Oh Dear! I fear one of those depressing blogs coming on ... but this year the one event I really looked forward to and had the possibility to be a real success turned into disaster!
I know it sounds unlikely but the event in question was a 'Hoe-Down' sort of Country and Western Evening organised by Taunton Vale Foxhounds as a fund-raiser. The whole thing was organised beautifully from the ranch-style entrance to the riders in full western gear greeting us and we went through. People in amazing costumes (think normal cowboy, then Lincoln-style black morning suits, bawdy house show girls, Red Indians). The cowboys to a man looked unbelievably sexy (I was raised on John Wayne films) and the bar was authentically western-style. The dance floor was inviting, the band played square dances encouraging guests to take their partners for the doe-c-doe .... There was a fortune teller (one of the huntsmen dressed up - quite hilarious), there was horseshoe flinging, cattle roping, and a camp-fire with bales of straw around for people to sit and talk away from the band and the noise. It was the most atmospheric costume party I had ever been to in my life. Wonderful Chilli was served with cowboy beans and potatoes and bread followed by mountains of strawberries and cream.
It had such possibilities that party but for me it wasn't a success. People were coupled up and the friend I went along with knew a lot of people and enjoyed chatting away to her friends. I didn't mind that at all for I thought I would find folk to talk to but no, there were polite hello's here and there but no conversation as such. I sat around the camp-fire sure that someone would strike up a conversation and that I would get the opportunity to laugh and interject with some witty comment but no. As the evening wore on I felt increasingly like some kind of freak or social outcast! I tried, really I did, I even had a drink to help oil the wheels of conversation but no-one wanted to talk.
At last a very nice woman sort of rescued me because she had previously been interested in buying one of our ponies and wanted to explain that she had found a suitable mount for her daughter nearby. She was particularly friendly and we spoke for half an hour or so and that helped at lot.
Since I am describing disasters I may as well tackle the dancing fiasco; I love square dancing and had asked Louise if we could join in early in the evening. She didn't really want to but must have felt guilty later so agreed to dance but by then the band had changed, the square dancing was finished and as we approached the dance floor she made a very silly comment about people thinking we were a couple! That was the last straw for me, I sidled off (she was with her pals), almost in tears I just wanted to go home. What an evening!
Afterwards when I told Ruth she said she thought that the crowd were rather bad mannered and the supporters and guests who were mainly in couples should have made me feel welcome as I was on my own, and now I do agree with her. No-one really cared at all and for that reason I will not return to any social occasions organised by that hunt.
I'll stick to TVH and the Tiverton who seem to have supporters with manners and kindness.
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