3 mins. duration

Strange but true, this sport has gripped dog lovers all over the world. We visit the Benelux International Championships in Belgium and marvel at the wondrous feats these dogs can perform. They literally dance on their hind legs! Participants from the UK, Holland, Belgium, Germany and the Czech republic.

Duration 6:00 minutes

Polo is played every winter on the frozen lake at St Moritz and the game attracts a wide array of international glitterati at this, the opening event of the high society winter season.We follow a regular face in St. Moritz, Renate Hirsch Giacommuzzi, throughout the weekend’s festivities. We visit her at her luxurious hotel, Badrutts Palace, and then do some window shopping downtown St. Moritz. In the evening we go to the lavish Gala dinner at the Suvretta Hotel and meet the rich, famous and beautiful. The next day we go, of course, to the game itself on the frozen lake…this is the highlight of St Moritz’s winter season and everyone is out in force.

2.37 mins. duration

The Appleby Horse Fair is the largest gathering of its kind in Britain. For one week in June this picturesque county town in Cumbria is swamped by about 5,000 gypsies. Horse trading is what they come for.

If there is any whispering going on it is between the buyers and the sellers and either can have a thick wad of cash stuffed in their pockets. One of the sights of the week is the bravado with which bareback riders gallop their horses down a closed road, showing the horse's form to the punters.

We visit Appleby on 'horse wash day', when the horses are cleaned with washing up liquid in the local river before they are put through their paces.

3 mins. duration

Every year in the month of June England celebrates its most extravagant social event by staging ©Ladies' Day" at Royal Ascot.

Robyn, a top London milliner, designs hats for this occasion and accompanies us on an unforgettable journey to the famous horse race, where we are witness to a hilarious and exotic display of ©My Fair Ladies".

4:40 mins. duration

New arrivals at Ginni Little's Bat Hospital in Penzance, Cornwall are immediately given names, examined, weighed and fed worms or crickets. This unique establishment is currently home to 62 patients, mostly victims of car accidents. Others have fallen prey to prowling cats and birds.

Over the last 7 years Ginni has given a new lease of life to hundreds of bats, which she treats with loving care and attention. They have, after all, been around for the last 50 million years.

3.05 mins. duration

Wildlife enthusiasts from far and wide are being attracted to a hotel in North Wales, which has become the unlikely home of some non-paying guests: five different varieties of bat. They include the endangered Lesser Horseshoe bat, of which Penmaenuchaf Hall Hotel has about 140 - one per cent of the British population!

The luxurious country house hotel has 'flying areas' in the attic and a purpose built bat entrance. The enterprising hoteliers are offering special bat watching breaks.

6 mins. duration

The International 'Gold Rush' Dog Race on the frozen lake at St. Moritz is held each year in February. The jet set glitterati provide additional colour to this unusual event located in this extravagant and beautiful setting, nestled in the snow covered Engadine.

The event comprised of 23 races with over 100 dogs from Switzerland, Austria, Germany, France, Italy, Czechoslovakia, USA and Russia. They can reach a top speed of 70 kilometres an hour. Fascinating visuals as huge Scottish deerhounds jump hurdles in the snow. Exotic Borzois from Russia, Afghans, Sloughis (arabian greyhounds), Greyhounds and Azawakh are just a few of the unusual breeds taking part.

image: ©Verkehrsverein St Moritz

1.30 mins. duration

Titchbourne in Hampshire regularly hosts Ferret racing every year. This year 200 furry ferrets compete in the world championships by racing through pipes and obstacles against the clock.

'Fixer' the ferret wins £100,- for its proud owner and a silver trophy too.

3 mins. duration

Fox Hunting in the UK has been hitting the headlines since Tony Blair pledged to ban it 5 years ago. It has been banned in Scotland but still continues in the rest of the UK.

What could be the last Fox Hunting season got under way at the beginning of November. Violent and non-violent confrontations between hunters and anti hunt saboteurs have become the order of the day.

Our film spends a day with notoriously troubled Chiddingfold hunt in Novemmber 2002 in West Sussex. We see both sides of the fenceÉ.the huntsmen in their traditional outfits and the animal rights activists who try to sabotage the event. We hear both sides of the story. Furthermore we have disturbing footage from the League against cruel Sports, which shows in graphic detail what happens to foxes when they are hunted down.

8:11 mins. duration

Fox hunting in Britain is a truly traditional pastime. But times change and with it, a new government, pledged to a free vote on the banning of this controversial sport has raised the issue of fox hunting to the top of the political agenda.

Whether the sport is banned or preserved, it is an issue of not only animal rights, but of geography and class that strikes as much at the divides of this country as its heart.

We go behind the scenes to profile a sport steeped in ceremony, providing a valuable insight into the cultural and moral aspects of fox hunting today. The film includes disturbing and thought provoking footage of foxes being dug out and terriers at work.

2:10 duration

Sports with horses are an all-time regular. But have you ever seen horses playing football on their own? Alfie, the pony in our film, has acquired a taste for the British national sport! And visibly he enjoys his new pass-time very muchÉ

3 mins. duration

Horseball is the latest British equestrian sport, recently imported from France. This highly spectacular game originates from the Afghan Buzkachi and the Argentine Pato, combining the rhythm of basketball, the agility of trick riding and the dynamism of polo. It has been compared to a cross between rugby and basketball on horseback.

Two teams oppose each other. They are required to gain possession of a ball, especially fitted with 6 leather handles, pass it at least three times within the team as they race towards the goal and score by shooting through a hoop, which is suspended on a 3.5 metre pole.

We visit the most important international equestrian show, the 'Fieracavali' in Verona. It is here that the Horseball European championships take place. England, Germany, France, Belgium, Spain, Austria, Portugal and Italy compete against each other in a 4 daylong knockout tournament.

