Hi,
 
As you may know, we Brits do strange and weird things with our ferrets (
well, you think they are...we think they're perfectly normal!) .........one
of these things is a strnge and interesting *sport* known as ferret
racing...... have you come across it?  It involves a few drain pipes (fall
pipes?) with wire across them to make a mesh tunnel at intervals and some
ferrets.  Then you race the ferrets ( normally two or three at a time)
against each other......they have to enter the *tunnel* make their way
along it unaided, then turn round and go back again.  You're not allowed to
pick them up till their tails have left the pipes, or you get disqualifed.
Sounds silly and trivial but it's fun and non-ferret people love watching
it.  You can even place bets on the outcome, although it's probably
illegal!  :-)
 
Anyway, now to the hard sell...........there is a lurcher ( dogs) owners
group based in the US who are trying to get a show together.  Lurchers are
a crossbred type of dog ( normally greyhound/collie, deerhound/collie type
of thing) which were originally used in the UK as *poacher's* dogs, ie.
running dogs which would shoot off after a rabbit or hare when the
gamekeeper wasn't looking, then mosey on back with it for the guy's supper.
A lot of families depended on these dogs for their food, and a lot of
people were transported because of poaching.A fair few ferrets were used
by these dodgy characters too, hence the ancient art of "ferret legging"
( keeping a ferret down your trousers) which was a good way of concealing
your ferret from the gamekeeper while your dog lurked in the hedgerow till
the coast was clear.  Enough of the history lesson.........over here we
have an abundance of Lurcher/terrier/ferret shows where countrysports
people meet up and show off their dogs' prowess.  Because these dogs aren't
pedigrees, they are judged differently and racing is one way.  The terriers
do the same and it's hilarious and of course the ferrets do their bit and
the people with them normally get the chance to show their ferrets off too.
So..........would anyone on FML be interested in taking part in a l/t/f
show?  There's no details yet, just counting heads to see if it's a
possible scenario.  if anyone is interested, please e-mail me privately as
I don't want to clog the list up.
 
thanks for your time,
 
K.
( e-mail me on [log in to unmask] )
 
PS. My ferrets, lurchers, terrier, son and I had an enjoyable morning's
ferreting today ( with permission from the landowner!) .....no bunnies to
bring home, but we all had a good time watching their tails disappearing
through the brambles into the next field!:-)
[Posted in FML issue 2542]