For all mushers, the onset of another spring heralds the end of one more race season and this seasons last rally held on the 23/24th March was held at Grizedale in the Lake District. There was a good turn out for this venue that is normally held in November, but was rescheduled due to the recent foot and mouth epidemic that badly affected the whole of Cumbria.

At any rally after consideration to the trail, the weather, (for which none of us can be held accountable) has to be the dominant factor when considering our dog’s welfare. This was to be the case on the Saturday of the event.

At the start and finish area, which was surrounded by trees, the morning began well. The temperature was hovering just below 10°deg’s, as the rally got underway. No sooner had we started racing. The sun made an appearance, and out on the B&C trail where extensive tree clearance left little or no shade. The sun was starting to take effect this coupled with the fact that there was no wind meant that around this part of the circuit the temperature would soon to become intolerable for those teams out later in the day.

Because the B class had run and the C class had started. I made the decision to abandon the racing for the rest of the day. I called everyone together for a meeting during the interval and suggested that we resume again with an earlier start time on Sunday, making it a one day rally for the E & D classes and a two day rally for the B & C classes. I would also reverse the race order with D class going out first followed by E C & B. I asked for a show of hands for this proposal, which was carried, and so quite abruptly racing ended that Saturday morning. The majority of people stayed around the site for awhile waking their teams rather than running. The others used the opportunity to look around the Ambleside, Hawkshead shops.

Sunday morning began much cooler and overcast, teams began to arrive and it was then that a computer error made by yours truly on four teams start time was spotted this left me just enough time to rewrite start and finish sheet for the Sunday’s race. It was during this time that to my assistance came the indomitable Mrs Robinson, she rounded up the timekeepers, marshals and snubbers prior to the start. With these people in place, the race got underway and was completed without anymore panic.

I would like to really thank everyone for once again supporting this event and extend my thanks to the people who helped with the obligatory jobs over the weekend next to the dogs you were the stars.

Author: Alan Worsley