50th Anniversary Fun Day 2014
The Norfolk and Norwich Terrier Fun Day on August 23rd was another excellent event organised by the club. The weather was perfect, except for a 5 minute shower just before the Baginton Bullet took place. Extra special events were organised to celebrate our 50th Anniversary, including a demonstration of canine massage by Gemma Dorman and club member Sarah Brown giving an explanation and demonstration of the KC Good Citizen Dog Scheme. Sarah, later on in the day, held tests for the Bronze Award in the KCGC scheme which 11 Norfolks and 1 Lhasa Apso passed. Isobel West, a new Junior member of the Club, gave a demonstration of Heelwork to Music. With Norfolks passing the KCGC and taking part in Heelwork to Music, it shows that with patience, Norfolks can be trained!
Patsy Green made a lovely 50 year Celebration cake which was cut at lunch time and enjoyed by the many people present although our secretary was very sad to have missed out on the cake as nobody took her any and she was working very hard! Heather Campbell made the most lovely cupcakes, with an edible Norfolk as part of the decoration on top. It does not take long to eat a cake but hours of preparation go into the making and icing, thank you Patsy and Heather.
Even with no cake our secretary, Gail Simpson, was the life and soul of the day. As well as doing nearly all of the organising prior to the event she was a most excellent ring steward, together with Martyn Howes, and kept the day running along extremely smoothly. Beverley Ackling, Ruth Gee and Harry New were busy in the entries tent, Fiona Macartney and Linda Philip had made up bags of goodies for all the entrants, I went round with a quiz, which only 4 people got 100% right. The question which caught out most people was ‘what are two of the permitted colours of a Labrador Retriever’. It is surprising (or not) how many put Golden, when the correct answer is ‘yellow’. There were two new perpetual trophies on offer, one for Best Junior Handler and one for Best Sausage Catcher. These two classes were special to the late, still much missed, Jon Rudkin. Last year items given to Gail from Jon’s collection of memorabilia were offered to people in return for a donation and it was from these donations that the two trophies were purchased. I am sure Jon would have been pleased. Ian Nicholls did a ‘head count’ to gauge how many people attended and at 11am there were 60 people and 40 cars and by midday there were 110 people and 60 cars. This is an excellent turnout for both Norfolk and Norwich Terriers.
I went round handing out the Breed Health Survey forms and at the same time asking people if they were members of the club because all members were sent a survey at the beginning of the year, with their Spring newsletter. A number people were surprised as they had no idea that the club is conducting a health survey, many were not members of the club and so had not received a form. Quite a few forms were handed out so there should be a flurry of returns. People had travelled a long way to come to the event. One couple who filled in a membership application on the day had come all the way from Durham with their caravan.
Diana and Andy Churchill were kept extremely busy in the kitchen – the queue did not seem to go down for hours. Joan Simpson and Cherry Stones went round with the raffle which raised the grand sum of £245. Joan also manned the table where there was a ‘guess who’ competition. All the officers and committee had been asked to submit a photo of themselves both as a child and as an adult and people were asked to match them up. It is surprising how hard this was. Fiona Macartney, Ruth Gee and Andre Hess were busy with their cameras and their photographs are con the website, below, and they will be in the two club newsletters.
Gina and Dorothy Dorkins had the stand looking lovely as usual and there were plenty of items for sale including the 2015 calendar produced by Fiona Macartney. The only down side of the day were the people who did not seem to want to clear up behind their dogs. Later on in the day Ian, Alison Hayes (who has Norwich) and I were giving our dogs a run at the end of the field and Alison picked up two piles of poo which had been left there. This is almost unbelievable at a club event and such a shame as the venue organiser could stop us from booking future events if people fail to clean up. We all volunteer our time for the benefit of the members who attend, so it is such a pity when some people do not behave in a responsible manner.
If you have never been to a fun day before please try to come along on 29th August 2015. You, your friends and all well behaved dogs are welcome.
Beverley Watkins
2014 Fun Day Results: