The Newfoundland Club

Fun, Food & Frolics – Lenches 2025
Working Sub - Committee Report

Lenches Lakes are an Open Water Swimming venue, the lakes are spring fed, the water quality regularly tested, weed growth managed to avoid entanglement for swimmers and which also reduces wild fowl activity. The site has a Club House and camping facilities – the perfect venue to host the Annual Newfoundland Club Water Trials.

This was our third consecutive year hosting our Fun and Social Weekend at Lenches – and we had agreed to keep the format unaltered from last year, including agreeing with the venue to close the lake to Open Water Swimmers so that we had exclusive use once again.

Following positive reviews from our previous events at Lenches, it was obvious that some people would prefer to stay longer than the weekend, and arrangements were duly made with the proprietors to facilitate that.

Organising a large scale and high profile event such as Lenches takes months of planning and organising, from our Main Committee a Steering Group comprising Kirsteen Farrar, Linn Kleinmann, Helen Gray, Abbi Adair, Lucinda Burgess, Angela Turnbull and myself set to work in January to book facilities and plan for the weekend.

The “Working Party” that helped last year all volunteered to be involved once again - to assist with the selection of Trials Judges, and to help over the weekend to bring along, distribute, set up, and remove all of the equipment necessary to host such an event. This group comprised Kevin Clarke and Rebecca Thornton, Sue Sanders, Yvonne McGillivray and Scott Walker, Greg Roffe, Jay Rhodes, Sara Davies, Abbi Adair and myself.

Some of our guests arrived on the Wednesday, but The Steering Group and Working Party arrived on site on the Thursday to set up base camp, and commence the initial site set up ready for the majority of arrivals on the Friday.

Our Campers had been asked to plan their arrival for 2pm – 8pm on the Friday. So it was that a steady stream of traffic descended on the site and started setting up for the weekend – with only a few exceptions most of our guests are now “regulars” and the process of getting everyone to their allocated pitch now reasonably straightforward.

The Friday evening Fish and Chip Supper was well supported once again, and provided an opportunity for everyone to socialise at the Club-House, before the Quiz Evening organised by Abbi.

We had almost 120 pre-entered trials booked for the Saturday, with a further 40 on the day – year on year trials entries have been increasing steadily.

Yvonne McGillivray was our “Judge” for the Non-Competitive Swim…. Frances Carter was our judge for Beginner’s Swim… and Paul Dodd our Advanced Water Judge. Kim Rhodes and Rebecca Mercer were our Judges for Obedience, and Phil Payne for Working Carts …… To all of our judges a sincere thank-you….

We decided to hold the Decorated Carts competition at the end of the Trials, to afford an opportunity for scores to be totalled before the presentations – thank-you to Bill Piggott for judging that Trial for us.

Our Trophy Winners were:

Greg Roffe with Aimee…. Best Working Dog
Ken Richards with Valerie …. Runner up to Best Working Dog
Jan and Graham Hill with Wilma……Winner of Advanced Water Trials
Brooke and Kris Schofield with Hobie – and Ken Richards with Valerie…. Runner up to Advanced Water Trials
Cheryl Payne with Tahoe – Winner of Beginners Water Trials
Karolina Blahuta with Logan– second in Beginner’s Water Trials
Kevin Sanders with Nancy – and Alison Greenwood with Woody….. Winner of Open Obedience
Cathy Martin with Tictac – and Adam and Angela Hartley with Lillibet …. Winner of Novice Obedience
Ken Richards with Valerie – and Jeff Burridge with Marta – and Kim Rhodes with Izzy..Best Working Dog and Cart
Team WNAG….….. Best Team Decorated Cart or Float
Brett Martin – Best Individual Decorated Cart or Float
Rachel Saunders with Crumble…. Oldest Competitor placed in Beginners or Advanced
Kirsteen Farrar with Iris…… Best Working Show Dog

After all of the fun of the Trials, it was time to relax, once again we hosted the “Round the Counties Buffet” on Saturday night – an opportunity to sample different foods and drinks from around the Country. Thank-you to everyone that participated, it really was well supported.

Onto Sunday – where we concentrated activities lakeside.

Cheryl Payne once again hosted the “have-a-go swim”, Alison Greenwood hosted Hoopers, and Abbi Adair introduced us to “Chukka Duck”. Unfortunately due to medical advice Jane and Ronnie were not able to join us this year to host the Fun Games – but all being well that shall be back on the radar for next year.

The main focus on Sunday however were the Certificated Water Tests at Section A and B. We had 21 A test entries, although 1 withdrew. Of those 18 passed, with 2 not quite ready. At Section B we had 47 entries – although 8 withdrew, we had 20 passes. Once again despite being the entry level tests, the opportunity to enjoy the lakes on the Sunday was again a major draw and an opportunity to gain another venue for the Multi-Pass Certificates. Thanks must go to our A judges – Rob Dingle and Karen Thompson, and to our B judges Susan Marsh, Jane King, Leslie Smith and Ken Richards.

During our lunch interval – Helen Gray introduced the Welfare Parade – some incredibly moving tributes once again.

By Sunday evening, everyone was feeling the pace, and rather than try to organise another social evening, it was an opportunity for people to socialise and relax amongst themselves.

Some of our guests set off on the Sunday evening, but most stayed until the Monday, with others enjoying an extended stay until the Tuesday and Wednesday.

Large scale events such as this take a lot of organising from a dedicated team of volunteers. Without such support these events would just not be possible.

To everyone who helped organise the weekend – The Steering Group – The Working Party – Fenland for the use of their equipment again – our Judges – thank-you for all of your support and efforts – the plaudits have been very encouraging and we are delighted that many are asking about Next Year’s event already ! – Lenches is establishing itself as a highlight of the year.

And so to Next Year …. Yes we have re-booked the venue – in 2026 it will be the weekend of Friday 17th to Monday 20th July – which conveniently also avoids any Championship Shows… and will mark the 150th Anniversary of Newfoundland Trials in the UK…. Book early ????

Alan Godden
Secretary of the Working Section of the Newfoundland Club

Thank you, NC and Lenches Lakes, for a wonderful test event.
There were some lovely passes with first-timers, young dogs and veterans. 
Well done to all who entered, and thank you to the test manager and stewards!

It was a lovely day with some great passes and some that weren't quite there.
The weather was changeable, but we managed.
Thank you to Alan and the NC for inviting us to judge, and thank you to the stewards for their hard work.

There were well over 25 entries at this lovely venue (we lost count during the day). We had a lot of passes, most of which were almost faultless, so well done! The underwater retrieve and the swim were the issues. Some didn't like the paddling pool, but the water was so cloudy and easily churned up that there wasn't much choice — swimming was dogs turning back rather than climbing. All in all, it was a good standard, so well done! Thanks to the stewards — the standard was great! Thanks also to the test manager, everyone else, and my co-judge.