Creux candle event shone through

[caption id="attachment_63011" align="alignright" width="176" caption="April Lalor with George – this year's champion at the Horse, Dog and Pet Show. 1171070"]

However, the main event of the weekend – Saturday evening's Candles on the Creux – was certainly not spoiled, although rain until less than an hour before the first of the 2,000 candles was lit must have put many off attending. They missed a sight and an occasion to remember and the decision by organisers Lawrence and Wendy Roberts to go ahead with the event – made while it was still chucking it down with rain – was totally vindicated.

Full marks to them and everyone else who helped make it a most marvellous evening and I join the many who are looking forward to the next occasion in 2013.

As an aside, someone asked me if there was a world record for such events – and apparently there is. According to something I read on the internet, it's held by the Cranleigh branch of the St John Ambulance Brigade in Surrey, where, almost exactly three years ago, just under 24,000 candles were lit, beating a previous record held by Japan.

Perhaps if Lawrence and Wendy organised one to utilise the walls of both Creux and Maseline harbours – and perhaps a stretch of Harbour Hill also – then Sark would be in the running for yet another bit of welcome publicity, although the better part of 25,000 candles needed for a world record is rather a lot.

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Sadly, Sark's first South African Day was not as lucky, as the attendance Danie Ludick and his hard-working team of helpers needed during Saturday afternoon and the early part of the evening – when the rain was at its soaking worst – didn't really materialise.

It's a pity because the food was absolutely great, the atmosphere was excellent – and made all the better by a sizeable contingent of Danie's fellow South Africans who came over specially – and I'm told that the music was enjoyed by all who heard it.

It was also unfortunate that this event and Candles on the Creux clashed, but there are only a limited number of weekends in the summer season, so I suppose double-booking is something those raising money for the host of charities Sark supports have to live with.

Between watching a lamb being roasted – South Africa-style – and popping home to get dry on my way to Creux Harbour, I stopped off at Kristina Southern's courtyard at La Petite Poule, where hairstylist Vanessa Clarke was waiting: specially-sharpened scissors at the ready.

The object of her attention was Peter Hutchins or, to be more accurate, the beard he'd had for over a decade. While those braving the rain refreshed themselves with some of Kristina's bubbly, Vanessa set to work and, within minutes, what had taken 10 years of careful nurturing to develop into a veritable forest of hair was no more.

Additionally, the charities benefiting from the candles event – the emergency services of Sark and Guernsey – were better off by more than £600 and this was increased considerably when Peter was persuaded to have a haircut as well.

On Sunday, the weather was better and that small band of stalwarts who give so many people so much pleasure each year with the Horse, Dog and Pet Show was exceedingly grateful.

There seemed to me to be a greater number of horses than usual – in one class alone, I counted almost a dozen – and while Sunday working has reduced the number of carriage horses on show, owners Rossford de Carteret and Danny Wakley did manage to enter, with the latter's George, led by April Lalor, coming away with the champion horse title.

This Sunday it's the annual Sea Service at 11am at Creux Harbour – an event always worth attending.

* The email address for comment is fallesark@sark.net.