Laura and I had been planning to head over to Luxembourg since November, last year, I think to compete in a show called Agility by Night. It's pretty much what it says on the tin. Competing starts at about 6pm and finishes at 2.30am ish.
We left Friday morning at 3.15am and headed down to the Eurotunnel. As soon as we got on, Laura and I took the first opportunity we could get to sleep! Even if it was for just half an hour!! We only stopped twice I think which was very short, and just enough time to let the dogs out for a stretch and also so that we could also nip to the toilet. At about 11.30 we had already driven through 4 countries... England, France, Belgium & Luxembourg. We arrived in Bettembourg at about 12 however, didn't actually get into the venue until about 1pm as we had been driving up and down, through the village and past the venue for an hour!! Jana had told us to look out for the sign that said dog show. Laura and I took that in the literal sense and didn't even think that it would be in German... until my year 8 German skills of remember 'hund' meant dog. We eventually managed to find everyone.
In comparison to shows over here, it was such a small show but sooo laid back but still very structured and well organised. Camping was where ever you wanted to camp and however big you wanted your pitch. If only it was like that here in England!
Our first run wasat 6pm I think.... To put it bluntly.... we did crap hahaha!! Pie jumped wrong way of number 1 and it just went from bad to worse!! Unfortunately Rod was freaked out by the loud music and PA system all weekend. Bless him. After doing our runs and watching everyone else's from 'our camp' we headed to bed at about 3.30am!! It may have been even later, but I just remember saying to everyone that we had been up for 24 hours urgghh!! The nights over there were very cold, and probably colder than here, but then during the day it was BOILING! We were staying in a tent (I know, I couldn't believe it either!) all weekend and as the tent got rather hot in the morning we were up bright and early for a shower at about 11.
We all headed off to the lake which wasn't far from the show at all, however, we ended up being an hour walking around, trying to find a safe and suitable place to swim and for the dogs to get in too. We were unsuccessful and headed back!
I had nearly recovered from the lack of sleep until everyone started whipping out random drinks for Laura and I to share. Soo many included sugar sachets or sticks and then washing it down with Vodka. The taste seemed quite pleasant although Lucas decided that helping me drink the vodka quicker by pushing the cup into my face, would help. It didn't. It just ended up running down my chin!! It got rather messy with us discovering the amazing cocktail bar too!! I think it should be a rule that there should be one at ALL shows haha! I ran my last run veeeery drunk and was quite surprised that i didn't fall over, although Pie did completely crash into a jump - thankfully he was ok though! Laura was a loser and went to bed at about 2am, which was early considering Jana, Lucas, Paul and I were dancing, singing, drinking, talking until 4/5!
Oh... I must mention a few things. On Saturday afternoon Paul came into the caravan garden and went to sit on his chair. It broke and he fell completely through it! I've never laughed so much - it was brilliant. He then went on to take his anger out with the chair by literally smashing it and throwing it about. I think it made him feel a little better. He did say that he hated it!
On Sunday afternoon, Laura and I went for a little nap in Jana's tent. Here is Laura's description of what happened.
"Lucy and I decided to try for a power nap in Jana's tent. Something moved under Lucy (I had already told her, I had felt something the night before) I left the tent and was talking on my pho...ne in the van, she then came and told me she wasn't going back in the tent cos she thinks there is something under her. She had gone mad and started hitting the ground with her shoe when she was in there. Later on, Jana picked up the ground sheet to see what was under there, there was lots of little run ways and a dead mouse. Lucy had killed it! I pretended to pick it up and throw it at Lucas... he got scared and started screaming like a 5 year old school girl... very very funny."
I still laugh when thinking about both of those!!
Neither of us made the final however Pie did manage to win a jumping class on Sunday. It was the day of the final and there was one jumping class for everyone that was split by the handler's age!! So Pie and I won the under 50s, which then meant we got an extra run against the winner of the large over 50s, who went on to beat us because Pie flew past 2 jumps oooooops!!
I had such a great weekend and meet some fantastic people. Everyone was so friendly and their English was amazing. It must of been hard to understand Laura and I, as our English (well mainly Laura's) isn't good at the best of times!
Thanks guys for a great weekend, see you in October and definitely next year for Thames!!
