The Show Must Go On

Ilfracombe Carnival, 2011, a photo by Uncle Tom Cobley on Flickr.

Our centenary year continued in style on Thursday night at Ilfracombe.

As is now a tradition, the crew started the evening with some refreshment at The Marine before taking the treacherous journey along the A399. That road and it’s over hanging trees is definitely not designed for 7 riders on the back of a 20 foot wooden horse!!

Hats off to Smudge who calmly dealt with some early audio technical difficulties. Amazing what a drop of oil can do!

The night was also notable for being Pat Rice’s first carnival and she took to it like a duck to water (or goose in her case). Pat is the wife of our well established ‘tail man’, Graham. Graham has the responsibility of soaking revellers with a flick of the horse’s tail during carnival parades.

The crowds lining the streets were clearly pleased to see the horse and its riders. Finishing at the harbour the boys were also greeted by the local lifeboat and its crew who kindly posed for a group photo. The night was rounded off by drinks in The Globe, before the hardened drinkers took a well-earned brandy (or two) at The Sanders residence in Combe Martin.

Congratulations to all involved in another successful outing…

The riders being:
Gerald Walters, Darren Smallridge, Norman Sanders, John Webber, Mark Sanders, Kevin Irwin and Graham Rice.

The ground crew:
Sue Muir, Sarah Rumson, Josh Rumson, Matthew Rumson, Will Smallridge, Erin Smallridge, and Pat Rice.

Don’t miss the final chance to catch Uncle Tom in his historic year on the 17th September at Barnstaple. See you then!

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