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Proud
to be Ugly!
Egremont's
World Gurning Contest
In
2015 Gordon Blacklock regained the World Gurning Title..
Pic: Brian Sherwen
The 2014 Gurning contest was won for the 16th time by Tommy Mattinson
from Aspatria.
The ugliest man in Cumbria, Tommy Mattinson, world champion gurner from
Aspatria has won an entry into the Guinness Book of Records after winning
the World Gurning Championships a record 16 times.
The winner of the 2009 World Gurning contest on Saturday 19th September
was Whitehaven's Gordon Blacklock. He regained the world gurning title
after 13 years of disappointment.
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Since
medieval times the folk of Egremont have celebrated Crab Apple time
with a unique day of events.
High point is the World Gurning Championship, held in Egremont in the
Western Lake District.
The event
has been running as part of the 'Crab Fair & Sports' since 1267.
This event represents everything that is quirky and British and as such
receives a proud local, as well as national and international, following.
Will 2005 see a new World Champion or can 7 Times Champion Tommy Mattinson
retain the title for another year. This year the event is also being
supported by Jeremy Deller (Turner Prize 2004) and fellow artist Alan
Kane, after the massive success of their recent 'Folk Archive' exhibition
launch at the barbican.
The 2007 winner of the World Gurning was Tommy Mattinson from Aspatria.
Crab
Fayre day usually on a Saturday around the 16th of September features
climbing up the greasy pole to try and get the leg of lamb nailed at
the top, street races, a fun fair and in the evening at the Market Hall
the World Gurning Campionships. Contestants have to try and pull the
ugliest face with their heads stuck through a horse's braffin or collar.
TV crews from all over the world attend and media interest led US companies
to start sponsoring the event.
2008 World Gurning Championship winner was Tommy Mattinson with runners-up
being Alan (Happy) Hornell and Gordon Blacklock .
2003 WORLD gurning champion Tommy Mattinson dedicated his third-time
victory to legend Peter Jackman during the climax of an emotional Egremont
Crab Fair Mr
Jackman died earlier this year in a tragic cliff accident in Spain six
months ago. He had won the World Gurning Championships four times
In
2001 Tommy Mattinson, of Aspatria, Cumbria, was judged winner.
Tommy was runner-up last year*s championship and beat 16 ugly competitiors
to win the 2001 prize.
Local favourite Peter Jackman, 44, a worker at Sellafield, had won the
title last year but was forced to settle for second.
There was a upset in the ladies championship when defending champion
Anne Woods, 53, was beaten for only the second time in her life.
Anne, who lives in Egremont had won the trophy 24 years running but
was out-gurned by Sammy Jackson.
The junior championship was 13-year-old Martin Sanderson, of Egremont.
Seen winning the 2000 event was popular Egremont man , the late Peter
Jackman. The
Crab Fair was first held in 1267, when King Henry III granted a Royal
Charter to Thomas de Multon (1247-1294), Lord of the Barony of Egremont,
for a weekly market and an annual crab fair.
The
Crab Fayre's own website can be found at http://www.egremontcrabfair.org.uk
Information
about other Lake District events
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Sculptor
Paul Bainbridge captured this lifelike gurner
for a special sculpture to be erected in Egremont in 2009.
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