TEXAN NOTES by Frankie Roberts

The 2008 Basset Hound Club of America’s National Show was hosted by the Dallas, Fort Worth BHC.

Show hounds and their owners from all over the States were augmented by exhibitors from as far away as Argentina. A few Brits took the long flight from the U.K. directly into a very hot Dallas. I was eager to experience this week-long Basset spectacular!

Many exhibitors certainly arrived in style. Some of the largest vehicles that I have ever seen were in the car park of the South Fork Hotel – the venue for the event.

Two Texan ladies told me that they had only bought their camper van the day before - it turned out to be a mere 36 feet long! They had never even driven one before. How brave! The old pioneering spirit lives on.

It was amusing to see that many of the handlers had immediately customised their rooms by moving chairs, tables and other ‘unnecessary’ furniture into the public hallways. No doubt they needed more space for their hounds and crates, though this was probably against all health and safety regulations. The Bassets’ needs would come first this week!

One very large room had been set aside for use as a hound crèche and was piled high with dog crates and equipment.

The week began with the host club’s show. It was strange for me to see the hounds shown on ramps, as opposed to the floor. I know that we experimented with this method for a very short period over here, but it was never popular.

The hounds were confident climbing up the rather steep ramp to the table and it was certainly easier on both the handlers’ and judges’ backs!

Another feature which differed from dog shows here was the very vocal crowd watching the judging. It was not unusual for them to cheer their favourites or even heckle a particularly slow judge! Not what we are used to.

One handler called Barbara, who I got to know quite well, had settled in the States from the England some years ago. She was well known to the spectators and her presence in the ring was greeted with the chant, ‘Go Limey! Go Limey! Go Limey!’

Besides the show classes, there were Obedience and Agility competitions. There was also tracking and field trials held at a rural location about fifty miles from the Southfork Hotel venue. Though I had hired a car, I decided not to test my shaky grasp of Texan geography by hitting the confusing network of highways to find this remote location.

Over the course of my stay I became familiar with the American driving experience and trips out to downtown Dallas held no terrors. It was a little surprising just how tolerant people were of this alien driver.

Everyone I met was really welcoming and interested in the Basset Hound scene the U.K. One popular lunchtime haunt used by those attending the event – especially the men - was Twin Peaks Restaurant, one block from the hotel.

The tacos and nachos were served by waitresses whose minimal uniforms were obviously designed with the sweltering temperatures in mind. The girls were very sweet and took an interest in the Basset activities happening down the road. Tex-Mex food suddenly became very popular!

A small group of us went to Dallas To take in the sights.

Dealey Plaza and the Book Depository were sad reminders of the Kennedy assassination. I found it a little odd that the exact location of the Presidential limousine at the time of the shooting was marked, not by a brass or bronze plaque as I expected, but by a temporary looking white paint cross on the tarmac. All too trivial, somehow.

Dallas had vast, chilled shopping malls, full of expensive designer stores of all kinds.

The city’s modern museums, concert halls and civic buildings being a testament to the city’s oil and ranching wealth.

Returning to the hotel after one of my trips out, I parked my car and was about to enter the hotel when I almost stumbled across a lone policeman lying across a handcuffed youth on the floor. Perhaps rather stupidly I went over and asked the cop, ‘Are you alright?’ He replied, ‘Yes Ma’am, I’m fine.’ I hurried to my room which overlooked the car park and watched as three police cars arrived and the area seemed to be full of cops with guns drawn.

These were then joined by five fire trucks and a police photographer who recorded the incident.

The guy and his bag were then searched before he was bundled into a car and driven off. It brought to a close a fascinating trip. Very surreal, but unmissable. They have a saying ‘only in America’ – you better believe it! In 2009, the BHCA Nationals move to Washington State.

Missing you, already! Frankie x

Words and pictures Frankie Roberts