![](https://www.tumblr.com/widgets/share/tool?posttype=photo&canonicalUrl=http%3A%2F%2F81.78.153.64%2Farchive%2Ftags%2Ftraditions%2Fcontent%2Fgreat-finborough-bog-race-2015%2F&content=http%3A%2F%2F81.78.153.64%2Farchive%2Fstorage%2Fcache%2Fimages%2F005%2F042%2FBarber-Finborough-bograce-02%2Flarge.1728986416.jpg&caption=%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3E%3Ca href="http%3A%2F%2F81.78.153.64%2Farchive%2Ftags%2Ftraditions%2Fcontent%2Fgreat-finborough-bog-race-2015%2F" title="©Si Barber. Moral rights asserted."%3E©Si Barber. Moral rights asserted.%3C/a%3E%3C/strong%3E%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3E%3F+Si+Barber+07739+472+922%0A%0AThe+team+leaders+have+their+foreheads+marked+with+a+black+cross+before+the+commencement+of+the+race.++%0A%0AThe+Great+Finborough+Bog+Race.+The+annual+race+involves+two+teams+of+men+from+the+villages+of+Great+Finborough+and+Haughley%2C+in+Suffolk%2C+vying+to+be+the+first+to+traverse+a+muddy+mile-long+course+from+a+nearby+farm+%3Fto+the+Chestnut+Horse+pub+on+the+village+green.%0A%0AThe+winner+is+the+first+through+the+pub+clutching+a+symbolic+scroll+which+represents+an+employment+contract+that+became+the+centre+of+a+dispute+between+two+groups+of+agricultural+workers+in+1897.%0A%0AAccording+to+the+legend%2C+the+farmer+at+%3Fsacked+his+men+for+getting+drunk+on+Good+Friday%2C+but+by+Easter+Monday+he+had+reinstated+them.%3FHowever%2C+another+group+of+men+from+nearby+Haughley+also+arrived+at+the+farm+%3Fbecause+they+had+heard+there+was+some+work+going.+%3FThe+farmer%3Fdecided+the+best+way+of+avoiding+a+fight+was+to+throw+the+employment+contract+in+the+air+and+let+the+two+teams+compete+to+see+who+could+get+it+across+the+fields+to+the+pub+first.%0A%0AThe+race+became+an+annual+contest+in+the+1900s+but+was+forgotten+after+many+men+from+the+area+lost+their+lives+in+the+First+World+War%2C+before+it+was+reinstated+in+1976.%3C/p%3E){kind=link}
©Si Barber. Moral rights asserted.
? Si Barber 07739 472 922
The team leaders have their foreheads marked with a black cross before the commencement of the race.
The Great Finborough Bog Race. The annual race involves two teams of men from the villages of Great Finborough and Haughley, in Suffolk, vying to be the first to traverse a muddy mile-long course from a nearby farm ?to the Chestnut Horse pub on the village green.
The winner is the first through the pub clutching a symbolic scroll which represents an employment contract that became the centre of a dispute between two groups of agricultural workers in 1897.
According to the legend, the farmer at ?sacked his men for getting drunk on Good Friday, but by Easter Monday he had reinstated them.?However, another group of men from nearby Haughley also arrived at the farm ?because they had heard there was some work going. ?The farmer?decided the best way of avoiding a fight was to throw the employment contract in the air and let the two teams compete to see who could get it across the fields to the pub first.
The race became an annual contest in the 1900s but was forgotten after many men from the area lost their lives in the First World War, before it was reinstated in 1976.