Greetings, fellow lovers of the strange and extraordinary! We’re back for another serving of the wonderfully weird in the world of sports! Last week, we explored the unique world of Zimbabwe’s Mr. Ugly pageant. This week, we burrow underground to uncover the fascinating – and slightly slimy – world of Worm Charming!
Unearthing the Champions: How Worm Charming Works
Competitive worm charming is exactly what it sounds like – a contest to see who can coax the most earthworms to the surface of the ground in a set time frame. These battles of “bio-attraction” typically take place within designated zones, measuring roughly three yards by three yards.
The Mecca of Worm Charming: The World Championships
Believe it or not, Worm Charming boasts its very own global championship! The prestigious World Worm Charming Championships trace their roots back to an English school fete in 1980, organized by a deputy headmaster named John Bailey. This whimsical event has blossomed into an annual tradition, attracting participants from around the world. The competition even credits a local farmer’s son, Tom Shufflebotham, for charming a whopping 511 worms in just 30 minutes during that inaugural event!
Fast forward to 2009, and 10-year-old Sophie Smith of Willaston, England, shattered the record by coaxing a staggering 567 worms to the surface! This feat cemented her place in Worm’s Charming history.
The International Federation of Charming Worms and Allied Pastimes (IFCWAP) oversees the official rules of the competition. These regulations ensure fair and ethical competition, stipulating that competitors can only use vibrations or music to attract the worms. Digging, chemical attractants (including water), and harming the worms are strictly prohibited. Interestingly, competitors are encouraged to use a garden fork to gently vibrate the ground, mimicking the tremors of natural predators. Perhaps most importantly, once the competition concludes, all the wiggly participants are safely returned to their subterranean homes.
The World Worm Charming Championships enjoyed a triumphant return in 2022 after a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Beyond the World Stage: A Celebration of Worm Charming Around the Globe
While the World Championships reign supreme, worm-charming fever has spread across the globe, inspiring a multitude of regional events.
- Devon Worm Charming Festival (Blackawton, England): This lively competition, also known as the International Festival of Worm Charming, has been wiggling its way into existence since 1984. Held during the early May Bank Holiday weekend, the event is a delightful combination of worm charming, real ale, and other fun activities. The festival’s origins are surprisingly unwormy – legend has it that a local resident named Dave Kelland witnessed a surge of earthworms after… ahem… relieving himself in a field. Inspired by this unexpected sight, the Devon Worm Charming Festival was born, and The Normandy Arms pub has been its charming home ever since. Unlike the World Championships, this event allows the use of water but prohibits “forking” the ground.
- Cornwall Worm Charming Championships (Penryn & Falmouth, England): A newcomer to the worm charming scene, this competition was established in 2021. Unfortunately, the 2022 edition in Falmouth highlighted the potential impact of climate change on the sport, with a heatwave leading to the discovery of just one lonely worm!
- Canadian Worm Charming Championship and Festival (Shelburne, Ontario): In 2012, Canada joined the worm charming party with this unique festival held at Shelburne Fiddle Park.
- American Worm Gruntin’ Festival (Sopchoppy, Florida): While not technically worm charming, this quirky Florida festival features a “Worm Gruntin’” competition, complete with a coronation ceremony for a “Worm Gruntin’ King and Queen.”
So, there you have it! From the prestigious World Championships to quirky regional events, Worm Charming continues to be a delightful (and slightly bizarre) competition that celebrates our connection to the natural world. Who knows, maybe next year, we’ll see a worm-charming championship emerge in your neck of the woods!
