Dog owners from Byron shire who competed in a special dragon boat regatta at Murwillumbah last Sunday may have missed out on top race honours, but they still snagged a trophy.
Eighteen volunteers from dog-training club BARCO (Brunswick Area Responsible Canine Owners) entered a team, aptly named Dogs ‘n’ Dragons, in the annual Mt Warning’s Corporate Dragon Boat Regatta on the Tweed River.
Some had never seen a dragon boat before let alone race in one.
The day before, the team had land training to know how to use the paddle and some water-based sessions to get the feel of it.
BARCO secretary Maggie Tardif told Echonetdaily ’it took them all out of their comfort zone and we have had three people on the day say they would like to join Mt Warning Dragons’.
Ms Tardif said ‘the Dogs ‘n’ Dragons reached the minor finals in the 200-metre race event and came a respectful fourth and only just missed third place by a dragon’s whisker’.
‘A great fun day for everyone involved, and despite the threatening dark clouds hovering around us it did not dampen anyone’s spirits,’ she said.
‘The team were very impressive and they were thrilled to bring home a trophy for Best Dressed Team.’
Ms Tardif and BARCO president Geradline Lockyer have been paddling with Mt Warning Club for a couple of years.
BARCO’s aim is to educate the dog owning community about their rights and responsibilities in off-leash dog walking areas and to raise awareness in the general community of the need for such off-leash areas, promoting the social benefits of responsible use.
To learn more, call Maggie on 0427 013 326 or Geraldine on 0404 966 831.
For four decades The Echo has printed the stories some people loved, some people hated, and some pretended not to read. If you want us to keep telling the truth, the real truth, not the sugar-coated version. We’ll need your support to keep the presses rolling. 
