What happened at RtB'07|?
On the day before, some attendees started out from far afield - and arrived in the area in local camp sites, B&Bs, and hotels. The furthest drove over 180 miles to get there.
Saturday 9th June 2007
9:00 Volunteer walkers started arriving at the Hersham kennels 60 miles away to collect their assigned homess hounds, then heading-off for the beach
9:30 Cars and hounds started arriving at the beach. Initially a trickle,
building to a flood as the Hersham cars appeared from 10:30. The
check-in desk got busier and busier as everyone collected their
welcome packs and a goodie bag for each hound before heading
off to the East Head beach area
11:15 By now the line of hounds and people at the water's edge went from horizon to horizion - what a sight! Volunteers carried the boxes of prizes down to
the beach, it was out with the loud hailer, and start gathering for games.
We didn't register entrants and take details, just asked hounds to come
forward when we announced a game (casual but a bit chaotic...)
11:30 Then the competitions started at the water's edge....
11:30 Prettiest bather (4-legged variety) - what glamorous girls!;
11:40 Most stupidly dressed hound (for the occasion) - poor embarassed hounds...;
11:50 Most dignified "greybeard“ - sanity returns;
12:00 Barest bum (on 4 legs) - sanity evaporates;
12:10 Furthest from home - wow, and we thought St Albans was far!.
12:20 Next, it was time for the games:
12:20 Junior Bonio & spoon (with hound) - with adult heat added.....;
12:30 Deepest wading hound - spectacular, as some thought it meant furthest out...;
12:40 Fastest hound (with owner/walker attached) over 100 yards. Aaaaaaargh!
13:00 Finally, the group photo (what a sight - see Welcome page!!)
13:30 With too little time to gather breath or grab a sandwich, the
volunteer walkers had to start departing for Hersham with their kennel
hounds. Meanwhile everyone else spread out: some back to the beach,
some to walkies, and many back to the car park field for a slow lunch in
the shade. By now hounds were getting cooling wet towels draped over
them, and some got refreshing fresh water showers...;
15:00 By mid-afternoon lots of exhausted hounds were arriving back back at Hersham - to be fed, paddocked and tucked in for the night before the kennel staff left;
16:00 By now the car park was thinning out, but there were a few hounds to be seen sleeping in the shade of cars. The beach too was almost empty - except here and there a hound could be seen splashing in the shallows.....
