This weekend saw a bunch of the NATBs travel to Pembrey for the canicross Midlands 5th weekend of the season. 
Pembrey is a favorite with the club as the course is brilliant and the area beautiful, the beaches perfect for the dogs.

Reports of a well run event as always being fed back and it looks as though fun was had by all. Some great results as always, with Mark setting the course record for all disciplines, well done!

We are truly proud of our members.

Well done all.

Results - 

Bikejor Female - 
Roxi Rose - 3rd place
Emily Thomas - 4th place

Scooter Female - 
Claire Spencer - 1st place
Melanie Sheehan - 3rd place

Scooter Male - 
Mark Mazzucca - 1st place

Canicross Female - 
Lucy Matthews - 1st place
Claire Spencer - 4th place
Roxi Rose - 9th place

2 Dog Female Canicross
Nicole Sheehan - 4th place
Isobel Powys - 5th place

Junior Canicross 8-12 - 
Jonathan Ingram - 1st place

Junior Canicross U8
Elsie Instone - 1st place

Canicross Master male
Alan Sherwin - 5th place

Just to keep everyone up to date on the world of the NATBs we have had a bit of s shuffle in the committee. Emily has decided to step down as Chairman due to work pressures, we are gutted to lose her as our leader but completely understand and we are delighted she is remaining in the club.
The new Chairman voted in is Emma Giles and a Vice Chairman appointed being Petra Broadbelt.

Both are committed members and look forward to taking the club forwards in a positive manner.

​Neither are great bakers though so will be relying on shop bought cakes!!

February's member to meet is one of our original members and one we all admire. Please meet Claire :)

Name: Claire Spencer (aka Dave)
Member since: The beginning ...
No of Dogs: 6
Dog(s) name(s), sex, age(s) and breed(s):
Fagan Irish Setter age 12
Jack and Vinnie Australian Kelpies age 6 & 4
Murph Pointer X age 3
Tinkerbell JRT age 1
Anton Dalmatian X pointer age 5 months
All boys except Princess Tinkerbell

Occupation: Dog Walker and K9 fit club instructor at Kinetic K9s
Lives in: Oakley, Hampshire
Dog sports participated in: canicross, bikejor and scooter

Question 1: How did you start in the sport?
I did my first canicross race in 2007 with my 2 Irish Setters, I was trying to keep them fit for the show ring and agility. 
My first bikejor was in 2009, not long after I had my little girl and wasn't fit enough to run. 
Later when I got the kelpies I wanted to run both of them on wheels so along came the scooter in about 2012!
        
Question 2: Which was the first dog/dogs you raced? 
Fagan and Alfie my Irish Setters were my first canicross and bikejor dogs.
        
Question 3: How did you come to own your dog(s)? 
I grew up showing Afghans, I also had my own little dog, a Bichon Frise. When I moved out of home it took me a year of research before I got Fagan my Irish Setter, 6 months later he was followed by Alfie another Irish Setter who sadly died last year. 
Jack was a rescue, I got him aged 10 months, he was a failed sheepdog. I had always wanted a Kelpie for agility then decided one would possibly be quite good at bikejor, 
I believe he was the first bikejoring kelpie in the UK and is admired by many as he is a truly amazing dog. 
Vinnie was an "accident" went to look at him in the rescue aged 4 months with a view to fostering him and ended up adopting him! 
Murph was another who just "happened" he was a rescue from Greece who's home in the UK didn't work out, he needed an active home and I went to see him, took him on a 2 week trial and he never went back!
Tinkerbell belongs to my 6 year old, she wanted a small dog she could manage easily and canicross, after lots of let downs we found Tinkerbell at the same rescue Vinnie came from, 
it was love at first sight and there was no way Elsie was going home without her! 
Anton is the most recent addition, his rescue and just kept coming up in my Facebook newsfeed and eventually I made a tentative enquiry ... The rest is history!
        
Question 4: Interesting fact about your dogs - 
All except Fagan are rescues, they are a multi lingual bunch, Tinkerbell is from Southern Ireland, Vinnie from Wales, Murph from Greece and Anton from Cyprus.
       
Question 5: Interesting fact about yourself - 
I once spent 3 weeks kyacking on lake Malawi counting hippos.
       
Question 6: Biggest achievement in a race ... 
Over the years we have won many podium places, including ones in national championships and even won some league championships. 
We have completed many races - half marathons, marathons and Brutals included!
I am always so proud of my dogs, their behaviour on course is always impeccable and they always give me 100% effort. 
In "human" races they are great ambassadors for their sport and are often admired. 
       
Question 7: Dogs favourite treats - 
Chicken feet and dried liver .... and trips to the beach !
       
Question 8: Favourite Song .. 
Mr Brightside, The Killers
       
Question 9: Favourite Film ... 
Bridget Jones The Edge of Reason
       
Question 10: Favourite cake .. 
Chocolate

The last weekend saw 2 of our lady members run, on with and one without their dogs!

Claire is an avid Park Runner - this weekend she ran at the Woodley Park run, and came in 2nd place, first female with an impressive time of 19.04. He trusty partner Murph putting in his normal sterling effort.

She features in the Parkrun write up here - http://www.parkrun.org.uk/woodley/news/

Kelly decided to a run called The Grim with her husband Paul, but no dog power!  - this took place in Aldershot and is known to be a tough off road race with obstacles and lots of mud and water, she finished the 8 miles in a time of 1hr and 49 minutes which is fantastic.

Well done ladies :)

​

On Saturday 23rd January 4 lady members of the NATBs decided to take part in 2 different canicross events.

Down South Jenny and Emma took part int the Brutal 10k LongMoor Ladies only event and up North Tracy and Toria took part in the Fidos Forest Frenzy 5k.

The weather was clear and chilly.

The Brutal 10s are seriously hard cross country races with hills, mud, bogs and deep water crossings. You have to be slightly mad to take part.

Both Jenny and Emma fit into this category - Jenny sensibly dropped to 5k on the run as Harvey her short haired pooch was struggling with how cold the water crossing were, pushing the ice out of the way was a bit much!
Emma plodded on being as her double coated mals were relishing the cold, Emma not so much!
Both completed the course is respectable times, Emma actually getting a PB for the brutal series!

The Forest Frenzy was held in Thetford forest and the route followed some nice trails and single tracks, nothing too boggy but a lovely scenic route.
Tracy and Toria completed the course, both sub 30mins and should be rightly proud of themselves and their fur companions.

Well done ladies, good stuff!