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Are they meant to catch the cheese, or is it the Englishman's equivalent of the greyhound rabbit?
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I think so. The first competitor down the hill (upright or not, which means padding yourself well and just hurling yourself headfirst down the hill is probably the most reliable tactic, if not the most sensible one) wins the cheese if nobody caught it.
It's descended from a Pagan fertility ceremony, but considering the cheese has been involved since the 15th century, you'd have a hard time getting it off any scruff who did catch it.