Turtle racing

Turtle racing is a traditional activity in rural America, typically held as part of a county fair, 4th of July celebration, or other festival.

Various activities billed as “turtle races” have been held throughout history, though these were mostly one-off events that had no lasting cultural impact.

According to a biographer, “Joe came up with the novel event, dubbed the National Terrapin Derby - which soon became a nationwide fad - after watching small box turtles crawling around to escape the strong summer sun.

While turtle races are primarily a festival attraction, a few bars in the United States have adopted the event for entertainment.

In Minnesota, the towns of Longville, Nisswa and Perham hold weekly turtle races during the summer, which have become significant tourist draws and can involve hundreds of visitors.

The study suggested that turtle races could become beneficial if they would follow best practices based on the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation.

According to a contemporary newspaper account, “This state, now, is split on the mud turtle issue as the result of a rapidly growing movement to prohibit terrapin derbies on the ground of cruelty to animals.

[10] It was later reported that tortoises had been dropped an injured, and the solvent turpentine had been applied to a number of animals to make them run faster.

Organizers admitted to gassing the tortoises out of their burrows using a hose connected to a vehicle exhaust, and a third of the animals had wounds consistent with the use of a "gopher hook."

[15][16] A survey of race participants found that 84% of Eastern box turtles entered in 2012 were wild caught specifically for the event.

[21] In 2021, YouTube channel Snake Discovery released a video criticizing the weekly turtle race in Perham, which they referred to as a "poorly-executed tradition."