3 mins. Duration

One of the most spectacular, yet little known UK sporting events, takes place from the 8th -10th August in the heart of the Lake District. The Lowther Horse Trials attract international competitors to it's superb location at Lowther Castle in Cumbria. One of the biggest events is the Four in Hands, among the competitors is Prince Philip the Duke of Edinburgh.

Four in Hands is English Carriage Driving with four horses controlled by one driver with a team. It's origins are ancient but as a sport relatively new and growing fast.

Elegant traditional carriages are driven against the clock over rough ground and water obstacles. It provides exciting visual images as the precarious sport requires great skill and dexterity over the combined power of four galloping horses.

The Duke of Edinburgh competes agaimst GEORGE BOWMAN who along with the Duke is one of the world's greatest drivers. From lowly origins (he was born into a Romany family) George is said to be one of the Duke's closest friends. They have competed together throughout hte world even achieving Olympic medal status.

After the event we join Prince Philip and George Bowman for a party at the castle.

2 mins. duration

500 runners compete against 7 horses on the Man versus Horse Marathon in Wales. They run 22 miles and up to 1000 metres above sea level.

2:30 duration

Starting in January 2003, British farmers have 90 days to put a toy in every pigsty or face a fine or three months in jail.

In a new EU ruling farmers have to supply an object to keep pigs happy and deter them from chewing each other's tails and ears.

Official recommendations are footballs and basketballs. Farmers will also need to change the balls so the pigs don't get tired with the same one.

We have a closer look at how British farmers carry out the new ruling aiming at keeping pigs happy in their environment.

3 mins. duration

Polo is played every winter on the frozen lake at St Moritz and the game attracts a wide array of international glitterati at this opening event of the high society winter season.

Apart from the spectacular visuals and riveting play on the sun drenched snow covered lake we observe such celebrities as Jodie Kidd and Shawne Fielding enjoying cocktails at the luxurious Suvretta Hotel.

Duration 6:00 minutes

Polo is played every winter on the frozen lake at St Moritz and the game attracts a wide array of international glitterati at this, the opening event of the high society winter season.

We follow a regular face in St. Moritz, Renate Hirsch Giacommuzzi, throughout the weekend's festivities. We visit her at her luxurious hotel, Badrutts Palace, and then do some window shopping downtown St. Moritz. In the evening we go to the lavish Gala dinner at the Suvretta Hotel and meet the rich, famous and beautiful. The next day we go, of course, to the game itself on the frozen lakeÉthis is the highlight of St Moritz's winter season and everyone is out in force.

2 mins. duration

The 17th Polo World Cup on Snow took place between the 27th and 30th January 2001 in St. Moritz. First class Polo players from all over the world show why this is called the Sport of the Kings.

Spectacular visuals of galloping horses on ice and snow in the picturesque setting of the Engadin. We also mingle with the jet set glitterati.

images: ©Verkehrsverein St Moritz

2:30 mins. duration

We visit the 16th Polo World Cup on Snow in St. Moritz.

First class Polo players from all over the world show why this is called the Sport of the Kings. Spectacular visuals of galloping horses on ice and snow in the picturesque setting of the Engadin.

This year's event boasts a very special attraction Ð Lady Gwendolyn Ashborough Ð owner and captain of the Alegria Para Siempre polo team will be among the most prominent participants.

Lady Ashborough of French and Cherokee parentage, has in the past been a track star, bodybuilder and a wrestler, only to switch to polo in 1997.

On Sunday January 30th 2000, we accompany Lady Ashborough and witness the surprise and controversial appearance of England's Duchess of Wessex.

3 mins. duration

Farmer Harry Goode and PR man Richard Strange came up with the ultimate solution to farmer's loss of income due to the BSE crisis.

Animal advertising is the name of the game and as you pass Harry's farm next to the M40 near Birmingham you can see cows happily grazing wearing coats, which advertise local wares.

Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream, Robin Hood Golf clubs and Marketing net PR company were the first to seize this unique way of advertising for £300,- per week.

3:14 mins. duration

Named after the famous Beatrix Potter character St. Tiggywinkles currently houses 800 patients, who have been hit and run victims, run over by lawn mowers or attacked by the local cat.

It is the only Hedgehog Hospital in the world.

2:30 mins. duration

In 1662 King Charles II issued a royal decree, which required the continuous presence of six ravens in the grounds of the Tower of London.

The ravens are said to symbolise the well being of the Monarchy. If they fly away the Monarchy and the Tower will crumble.

Recently two of the Ravens, Hugine and Jackie, were misbehaving so badly they had to be removed. A bad omen for England?

3:52 mins. duration

There is only one place on earth you can watch 'Skikjšring': St. Moritz, venue of the international horseracing event known as White Turf. This unique race meeting held on the world's flattest racecourse, the frozen lake at St. Moritz, dates back to 1906. Thoroughbred horses pull their jockeys on skis along the 2,7 km. Track.

An international field also lines up for the Grand Prix of St. Moritz to compete for the title of "European champion on snow".

White Turf presents a spectacular programme with an exclusive mixture of first class sport, cultural entertainment and celebrities.

image: ©Verkehrsverein St Moritz

2 mins. duration

The first World Worm-Charming Championships were held at Willaston, Cheshire in 1980. The inaugural winner, Tom Shufflebotham, charmed 511 worms out of his three-metre square plot in the allotted time of 30 mins. duration.

The worms are coaxed to the surface by vibrating garden forks and other implements in the soil.

Some contestants use music, like Mike Forster, who plays 'The Green Green Grass of Home' from his stereo to entice his prey to the surface.