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as the changes were almost daily and we had result that we had to do the round trip without
to take into consideration not just the prevailing turning the engine off, which posed a problem
situation in the UK and Germany, but also any at any comfort stops! But, again, we had a full
other countries that would be on the route. tank which was enough for the round trip, so
None of us could afford to fall foul of some local the only casualty was the poor chap at Fleet
legislation and end up having to quarantine or, services, where we had stopped for a pee, who
worse still, actually get stuck somewhere! was in need of a jump start, and I felt awful
explaining to him that, with a Ford Transit you
When it came to the beginning of July, there
can only open the bonnet with the ignition key,
were some developments that were positive
which involves turning off the engine, something
and seemed to indicate that the Germany run
I wasn’t prepared to do. I’m not sure if he
could actually be a goer. All of the entry and exit
believed me, but I was pleased to see that he
requirements for the UK seemed to be OK, and
did find someone else to help!
it was the same for both Germany and France,
through which the puppy owners would have to So, apart from the broken van, lady luck was
travel. again on our side, and we managed to get the
last of the pups off to his new home.
The plan was for us to leave home at around
6am for the 5 hour drive to Folkestone. They But only just. A few days later, things started
would leave home in Germany at the same kicking off again in France with strict quarantine
time to pick up the Shuttle at Calais to get them rules being introduced, and the journey would
to Folkestone at a time that would match our have been that much harder, possibly even
arrival time. Friends of ours, who own a dog- impossible, as a result.
walking field a relatively short drive from the
So, here we are, six months into this weird set
Channel Tunnel terminal, had given us access
of circumstances, and we look back at these
to the field, which was off the road, private
events and still find the whole thing bizarre,
and considerably better than the rather seedy
dream-like. Did they really happen?
option of meeting in a service area car park or
something. But they did. And it seems there is more to
come.
It all ran smoothly. Well, it did if you ignore the
fact that our van decided to play up just 12 2020 is going to be a year without dog shows.
miles into the journey with an electrical issue And who knows if 2021 is going to be any
that knocked the starter motor out, with the different? A year without dog shows has meant
a year without seeing a huge number of people
that we would normally see on a regular basis.
And we miss some of them! On the plus side,
we have saved a fortune in diesel and my end-
of-year show award spreadsheets are going to
be a doddle to complete!
But, in the great scheme of things, is it that
important? While I have felt disappointed to
have been denied my hobby, and I feel sorry
of the many societies suffering losses, and the
judges missing appointments (especially those
The M5 as never seen before. that were proudly looking forward to awarding
With apologies for the fly-splattered CC’s for the first time), it is just that. A hobby.
windscreen!
There are bigger things going on in the world.
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K9 NEWS DIGITAL / OCTOBER 2020
