Open European Championships 2014: David Hardman

Monday, 17 November 2014

Monday 17th November - Travel Home Day and Celebratory Meal!!!

The journey started early - well after a hearty breakfast! The Team said Goodbye to each other and then set off on the long drive to Calais.

Photo from Lorraine Rohland travelling with Christina

Rain, sun, wind - not the best of driving conditions but with three drivers and 2 hour sessions the bus carrying the majority of the Team set off.

This was closely followed by Christina and then Lucy and Rob Creek. They had booked Eurotunnel times pretty close together knowing that if they arrived anything under two hours early there was a chance of catching an earlier shuttle if there was space for their vehicles.

At Eurotunnel the Top Lodge Bus passengers met with Rob and Lucy who had made good time in the drive from Stuttgart.

Into Passport Control where the dogs were scanned
and the microchip numbers checked against each passport.

All the paperwork in order and time for
Denby, Amber and Spice to pose for a photo!

Closely followed by Tedi, Dewy, Hamish, Nala and Maia.

Maia ready to board!

Happy Lucy as her Pet Passports have been accepted

Teasel and Skiffle ready to board.

Nala ready to board.

Many many thanks to Eurotunnel for supporting HTM Team GBR on this trip
- enabling the dogs to travel on the shuttle.

Back home late at night but already great reminders of the competition.
This is a short video featured on German TV

The Team met the following Sunday for a Celebratory meal - unfortunately Carol Mortimer, Allan Eves and Dylan couldn't make the drive but a toast to Louth & District Dog Club was made during the meal.

Ready to order!!!

Table for 16 please!!!

Lovely area prebooked for the Team and supporters

Denby's menu!!!!!! :-)

The HTM TEAM GBR
Nicci Hindson, Kath Hardman, Helen Dennis and Lucy Creek

THE FREESTYLE TEAM GBR
Nicci Hindson, Kath Hardman, Lucy Creek, Lesley Neville and Christina Oxtoby

The Full HTM TEAM GBR
Karen Sykes (HTM Team Captain), Nicci HIndson, Kath Hardman (Team Manager in Germany), Lucy Creek, Lesley Neville (FS Team Captain), Christina Oxtoby and Helen Dennis

Supporters - David Hardman, Rob Creek, Allan Brown, Lorraine Rohland, Penny Hudson and Roger Neville

Thanks David Oxtoby for this super photo.

Thanks once again to our Sponsors: Eurotunnel, CSJ Dog Foods, Directline, Canine Freestyle GB and Louth & District Dog Club. Thanks to Crazydogs for the uniforms and to everyone who helped raise the funds needed for the entries, accommodation and travel. The team is very grateful.

Teasel cosy in her new bed brought home from Germany
Night Night

Saturday, 15 November 2014

Friday 14th November - Practice Day

Another early start - the Practice sessions had been notified to all the participating countries and Great Britain was in poll position starting at 08:15 until 09:15.

Nicci and Nala

This would be the Team's times for all their competitors so a rota was worked out to make the ring available for each team player and Karen with finger on the stop watch!

Lucy and Skiffle

Christina and Eze

Kath and Amber

Spice - Practising alone!!!

Thank you Dagmar Blariaux for these Practice Session Photos.

The hour was nearly over, but there was a little overrun time
when all the handlers could all go into the ring

After the Great Britain practice session all the other countries would be visiting the venue for their allocated hour - the practice sessions would not finish till 18:45!

The Team made their way back to the hotel where they had arranged to meet in the Bar to exchange Good Luck cards and presents.
Unfortunately - the bar was not open - but the foyer was available!

A unusual "selfie" by David Hardman who took all these photos - Thank you!

So many Good Luck wishes from all the Team's supporters. THANK YOU!

And Attila one of the five judges, dropped by to say Good Luck too!

It would soon be time to return to the OEC Venue - but some of the Team decided there was time for a safe walk to an area of the woods where they had been lost the day before!!