The Mascot Grand National - Next Sunday

Most football clubs have a mascot and some of them will be at Huntington Racecourse next Sunday, October 5th, to take part in the 10th Annual Mascot Grand National which will be kick-started by Theo Walcott.

This year the event is raising funds for the Willow Foundation.

Huntingdon Racecourse is pleased to announce that the chosen charity for the 10th John Smiths Mascot Grand National is The Willow Foundation.

The Willow Foundation is a national charity set up by Arsenal legend, Bob Wilson and his wife, Megs, that funds and organises special days for seriously ill 16 to 40 year olds throughout the UK.

To date the charity has organised more than 3,000 special days for people living with cancer, motor neurone disease, cystic fibrosis, organ failure and muscular dystrophy amongst other conditions.

The Mascot Grand National was the idea of the management team at Huntingdon Racecourse and as a result 17 mascots hurdled their way to take part in one of the funniest and most unusual sights ever to be seen on a racecourse. Beau Brummie Bear of Birmingham City Football Club won the first event.

As legend grew of these intrepid heroes and their mighty deeds in conquering the 6 giant fences (hurdles really) many more came to face the task in the first year of the New Millennium - The challenge in Y2K. Millennium 2000 saw the ranks swell to a courageous 49 mascoteers of whom the victor was Watford's Harry the Hornet who reputedly stung the bookmakers in a dashing finish pipping a ruffled Cyril the Swan at the post. Controversy seems to follow our revered idols when in 2001 a huge field of internationally renowned icons. A team of top flight-mascots were left in the wake of one elusive Freddie the Fox who turned out to be a shark of an Olympic athlete patrolling the quiet waters of Huntingdon Racecourse in search of innocents.

Then followed a feeding frenzy as the media turned upon the transgressor and came to the rescue of genuine superheroes. Whereupon Freddie the Fox withdrew to lick his wounds while Dazzler the Lion roared as he was proclaimed the new winner! 2002 saw Chaddie the Owl fly his way to victory amongst controversy of the said owl being a ringer. The accusations proved to be false. It was only Chaddies' vigorous training routine that had enabled him to wing it so easily.

The 2003 event was no exception with unscrupulous tactics and daring rivalry between these brave mascots. For the second successive year Chaddy the Owl was crowned the victor, but only after several of his rivals were sent off course by a scantily-clad lady distracting them!

2004 was the year of Graham the Gorrilla the mascot of local football club Finedon Volta FC who sent the crowd bananas when grasping victory and becoming the totesport Mascot champion of 2004 defeating two time champion Chaddy the Owl of Oldham AC.

The Mascot Grand National of 2005 promised to be a thrilling contest of power and athleticism. With previous champions Chaddy the Owl and Graham Gorrilla, amongst the field, the bookies were expecting the two to go head to head. However, from seemingly nowhere it was the Sun newspapers Scoop 6 Squirrel who drove everyone nuts with a stunning turn of foot which saw him crowned as The 121s.com's Mascot Grand National Champion of 2005.

2006 saw the kick for life mascot, Mickey the Monkey having his first crack at the race stunned all the seasoned race goers by romping home impressively to win the prestigious Mascot Grand National silver trophy.

2007 saw the victory of Wacky Macky Bear who saw off last years winner, Mickey the Monkey, to win for Saffron Walden F.C. In his debut Grand National, winning by 6 lengths, this mascot is definitely one to look out for in 2008!

Hereford United doesn't currently have a mascot. Manager Graham Turner is known not to be very keen on them.

The club used to have a mascot called Billy the Bull. Much of his kit was provided by donations from supporters.

However he's not been seen at Edgar Street for some time. It is presumed he has been put out to grass.

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