Introducing a member(s)! - Vol 6.

June’s members to meet are some of our founder members and the Club Secretary – Maggie Bird, along with her husband and partner in crime Mark Bird 

Name:  Maggie Bird and Mark Bird
Member since: The beginning
No of Dogs:  8
Dog(s) name(s), sex, age(s) and breed(s):
Ruby and Skye are little mates both coming up to eight years old this year and are Siberian Husky cross Alaskan Malamute
Mya and Kai are also litter mates and are Siberian husky, they will be 7 years old this year
Eden is a Siberian husky and is 4 years old
Hector is a Siberian husky and is 4 years old
Basil is a Siberian husky and is 3 years old
Malcolm is 2.5 years old and is supposed to be a Siberian husky, but we think he is also mixed with something else.
Malcolm, Basil and Hector are all rescues

Occupation: Barber/hairdresser and Van Conversion expert (MB Van conversions is a sponsor of the NATBs)

Lives in: In a village called Ludgershall in Wiltshire, only a few miles from the Salisbury Plain

Question 1: How did you start in the sport?
Through training with friends we got into the sport via word of mouth.
        
Question 2: Which was the first dog/dogs you raced? 
My first race was on a scooter with Mya and Kai at a Canix event at Hicks lodge, I went the wrong way and ended up on the mtb course!!
        
Question 3: How did you come to own your dog(s)? 
I came to own my dogs as I always loved animals as a child and owned German Shepherds when I lived at home, I always said that when I was older I would get a Siberian Husky.
My first Siberian Husky was called Travis, and it was him to started all this madness off, but we would not have it any other way, not a day goes past that I don’t think about him, and how he has changed our lives. He lived to ripe old age of 15.
 
Question 4: Interesting fact about your dogs - 
All the dogs have their own characters!
Ruby is the queen and rules a very tight ship, her sister Skye is the peace maker and usually stops any squabbles by running right through them.
Kai is obsessed with keeping himself clean and if we run him in wheel he sulks as he gets a very muddy face.
Mya thinks she is in charge of all the younger dogs of the pack and likes to boss them around.
Hector is the joker of the pack and makes us laugh every day with his antics!
Basil is a mouthy little shit and even though he is the smallest, probably causes the most trouble.
Malcolm is the youngest but the biggest! And he is probably the cleverest too! He can open anything, from dishwasher to cooker to oven to fridge, to dog flap! You name it, he will find a way! And has probably been the most testing of all the pack!
Eden is the special one! She is practically blind and has lots of other issues going on too, but we love her and all her faults, even though she is a fruit loop and is allergic to almost everything going!
        
Question 5: Interesting fact about yourself - 
Probably that I only wash my hair twice a year, and can possibly get anyone lost! I'm good at that! As all my friends know so well! I went to college to study art and always wanted to be an artist, but ended up somehow being a barber! Not that you would know by looking at me or my husband’s hair lol!
       
Question 6: Biggest achievement in a race ... 
Finishing safely! - To me is all about taking part and being part of the team along with the dogs and having a good clean run, knowing that they have run their little hearts out for me.
       
Question 7: Dogs favourite treats - 
Anything they can bloody get their hands on! A right greedy bunch! Never turn their nose up at anything!
       
Question 8: Favourite Song .. 
There is a light that never goes out -  by The Smiths
       
Question 9: Favourite Film ... 
Withnail and I, makes me laugh more every time I watch it!
       
Question 10: Favourite cake .. 
Favourite cake has to be lemon drizzle! (NATBS Note: and Maggie makes some mean cakes!!)