Quirky New Mexico – Pt 1: Have You Ever Seen A Duck Race?
In New Mexico, this is a thing. A hilarious thing ...
I haven't been to the Great American Duck Race in Deming in years but here's what I saw the last ... ok, first and only ... time I went.
Just so you know, it wasn't my idea. If I ever run that low on things to do, there's a bar every few hundred yards or so in El Paso ... 'ya know?
Anyway, some friends told me about this really fun, annual event that happens in Deming, New Mexico. Located about 100 miles west of El Paso, Texas via 1-10, it's a super easy day trip.
In addition to the duck races, there are a lot of other things going on at this event. Food and drink vendors abound, local artists set up their creations for you to view and/or purchase and there are typically a few local bands playing.
These are actual ducks and, no, ducks don't have much a of a competitive streak. They're not really all that into racing each other. Horses and dogs, sure. Ducks ... notsomuch.
So, how do you get a duck that doesn't really care whether or not he's faster than his buddies to race them? It's hysterical.
First, you "herd" all the ducks inside a low, fenced in pen. Then, a few are coaxed into a little starting gate.
The lanes are covered on all sides and, as the starting gates drop, the duck owners leap on to the wooden roof kicking, pounding their hands and yelling.
The terrified, and probably forever traumatized, ducks freak out and haul ass. First one to the end wins. It's a riot.
Nowadays though, based on pics from the Duck Race website, the roof is gone and they have to swim the route. Yelling and traumatizing still seems to be the primary strategy though.
Quality fun for the whole family ... as long as you're not related to any animal rights activists.