TLRT Publicity - Area Fun Day - Oak Tree 2009
AREA A's 11th ANNUAL FUN DAY & DOG SHOW - 6th SEPT 2009
After 10 years at Cheddar on the first Saturday in September, this year we changed time and venue to the first Sunday in September at the Oak Tree Speedway Stadium just off the A38 and Junction 22 of the M5, at Brent Knoll. Both changes proved successful with visitors telling us how much easier the new site was to access and how much more convenient it was to hold the event on a Sunday (except for one potential home waiting who've since received a dog: the new vicar of nearby Brent Knoll, East Brent and Lympsham who, inexplicably, was otherwise engaged on that day).
The weather was kind and, as usual, Ron and Shirley Smith came all the way from Northants to man the merchandise stand. We ran 2 tombolas, a splendid raffle, plants, cakes and preserves, dog food and organic doggie treats stalls with drinks, meals and snacks available in the adjoining stadium bar. Nicky Pearce ran a bric-a-brac stall with donated items that she sells for us at boot fairs, at which she's raised over £1000 (£725 so far this year alone). We had 10 classes in the dog show, all sponsored, a fun scurry, parade of rescue labradors, sausage racing and catching games, doggy lucky dip and golf games; as well as an excellent Obedience Demonstration by Little Orchard Dog Training Academy, to which most of our labs seemed determinedly indifferent! A professional photographer was kept busy with pet portraits inside our own 20 x 40ft marquee, erected on site the afternoon before, along with various instant shelters, thanks to some willing and, more or less able-bodied helpers. (Our marquee and shelters are, by the way, available for hire within a reasonable radius of Bridgwater when not in use at shows.)
The fun dog show classes were ably judged by local vets Jo Wagstaff (one of our Board members) and her husband David Kemp, though as the principle winners' pictures reveal, they did rather favour the black dogs - albeit very discerning of them in the writer's humble opinion! Winners were as follows:
Waggiest tail - Willow Jones; Cutest Puppy - Lewi Gooda; Junior handler - Max Fitzgerald; TLRT Dog - Fred Dorrell; TLRT Bitch - Jazz Filmer (fix!); TLRT Veteran - Harry Malim (another fix as he's the Judge's patient); Family Group - Sasha and Daisy King; Irish Brace (oddest pair) - Harry and Tilly Hardcastle (an English Bull Terrier and a rough-haired Jack Russell); Best Any Breed - Floyd Smith (BeardieX); Best in Show - Jazz Filmer (I give up!) Scurry Winner - Quince Smith (a Lab, though second and third were Goldie and Springer respectively and only 2 points separated the first 6, some of the places having to be awarded on times.) Prizes and rosettes went to the first 5 in all classes, including the scurry.
But at least the yellow and chocolate dogs enjoyed the games, especially the lucky dip. Would you believe that, only a couple of months previously, Luke, the dog pictured whose about 10, had been found tied up all night in the rain outside a supermarket, completely bald from the neck back with a terrible flea allergy, haematomas in both ears, wasted back legs and nails so long he could barely walk? Thanks to immediate surgery, to drain and button the ears, a course of Stronghold, nail clipping, a good diet supplemented with Omega 3 Oil and regular Malaseb baths whilst in foster with Elaine Guest, he's now been transformed into the most delightful and loving companion. Now permanently rehomed, he's just a little fur still left to grow back on top of his tail. Thanks Elaine!
Here's Luke (featured enjoying himself in the Lucky Dip at the Somerset Show) when he first came into rescue in August 2009 - it's hard to believe it is the same dog just a month or so later after some TLC in his foster home.
Many thanks to all our helpers and sponsors too numerous to mention and for the donations from many who couldn't attend. S ee you all next year, same time (first Sunday in Sept) and place. Put it in the diary NOW! Oh, yes, we netted about £2500 for the day. Let's make it even more in 2010.
Dick Pratt
