Running of the sheep in Boorawa, New South Wales

@JudyEv (382729)
Rockingham, Australia
December 21, 2025 7:07pm CST
Boorawa is a town in New South Wales, Australia. The first to settle there were Irishmen Rodger Corcoran and Ned Ryan, both former convicts who had received their ticket of leave from the Governor in 1821. The population is a little over 1,000 and it’s the birthplace of James Morrison, a jazz player of note (pardon the pun). Every October, Boorawa holds an Irish Woolfest which brings many visitors to the town. There is still a strong Irish vibe to the town. The area is renowned for the quality of its Merino wool and a feature of the Woolfest is the ‘Running of the Sheep’, similar to the Running of the Bulls in Pamplona, Spain, but involving a lot less blood and injury. At the head of the street parade is a small mob of sheep which career down the road between the cheering crowds on either side. Sheep dogs keep the sheep on track but sometimes have trouble manoeuvring them around the roundabout much to the delight of the crowd. There are a number of YouTube clips showing the spectacle. The photo is of Oscar being king of the castle.
12 people like this
12 responses
Loretta
@noni1959 (13063)
• United States
22 Dec
This sounds like a fun time to watch. I wish they would outlaw the running of the bulls. It's so sad to me.
2 people like this
Loretta
@noni1959 (13063)
• United States
23 Dec
@JudyEv Something I wanted to do long ago, the tomato throwing food fight in Spain. Yes, I'm strange. I don't know why I wanted to when I first found out about it. It still sounds cool but I'm sure my physical self could not.
1 person likes this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (382729)
• Rockingham, Australia
22 Dec
Running of the bulls; bullfighting - it's all so ridiculous.
1 person likes this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (382729)
• Rockingham, Australia
24 Dec
@noni1959 I'd forgotten about the tomato-throwing thing.
DE
@DaddyEvil (174797)
• United States
22 Dec
It sounds like more fun to run with the sheep than to run with the bulls!
2 people like this
DE
@DaddyEvil (174797)
• United States
22 Dec
@JudyEv Definitely better if one butts into you.
1 person likes this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (382729)
• Rockingham, Australia
22 Dec
Definitely! Very definitely!
1 person likes this
Amber
@AmbiePam (121324)
• United States
22 Dec
I think I would enjoy the running of the sheep far more than the ridiculous running of the bulls.
2 people like this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (382729)
• Rockingham, Australia
22 Dec
There is no sense to some of these more stupid events.
1 person likes this
Fiacre Banks
@xFiacre (14816)
• Ireland
22 Dec
@judyev I do hope the dogs drive the sheep round the roundabout in the correct direction.
2 people like this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (382729)
• Rockingham, Australia
22 Dec
They more or less had to go round the roundabout because of the crowds on the sides but they jammed up at one spot and were milling round and round.
The Horse
@TheHorse (238406)
• Walnut Creek, California
22 Dec
Have you seen any Borat mpvies?
2 people like this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (382729)
• Rockingham, Australia
22 Dec
I've just seen a couple of clips of him somewhere - and his mankini.
George B Vieto
@Deepizzaguy (122396)
• Lake Charles, Louisiana
22 Dec
II have heard of the running of the bulls in Spain but this is the first time I have heard of the running of the sheep.
2 people like this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (382729)
• Rockingham, Australia
22 Dec
It's just a local thing and wouldn't be held anywhere else. It's much less dangerous than the running of the bulls.
1 person likes this
George B Vieto
@Deepizzaguy (122396)
• Lake Charles, Louisiana
22 Dec
@JudyEv You are right.
1 person likes this
snowy
@snowy22315 (209263)
• United States
22 Dec
I may have to look at that on Youtube. It sounds fun. There us a big plantation style farm in NW Virginia that did it still does sheep dig trials every year. We went ince. It wss quite imoressive.
1 person likes this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (382729)
• Rockingham, Australia
22 Dec
Sheep dog trials are big here. Muster Dogs is a popular program on TV too and follows the progress of young sheep/cattle dogs.
1 person likes this
Judy Story
@jstory07 (148807)
• Roseburg, Oregon
22 Dec
The running of the sheep would be fun to watch.
1 person likes this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (382729)
• Rockingham, Australia
22 Dec
Yes, it would less dangerous than running with the bulls too.
1 person likes this
Anna
@LadyDuck (502914)
• Italy
22 Dec
I am going to check the YouTube clips, I am sure it's funny to watch those poor dogs trying to keep the sheep on track.
Eva James
@wolfgirl569 (136117)
• Marion, Ohio
22 Dec
Running with sheep would be more fun
1 person likes this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (382729)
• Rockingham, Australia
23 Dec
And much less dangerous.
1 person likes this
RasmaSandra
@RasmaSandra (98187)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
22 Dec
Such an adorable photo of Oscar. I would love to see those sheep run,
1 person likes this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (382729)
• Rockingham, Australia
23 Dec
It's a big crowd pleaser. The sheep all have ear-tags (by law) and people had bought tickets with an ear-tag number. The winner of the 'run' won a prize for whoever had that ticket.
1 person likes this
LindaOH
@LindaOHio (222978)
• United States
22 Dec
I've never heard of this. The photo of Oscar is precious.