Horse semen shots on Wildfoods menu

KIRSTY JOHNSTON

Ram's testicles are so passe - this year extreme foodies wanting a real taste test will be lining up for a shot of stallion semen.

Horse semen shots, to be followed with a swig of energy drink, are the new kids on the kitchen block at the famed Hokitika Wildfoods festival next month.

The shots will be provided by racehorse owner Lindsay Kerslake, of Christchurch, who says he came up with the idea after hearing about people drinking bull's semen.

"I thought, horses are all testosterone, they have hardly any cholesterol, so the idea is you'll have as much zizz as a stallion for a week afterwards," Kerslake said.

"It's all safe - we're getting the semen in the same way breeders do, using an artificial vagina and storing it in the formula they use. It will be like a milkshake."

Kerslake said some of the shots would be flavoured, and there might even be a possibility punters could request a particular horse.

The shot would be washed down with an energy drink called "Powerhorse", which was similar to Red Bull.

"We didn't want to use Red Bull cos that gives the idea of a bull, not a horse," Kerslake said.

Though he was yet to try a shot - saying he wasn't qualified to judge on taste - Kerslake was sure the shots would be a big drawcard for the festival.

Wildfoods spokeswoman Megan Wilson said the semen shots would definitely be "for the brave".

"But I don't think it's that disgusting. We never think anything is disgusting."

Other delicacies on this years' menu were Weka and Pukeko.

Though Weka is protected in New Zealand, it is legal to hunt the bird in the Chatham Islands, as long as hunters do not sell the meat.

Department of Conservation spokesman Rory Newsam said they would advise the Wildfoods organisers to make sure they were clear about the regulations before offering either bird.

"We don't want the organisers inadvertently breaching any of these protections and so we'd advise them to check the protections closely before they go ahead with their plans," he said.

Kaio (sea tulip) shots, raw and cooked scorpions, and several scrumptious but less adventurous treats like venison chilli and garlic sea cucumber were also on the list.

The festival is on March 12.

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