The shoey: MTB’s most questionable celebration

If you’ve seen someone chug a drink from their shoe, chances are it was at a sports event. While it’s undeniably bizarre, the shoey has become a cultural staple of certain sports events. Mountain bike events are not immune.

So what is a shoey?

Brace yourself. A shoey involves pouring your drink—usually beer—into a shoe and chugging it in one go. Yes, a shoe. Your own, a friend’s, or (if you’re feeling bold) a total stranger’s. While it might sound revolting to some, others swear by the novelty and camaraderie it inspires.

The origins

While the shoey has been embraced by the Aussies, don’t let that fool you; the shoey isn’t actually an Aussie original. According to the wisdom of the interweb, it dates back to 19th-century Germany, where soldiers drank beer from boots for good luck before battle. The act later evolved into a more refined version, with champagne being sipped from women’s slippers in early 20th-century high society.

According to Wikipedia, there’s an even earlier version that led to the creation of the the German “bierstiefel,” a boot-shaped beer glass. According to this piece of lore, the glass was, “said to have been created by a Prussion general in an unnamed war who promised his troops that if they were victorious in an upcoming battle, he would drink beer from his own boot. ^{After they won the battle the general had second thoughts and instead ordered a glass imitation to be made.”}

Smart dude right?

The shoey in sports

The most famous of all shoeys, certainly goes to Daniel Ricciardo. He brought the shoey into Formula One’s global spotlight, making it his go-to celebration after podium finishes. He’s convinced everyone from Max Verstappen to Patrick Stewart to join in the madness. And he’s not alone—Australian MMA fighter Tai Tuivasa has made the shoey his post-fight signature. MotoGP rider Jack Miller sipped champagne from his boot after his first win.

Shoey in MTB

While the shoey hasn’t penetrated the podiums of the world cup yet, it has reared it’s ugly head (or foot) in numerous events across the country. Blue Mountain had a tradition of shoeys at the weekly Tuesday night series with some locals (looking at you Tyler Maxwell) chugging a shoey at any excuse available. Some riders at the Singletrack 6 attempted to use a flip flop for a shoey. And no doubt there are numerous events…