Thursday 13th November - a relaxing day!

The Team met a breakfast for their first day in Stuttgart all together!  First call was to be at the Open European Venue where a Press Conference had been called and as one of the first teams on site Team GBR had been invited to attend.
It was the start of a strange day - the theme was "Where are We?"
They all travelled to the venue with instructions as to where to go - unfortunately the instructions didn't fit in with any of the maps or roads they found so they arrived just a little late - but so did the Press!!!   A maze of a Conference Centre - a complex similar to the NEC but much more open and inviting.  Take a look here.

 Being invited to the Press Conference had its advantages as the team could unload their dog cages and dress their area where they would be stationed for the next few days.

The huge ring as seen from the Quiet Dog Zone.

The Ring where the competition would be held was beautiful with a glass back drop with cascading fountain. The audience would be on three sides of the 25m x 20m arena - one long side being tiered seating and the judges positioned very closely to each other in front of the seating.  The warm up area and quiet Dog Zone was on the next floor up with a balcony to look over to watch the competition.  Perfect.  With either a lift or stairs to move between warm up and competition - everything had been extremely well thought out with the Health and Safety of the dogs paramount in their arrangements.

View from the top of the Tiered Seating

And a view from the judges' tables.

Christina and Eze

Christina and Eze

 After the Press Conference, the Team arrived back at the hotel for an afternoon of steady walks or relaxation.  Lucy and Rob set off and found a beautiful walk with a lake.

However, Nicci, Kath, Helen, Lesley and Penny went a slightly longer walk - and not intentionally!!   

What a lovely walk - but even though they had a plan as to where they would go - all the paths on the way back looked very similar - leading to 4 hours later a rescue mission being made by David and Rob with Lucy at Base Camp (the hotel).  

Thank goodness there were enough clues to give the two rescuers a chance of finding them - just before darkness fell!

That evening, the Team made their way to Cafe Del Sol for a great meal out - a bit noisy but good food and a truly relaxing and fun night.

 OK - who was the main photographer???  As Allan had stayed at home looking after Karen's dogs, David stepped up to the mark along with everyone else!!

What huge platefuls of food - and some managed a pudding too!!!!  But after all the walking that had been done that day, it was well deserved!