Biscuit-eating race is scrapped at traditional festival because 'we don't want people choking on a knob'

Dorset's knob chucking festivities will return after a hiatus this summer with a notable biscuit-eating tradition left out over concerns of people 'choking on a knob'.

The Knob Throwing Games, last held in 2019 and since put off due to unmanageable demand, will finally return on July 14 in the village of Chilfrome, inviting competitors to see how far they can launch a traditional local biscuit known as a 'knob'.

Since its 2008 inception, the one-day festival has also hosted an array of colourful themed events including a knob and spoon race and a weight-guessing game.

But the popular knob eating race, which sees participants compete to eat as many biscuits as possible in an allotted time, will not make a comeback because of choking concerns.

Ian Gregory, of the organising committee, said: 'We are not doing knob eating this year, we don't want people choking on a knob, but you can pin the knob on the Cerne Abbas Giant.'

Dorset knobs, crisp biscuits made from a traditionally fermented dough, were historically a 'cupboard staple for "farming folk" in the South West.

For more than 150 years, local hands have continued to make the savoury staple, which has the consistency of dry, stale bread.

But the advent of an annual festivity to celebrate the local delicacy was forced to postpone in 2022 after it became too big for the village of Chilfrome to handle.

Organisers said at the time the event in Dorchester attracted 8,000 people from across the country in 2019 and was at risk of overwhelming their small village committee.

Officials also said they faced a knob supply issue, as 'agreements to provide the biscuits for the event's games also took much longer than anticipated'.

This year marks a triumphant return for the festival after a five year pause, reigned in by a lack of venue in 2020 and Covid lockdown restrictions in 2021.

On Friday, organisers set the date on their 'Knob Gossip' blog, assuring those making the journey that after 'five long years', the festival will see the return of all popular evets, trade stands and main ring attractions within the Cattistock Countryside Show.

Situated just outside Dorchester, the event will share a space with a show 'boasting events for horses, dogs, ponies and now Knob throwers'.

Early bird tickets are now on sale. 

As well as knob throwing, people can take part in knob painting, a knob and spoon race, guess the weight of the big knob, knob darts and a knob pyramid.

The annual event raises thousands of pounds for good causes, and the Frome Valley Food Festival traditionally runs alongside it, featuring local bread, cheese, cider, meat, game, poultry, pies, preserves and puddings.

This year, the Cattistock Countryside Show will be organising the stallholders, according to the Dorset Knob Throwing website. 

The festival has had troubles before - with the 2018 event was cancelled following a dispute with Moores, creators of the famous Dorset Knob biscuit, but it was resolved and the 2019 contest went ahead.

In 2017 there was also trouble when rainy weather made the biscuits soggy and heavier and harder to throw, so the furthest any of the competitors could throw their knob fell well short of the world record.

Eventual winner Pete Asher did well in the cold and wet conditions to hurl his knob 22.70m (74.4ft), some way short of the record set at 29.4m (96ft) by Dave Phillips in 2012.

The Dorset Knob Eating Competition was able to run virtually in 2020 despite Covid lockdown rules, streamed online and raising money for Weldmar Hospice Care. 

The name - Knob - is thought to originate from the hand-sewn Dorset knob buttons that were also made locally.

They can be eaten with cheese, dipped in tea or cider, or with honey and tea which is known as 'thunder and lightning' by locals.

MailOnline contacted Dorset's Knob Throwing for comment.