Hoo Farm Animal Kingdom Zoos

Hoo Animal Kingdom Farm is a real children's paradise where there is always something happening.

There are lots of new arrivals including Wallabies, Emus, Meerkats and a litter of baby piglets born 11th July. The start of the school holidays sees a revised programme of events from bottle feeding lambs and goats, pig feeding, deer feeding and collecting the freshly laid eggs to meeting the small animals at animal handling time.

The Craft Area offers the chance to try your hand at candle dipping, glass or pottery painting or even throwing a pot on the potters wheel. There are junior Quad Bikes and a rifle range for the 6 to 9 year olds, powered mini tractors and mini pedal tractors for the 2 to 6 year olds, as well as indoor and outdoor play areas.

The farm is, however, best known for THE FAMOUS SHEEP STEEPLECHASE - a 'ewenique' and highly entertaining must for anyone visiting the area. The 'woolly jumpers', with names like 'Black Midget'', 'The Snail', and 'Big Boy' race over a course with five fences - Fleecers Brook, Spinners Chair, Woolly Leap, Darners Ditch and Stable Turn - with a speed and agility to rival their equine counterparts.

A full race commentary, by former amateur jockey Edward Dorrell, gives a real feel of a day at the races.

Back with a vengeance and by popular demand are the Galloping Goats. This is a must see for any family, the Goats will be faced with the most challenging and exciting course to date. With larger fences and hair pin bends last years display of dare devil antics are nothing compared to the stunts the galloping goats will perform in 2006.

The Goats start racing from mid March but the official start to the galloping goat season is 8 April, where you can back your favourite goat on the Hoo Farm Tote and cheer them all on to the winning post.