The Midlands Borderfest team have been busy with their fundraising for Border Terrier Welfare, with amazing support this year from so many to make it a huge success. Finally able to meet in person, after the challenge of the pandemic preventing this in the last couple of years, it was really lovely to that so many were able to safely gather at their camping weekend again.
Over to Anne Speake, who gives her report on behalf of the team . . .
Online Dog Show
This was part of our annual event, with classes for Border terriers, all the av groups and some fun/novelty classes. Our special thanks to our judges Paul Wilson (Huntaway) Border terriers, JoAnn Golabiewski Shaw for the Novelty classes and to Jacky Cutler (Lankeela) for the AV groups, along with our Best in Show judge Richard Kinsey (Kitarn) found his winner from the Best AV class.
Show Winners:
Best in Show & Best AV Class - Carole Dean's Jack Russell terrier Olive Mindlen Deoiridh at Cedarhill
Reserve best in show was Craig Dixon who had won Best Border terrier with Thornheswin Huntress
Best Puppy in Show was Craig Dixon Border Terrier puppy Thornheswin Northern Lass
Best Veteran in show was Carole Dean's Border Terrier CH/AM/CAN CH Cedarhill Beyond the Stars JW
Best Novelty in show was Sue Cummings Border Terrier Harry who was a rescue & won from the Rainbow Bridge class.
There were 47 classes with classes for everyone to enter and with over 2,774 entries, what a huge job it was judging all those lovely entries. My thanks to Sue Bland for taking the entries and to Justine at dogshowdiva Rosettes/Escarapelas for making our beautiful rosettes and donating the Best in show one. Our final total raised from the dog show was £1,224, so a big thank you to all who entered.
Online Raffle
Once again this was very popular and I'd like to thank Julie Cully for the ticket allocation/sales, it's a big job the allocation of the tickets. But I must also say a very big thank you to all our wonderful sponsors who donated such wonderful prizes every year for this raffle, without you we couldn't do the raffle.
A big thank you to all who bought tickets, we raised in total for the online raffle £2,464.64.
Borderfest Camping Weekend
Our in person event went ahead on the weekend of the 13th-15th May at our usual venue of Kingsbury water park camping and caravan site. We had over 35 units camping with us in caravans, campers and tents.
We had a ginfest afternoon on Friday in tribute to our Borderfest friend Gill Skinner, who started the ginfest and who sadly passed away recently. In the evening we had a meet and greet, cheese and wine, where we got to meet new members that had joined us for the weekend, it was lovely to see our friends and make new ones.
Saturday was a glorious day weather wise and our day visitors came to the event, where there were raffles, refreshments tea/coffee and home made cakes, bottle stall and various other stalls, followed by an auction done by Richard, we did the draw for the online raffle live. People brought picnics and it was a lovely day, after this we then went on our annual border walk to the local pub the dog & Doublet, a lovely walk along the canal, to have some light refreshments sitting in the beer garden. With the amount of dogs present, they were all very good, well in the region of over 160 dogs attended either camping or visiting.
Saturday evening saw us having a curry night, with a home made curry made by Dawn and Jim. Catering for over 42 people from a caravan (not an easy task!), it was a lovely way to finish the evening off, together with Phil's larger & beers he makes for the event.
Sunday was a little more relaxed with some of the campers going home, but those that stayed had a lovely Pimms lunch and sat around and chatted. Many of the campers have already booked up for next year already. Next years dates are 12th-14th May.
We made £1,959 on the Saturday, with a small deduction of £37 for expenses.
A fantastic total
Our final total for this year's fundraising for Midlands Borderfest 2022 is £5,610.64 which has been donated to Border Terrier Welfare.
This was a tremendous achievement raising so much given the hard times people are facing with the rise in the cost of living and other challenges.
Anne Speake
Midlands Borderfest
A final word of thanks
Chairman, Tony Wrenn, adds, "On behalf of all in Border Terrier Welfare I send our thanks to everyone who has helped to achieve this absolutely fantastic result, the support of you all is greatly appreciated.It is because of the generosity of all of you that we are able to help the Border Terriers and their owners who need our help.
Our thanks to you all and especially to Anne and all who have contributed to this event."