I'll upload the videos once Laura has popped them onto YouTube.
L x
We left Friday morning at 3.15am and headed down to the Eurotunnel. As soon as we got on, Laura and I took the first opportunity we could get to sleep! Even if it was for just half an hour!! We only stopped twice I think which was very short, and just enough time to let the dogs out for a stretch and also so that we could also nip to the toilet. At about 11.30 we had already driven through 4 countries... England, France, Belgium & Luxembourg. We arrived in Bettembourg at about 12 however, didn't actually get into the venue until about 1pm as we had been driving up and down, through the village and past the venue for an hour!! Jana had told us to look out for the sign that said dog show. Laura and I took that in the literal sense and didn't even think that it would be in German... until my year 8 German skills of remember 'hund' meant dog. We eventually managed to find everyone.
In comparison to shows over here, it was such a small show but sooo laid back but still very structured and well organised. Camping was where ever you wanted to camp and however big you wanted your pitch. If only it was like that here in England!
Our first run wasat 6pm I think.... To put it bluntly.... we did crap hahaha!! Pie jumped wrong way of number 1 and it just went from bad to worse!! Unfortunately Rod was freaked out by the loud music and PA system all weekend. Bless him. After doing our runs and watching everyone else's from 'our camp' we headed to bed at about 3.30am!! It may have been even later, but I just remember saying to everyone that we had been up for 24 hours urgghh!! The nights over there were very cold, and probably colder than here, but then during the day it was BOILING! We were staying in a tent (I know, I couldn't believe it either!) all weekend and as the tent got rather hot in the morning we were up bright and early for a shower at about 11.
We all headed off to the lake which wasn't far from the show at all, however, we ended up being an hour walking around, trying to find a safe and suitable place to swim and for the dogs to get in too. We were unsuccessful and headed back!
I had nearly recovered from the lack of sleep until everyone started whipping out random drinks for Laura and I to share. Soo many included sugar sachets or sticks and then washing it down with Vodka. The taste seemed quite pleasant although Lucas decided that helping me drink the vodka quicker by pushing the cup into my face, would help. It didn't. It just ended up running down my chin!! It got rather messy with us discovering the amazing cocktail bar too!! I think it should be a rule that there should be one at ALL shows haha! I ran my last run veeeery drunk and was quite surprised that i didn't fall over, although Pie did completely crash into a jump - thankfully he was ok though! Laura was a loser and went to bed at about 2am, which was early considering Jana, Lucas, Paul and I were dancing, singing, drinking, talking until 4/5!
Oh... I must mention a few things. On Saturday afternoon Paul came into the caravan garden and went to sit on his chair. It broke and he fell completely through it! I've never laughed so much - it was brilliant. He then went on to take his anger out with the chair by literally smashing it and throwing it about. I think it made him feel a little better. He did say that he hated it!
On Sunday afternoon, Laura and I went for a little nap in Jana's tent. Here is Laura's description of what happened.
"Lucy and I decided to try for a power nap in Jana's tent. Something moved under Lucy (I had already told her, I had felt something the night before) I left the tent and was talking on my pho...ne in the van, she then came and told me she wasn't going back in the tent cos she thinks there is something under her. She had gone mad and started hitting the ground with her shoe when she was in there. Later on, Jana picked up the ground sheet to see what was under there, there was lots of little run ways and a dead mouse. Lucy had killed it! I pretended to pick it up and throw it at Lucas... he got scared and started screaming like a 5 year old school girl... very very funny."
I still laugh when thinking about both of those!!
Neither of us made the final however Pie did manage to win a jumping class on Sunday. It was the day of the final and there was one jumping class for everyone that was split by the handler's age!! So Pie and I won the under 50s, which then meant we got an extra run against the winner of the large over 50s, who went on to beat us because Pie flew past 2 jumps oooooops!!
I had such a great weekend and meet some fantastic people. Everyone was so friendly and their English was amazing. It must of been hard to understand Laura and I, as our English (well mainly Laura's) isn't good at the best of times!
Thanks guys for a great weekend, see you in October and definitely next year for Thames!!
I'll upload the videos once Laura has popped them onto YouTube.
L x
