Ostrich Festival starts in Chandler Friday

The 24th Annual Chandler Ostrich Festival starts
Friday at Tumbleweed Park. And of course the leading
attraction will be the ostriches.

Steve Boger brought in eight birds from Kansas to the
festival.

So what do you do with that many ostriches? Race
them!

“Well, you just get on their back and you turn them loose
and take off,” Boger said. “It also helps if the people
getting
on the back aren’t quite as intelligent as the ostrich,
and well, ostriches aren’t that bright to begin will so
you have a hard time doing that.”

Boger has raised ostriches on his farm for over 15 years.
He takes the birds all around the country, and races them,
either bareback or with chariots. It can be a wild ride
either way.

“They don’t really buck. They just run really fast, and
you don’t really know if they are going to turn or stop,
or just run over the top of you,” Gober said.

The festival will see eight races over the next three
days.

Chandler used to be home to several ostrich farmers, but
now those farms are long gone. That still hasn’t stopped
the festival from happen, which makes Steve and his family
happy.

“It’s going to be fun,” says Gober. “Don’t blink, or
you’ll miss the race.”

For more on what’s going on at the festival, go to
www.ostrichfestival.com