WHAT'S NEW

Whenever we change ANYTHING on the website, we note the fact on this page, so if you want to be informed when ANYTHING changes on the website, use this link: -

Following discussions with the new staff at LAA, we should now be appearing at the Leicester Animal Aid Family Fun Day on August 10th at the LAA Kennels near Huncote, Leicester. If you'd like to support this worthy establishment, please contact Malcolm.
Also on the calendar is the Working Cart Course competition at the Southern Club's Fun & Working Weekend, held as usual at the Blue Ship, The Haven, near Billingshurst in Sussex. The cart Course will be on the Saturday (July 26th)- not sure who's judging it yet though.

Another possible event is the Village fete at East Ruston in Norfolk This is a fund raiser for the local school, to which we were only invited less than a week ago. Our presence is not guaranteed yet, as we're still negotiating with our local supporters, and in any case, the turnout will probably only be one Bernese and cart (hopefully, Dylan) and a Leonberger and cart (thanks Buck).

Two more events from Linda - Much Marcle Steam Rally on 19th & 20th July and Hanbury Steam Rally on 13th & 14th September. if you want to go Let Linda know.

On June 14th the Ashby Magna Festival of Dogs has been added. This is a sort of glorified local dog show with some other attractions thrown in - one of which is us.... There are only likely to be a few Local Leicestershire Louts going - Us, Malc, Debbie - the usual suspects...! Let Pete know if you want to join them.
On June 21st is the Roald Dahl Family Fun afternoon at Great Missenden Let Pete know if you want to go, and the following day, June 22nd is the Lark in the Park at Market Bosworth in Leicestershire (a mile or so from the battlefield of the same name)- if you want to go, please let Kay know ASAP.
Two more of Linda's events - on June 14th & 15th is the Annual Vintage Gathering at Astwood Bank near Redditch, Worcs. and from the 20th to the 22nd is the Lister Tyndale Steam Rally at Berkely Castle Showground in Glos. Once again, Contact Linda for these.
Then on July 5th & 6th is the ever popular Hollowell Steam & Heavy Horse Show, just outside Guilsborough village in Northants. As usual, Contact Pete for this one.
It's the end of August, so it must be - yes - the Great Dorset Steam Fair and this year, it's the 40th Anniversary Spectacular. Places are probably very limited, but as before, Linda is the person to speak to.
Also co-inciding with the last weekend in August is the South East & Anglia Leonberger Society's annual shindig, with a barbeque, quiz (who says cheats don't prosper...), and lots of things to do with your dog - yes, the Big Active Dogs (B.A.D.) Weekend, on 30th & 31st August at Stonham Barns near Stowmarket, Suffolk. Lee & Lesley are the people to contact if you want to go.
And, last but not least, for now, is Stapleford Carnival, near Nottingham on September 6th. It's only a small event, but with quite a lot of stalls and attractions, not least of which might be a certain 3 ladies practising their heelwork to music routine while they think no-one's looking! Let Pete know if you'd like to join in (the display at the carnival that is, not the heelwork to music practice).

Some carting course competition dates -
On Saturday July 26th the Cart Course will, as usual be at the Southern Club's Fun and Working Weekend at the Blue Ship, The Haven, near Billingshurst in Sussex. Don't yet know who the judge is this year, though.
On Sunday 13th July the Cart Course will be at the Central BMD Club's Open Show at Belbroughton, near Stourbridge. The judge is Maureen Boutel, so be nice to her if you see her before then. Please note however, that due to sharing a venue with a dog show held under Kennel Club Rules, those not entered in the Open Show, and who haven't entered 'Not For Competition' will be charged £1 per dog entry fee onto the site. Anyone intending to camp or caravan should Let Pete know, so we know how much space needs saving.
There will also be small carting display in the show ring by the Midland Carters at lunchtime. If you want to enter the Open Show or want more information about it, then you'll need to contact the Central Club direct. Open Show entries CLOSED on JUNE 12th.
The GB Club's annual Working Day, complete with Working Cart Course Competition, will be at Sacrewell near Peterborough again on 21st September. Don't forget that the Champ Show is on the Saturday with entertainment on the Saturday night, if you want to make a weekend of it. Unfortunately it also clashes with Newbury (sorry Tim).

On 17th August it's the return of the Ibstock Scouts Carnival at Heather (pronounced "Heeeether" - remember?) once again. If you want to go, please let Kay know in plenty of time, so that she can order the right number of passes.
And last, but by no means least (are you feeling forgotten, down at the back, Tim?) is Newbury Show, at the Newbury Showground down in deepest Berkshire, just off the A34 and M4 on the 20th & 21st September. Tim & Maggie are the ones to contact if you want a jolly weekend down on the downs. (Or should that be 'up on the downs'??

An Important Note For Carters: If you wish to attend an event, particularly one which requires passes, please let the Co-ordinator of the event know in plenty of time, since, while we're all keen to maximise the turnout, it can be difficult to obtain extra passes at the last minute, and the size and location of the pitch allocated to us may well have been based on a smaller turnout, making it difficult to squeeze extra carters in at the last minute, quite apart from the difficulty of getting passes to people at the last minute.
Equally, if, having received passes, you find that you can't attend after all, PLEASE LET THE CO-ORDINATOR KNOW so that spaces are not being held unnecessarily on the pitch or camping area.
Here endeth the sermon!

I've updated our own page to reflect the loss of our lovely old boy, Brig recently. We still need to place Cresta on the TRIBUTES PAGE alongside Jebel, and now Brig as well.
I've also taken the opportunity to update the text.

What will probably be the final donation from funds raised during 2005, £2000 to the Animal Cancer Trust, has been added to the Donations page. This is a fantastic achievement and we're extremely proud of the effort made by Tim & Maggie and everyone else who helped in raising such a huge sum for a very worthwhile cause. WELL DONE!

Distribution of funds raised during 2005

The list of donations which we made to charities and other deserving causes during 2005 has now been added to the donations page. The 2006 donations will be added later this year, once the accounts have been finalised.

A link has been added to a Bike Hire Company in the Dordogne Region of France, should anyone be thinking of holidaying there.

See the information under 'Carting Calendar' at the top of the page regarding the name change from UKLA to SEALS.

A link has been added on the CONFIDENT CANINES page to a website containing links to numerous Dog Clubs and Societies across the country.

A link has been added to a Greater Swiss Mountain Dog site. Do have a look, as it's an opportunity to see our Berners' bigger cousin.

This page was recently overhauled and has been re-named 'LINKS PAGE' instead of its old title, which was 'Carting Links'.
It now includes all the various links from all over the website, arranged by category, with a useful index at the top (well I think it's useful anyway...!) and interspersed throughout with links back to the index at the top.

Also added to both this page and the Home Page is a link to the new Central Bernese Mountain Dog Club Website

For those in the Leics / Coventry area who are interested in Clicker Training Classes, don't miss the link to -

Old News Retained for information

Those seeking more information on Bernese in general will find a link on the Homepage to the BBA website.

The CARTING TRIBUTES page is still awaiting an update to include several of our carting friends, to whom we've all had to say goodbye over the last couple of years. We hope to be able to complete this before too long as soon as I can find the time.

Dog & Carting Photographs	More Photographs
Carting Calendar	Two Carting Video Clips
Contents	Not in Use at present