[Requiem]

Funny one, AM. Reminds me of the ancient & manly sport of Ferret Legging.

It's unclear where ferret legging originated, but it is practiced primarily in Yorkshire, England, and parts of Scotland. It's also a featured event at places such as the Meadow Highland Games and Celtic Festival in Richmond, Virginia.

The rules of ferret legging are quite simple. The competitor—usually a man (perhaps because women are too smart for this sport)—places two ferrets into his pants and sees how long he can keep them there. The competitors' pants must be tightly fastened at waist and ankles, neither the competitors nor their ferrets may be sedated in any way, and the ferrets' teeth may not be removed or blunted. In addition, competitors are not allowed to wear underwear.

This unusual sport is believed to have been in existence for centuries, gaining a greatly increased popularity among Yorkshire coal miners in the 1970s, and rapidly declining again popularity since. It's a dying sport, but it's not entirely dead. As mentioned before, it is still seen at Celtic Festivals in the United States, and it is still practiced sometimes at festivals in Yorkshire. In addition, some ferret enthusiasts, such as those of the Manitoba Ferret Association in Canada, have staged ferret legging contests to promote awareness of ferrets and raise money for their protection.

Link.

-Susan