The fastest camel wins

By VICTORIA BARTLE

Kawakawa nurse Didi Muncaster-Wright has a zest for out-of-the-ordinary adventure. When the 43-year-old saw a small article about the annual Boulia Desert Sands Camel Race in Australia she couldn't resist the challenge.

Accommodation for those attending the event is usually under the stars beside a campfire. Motel and hotel accommodation is not abundant in the tiny town, especially when the camel race attracts about 4000 visitors.

"You don't have to go anywhere near a camel. Just go there for the atmosphere," says Muncaster-Wright, who last year as the only Kiwi jockey at Boulia, rode a reasonably good-tempered Queen Casanova. She wore racing silks plus a helmet and mouthguard.

No bruising was suffered, except perhaps to her ego, when Queen Casanova spotted a shortcut home and galloped only 800m of the two-kilometre course.

"You have to have a sense of humour. I was so hysterical with laughter I couldn't climb off my camel when she came to a stop at her truck," says Muncaster-Wright.

Getting to Boulia, which is 300km south of Mt Isa in Queensland, is not so direct either. Muncaster-Wright took a flight from Auckland to Sydney, another from Sydney to Adelaide, then a long bus ride to Coober Pedy.

A bus to Alice Springs and another eight-hour bus trip got her to Boulia. She spent the next eight days meeting the locals and getting used to riding a camel at speed.

The camel races are worth $37,500 in prizemoney and are held in mid-July.

Contact: Paddy McHugh, ph (00617) 47216721, send an email or visit Camel races.