Saturday 3rd July 2004 saw yet another Biggin Hill Festival with all the colour, excitement and rain that an English summer's day can bring.

Volunteers from the club started arriving as early as 12:00 in order to get a good parking space and start setting up the equipment as soon as David Scott arrived with the van loaded with jumps, tunnels, weave poles and a tyre for good measure.

The course had been pre-planned and did not take long to set up. It consisted of two horse shoe shaped circuits for the dogs to run off against each other.

The weather in the build up to the opening of the Festival was very threatening. At 12:50 precisely the clouds opened and dumped a load of wet stuff on the whole event and everyone took shelter in the few marquees dotted around the showground.

After only five minutes we were back out in the main arena getting dogs sorted into the correct running order.

Owners had pre-written details of their dogs onto index cards for Darryl to read out as the dogs were paraded around the perimeter of the arena. Details were to include handler's name, dog's name, age and brief history.

Then some of the handlers took their dogs over three jumps to show their skills The dogs were of varying age and ability, even deaf old 'Foster' was up for a run with David. Still the rain held off.

Then it was competition time before the next shower arrived...

Owners and dogs were arranged in groups for a knock out competition so that each dog ran off against one of similar ability. From then on twenty two became eight, then four and finally down to the last pair for the final which was won by Becky with Sam. Judging was by Mac Card whilst Darryl gave a running commentary. Unfortunately, due to a mistake at the DJ booth, the P.A. system was playing through the wrong speakers. With two other events happening at the same time, the sound got a bit confusing and spectator numbers were split between the three events. However everybody soldiered on and presented a good competent show that anyone would be proud to be a part of.

After a team photo many of the handlers had to go off to a show that they were competing in elsewhere. Well done and thank you to all who turned up on day that could have been spent sitting at home by a warm log fire !

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