically located next to the lake, and many of their guests felt the cool lake breeze while enjoying their sumptuous lunch.
Kenya Airways, however, outshone them all. It appeared more organised — no hustle, enough space to toast and hug, many minders, some actually imagined they were getting flight service!
MTN, UBL and Nile Breweries were conspicuously absent.
It was an early closing though for the corporate tents this year. At exactly 6:00pm, all tents declared their bars closed. Even then, many were only too glad there were no breathalyzers on the way back to town. With beer-slurred voices, they sang praises to Afande Kaihura as they drove back in a convoy