...as told by Mark Fenton
“Help needed” is the cry. ”Help needed” so the start of another rescue show year was fast approaching.
Scanned the diary, yep I was around...mmm needed Friday/Saturday and Sunday...well the weekend is fine...and I can probably get annual leave (or work the extra hours to make up the time)…..and Gabby is here and I really want to help…..all went through my mind.
Great, I’ll shout out to see if I can help, thinking maybe it would already be covered (pigs might fly), but then it hit me... so I made the offer
Show weekend
Friday 4pm The lovely Jules and Andy offered to drive me down with them and the very handsome Barclay. At least I knew 2 people and a dog! Who else was going?
Jules gave me a run down: 10 bodies for 2 days (one of those a show virgin) and all the dog shows to run and judge, the rescue stall to run and also the amazing new “Dog Obstacle Tombola”. Forgot to mention that setting up all the stalls and obstacle course and laying out all the
stock is also the responsibility of the same people.
7:00 PMarrive Newbury...dump stuff and head to pub for dinner, beer and a chat with my travel companions.
Oh my god, it’s 1 AM.....SLEEP
Saturday 8 AM And we are off (Oh god what had I done) During the previous evenings conviviality I had been told that, not only was I helping with the dog show, but I was JUDGING too.
9:00 AM The public start arriving...loadsa pups and their humans and it seems like they’ve all made a beeline to the dog show registration where my team mates were showing me the ropes.
12:30 First of the dog shows...such fun, walking around, fussing pups, talking to their owners and children.
15:45 Last show of the day...the end is in sight, pups have won, lots of chatting, rosettes have been given and now it’s time to start winding down.
17:00 Back to the Travelodge, shower, power nap relax….. for some a few beers and a laugh over dinner.
Day 2 is a repeat except the stall has to be broken down, vans loaded and a drive home.
My thoughts... It would be so much easier if the day could be split up into teams/sessions, but that needs US, the supporters of the rescue and our fabulous Boxer pups, to step up to the plate and offer our time and bodies.
WOULD I DO IT ALL AGAIN.....hell yes! I was made to feel so welcome, I left Newbury feeling part of a fabulous team, had a fabulous time with all the pups and laughed a lot.
Mark’s full storey and more photos will soon be available in this year’s newsletter; fancy joining us..?