Image: 19x Winner of the Male Wold Gurning Championships Tommy Mattinson – Image courtesy of Guinness World Records
It might sound unusual, but the centuries-old tradition of gurning continues to draw crowds and competitors from around the world.
The World Gurning Championships, held annually in Egremont, United Kingdom, celebrate the art of pulling the most outrageous face imaginable.
The term “gurn” comes from an old English expression meaning to grin or snarl, and competitors take that to the extreme—distorting their faces into grotesque shapes while framed by a traditional horse collar.
The quirky contest is believed to date back as far as the 13th century, possibly linked to harvest festivities during the reign of King Henry III, although its exact origins remain a little hazy.
A centuries old tradition where the village people were given a sour crab apple during the harvest and a horse collar was crowned on the “village idiot”.
What is certain is its staying power, with the event recognised by Guinness World Records as one of the longest-running competitions of its kind, approximately 174 years this September, continuing a tradition that spans generations.
So here’s the question—why should the Brits have all the fun?
If you reckon your local show could use a good laugh and a new crowd-pleaser, it might be time to grab that horse collar, take a mug shot and send your letter of petition to your local Show Societies—because this could be one tradition worth pulling a face for.
Chitchat Newspaper – May 2026