However, plans to introduce a Wiruna version of the Todd River Regatta have been frustrated by the fact that our dam is invariably full of water, the colour of which, changes according to the content of mud, toxic algae and the odd red-bellied black snake.
Members who had been to the world lizard racing championships held annually at the Paroo Lizard racing track at Eulo in Queensland had suggested training a contingent to enter in next year's event.
Alas, perhaps due to altitude and cooler conditions, our local specimens are less active than their Queensland cousins, so that our Shinglebacks, Bearded Dragons and Goannas prefer sleeping in sunny spots around the property.
Accordingly, ASNSW Webmaster Lachlan MacDonald theorised that perhaps we could make Wiruna the centre for Spider racing. To this end, he collected a fine variety of: Huntsman, Funnel-Web, Red-Back, White-Tail and House spiders, and a collection including Bull Ants, Scorpions, Centipedes and as yet unidentified other insects.
The more scientifically minded members suggested that these latter inclusions of non-spiders should be disqualified, as they did not pass as a spider, and having an unfair advantage of not having the same number of legs as the Arachnids themselves.
In spite of his best intentions and efforts, the collection could not be persuaded to race, or at least run in the same direction.
Suggestions that they be placed in the middle of a circle drawn in the dust, with the first to reach the outside being the winner, were objected to by some cowardly spectators.
Unfortunately, feeding time on day two degenerated into a free-for-all frenzy which demonstrated that if the beasties could not be trained to run, they needed no training at all to start a fight!
In the end, the Huntsman was declared the winner, after the Bull ant, being the last to expire, was declared disqualified, as it was not considered to be a spider.
Trainer Lachlan MacDonald, who is believed to have (somehow) ingested some of the mix of stray venoms through the pores of his hands, and who was feeling poorly after laying the beasties down to their final resting place, has not so far been persuaded to continue with the experiments.
It has since been rumoured that Lachlan is now considering making Wiruna the centre for snake racing (see photo above, left).