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Dennis wins Britain's Best Beach Donkey 2007
Mike would like to thank his sponsors for their support:
Wyns Car Sales, Wembley Garage, St Clears
Countrywide Stores, Johnstown, Carmarthen
Below are a couple of local newspaper articles reporting on the tremendous success of Mike and Dennis in collecting the Best Beach Donkey of Britain Award 2007, together with photos of the proud winner.
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Western Mail, September 25, 2007
Dennis, the donkey with attitude, kicked ass in the competition stakes last week, beating almost 1,000 rivals to be proclaimed Britain's Best Donkey 2007. Six-year-old Dennis works as a traditional seaside donkey at Llanelli seafront.
Llanelli mayor Raymond Neil presided at a seafront ceremony for Dennis at the town's £31m Millennium Coastal Park overlooking Gower. The award of a winner's rosette and trophy are presented for high standards in animal welfare, health and happiness.
But Dennis has done more than that. He has helped transform the life of his owner Mike Thomas.
Mike, 44, set up a £2-a-time beach donkey business as a way of ensuring a healthier lifestyle after beating cancer.
Now he looks at his summer days spent on the beach as therapy and has not looked back since setting up in Llanelli in Easter 2006.
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He said: "I was ill in 2000 with lymph gland cancer. My oldest boy had always wanted a donkey and I couldn't go back to what I was doing before so I bought my first donkey. Working here is like therapy and, touch wood, it seems to have kept the cancer at bay."
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He said that Dennis is a donkey with his own "attitude and character" who has also worked the beaches of nearby Tenby. But with 980 donkeys across Britain now thought to be giving tourist rides at the seaside, competition for the award was tough.
The annual award was set up by the Sidmouth-based Donkey Sanctuary in 2003 and Dennis is the first ever Welsh winner.
Competition judge, Rosemary Clarke, said: "The donkeys must be in good health, they should be strong withgood conformation, have gentle and placid natures and above all, be happy in their work."
Rules protecting the welfare of seaside donkeys are also strict with an eight stone weight limit effectively ensuring they only ever carry children.
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Extra Carrots for winner Dennis - South Wales Evening Post, September 5, 2007
A Kidwelly donkey is the first in Wales to win Britain's Best Beach Donkey of the year. Six-year-old Dennis, owned by Mike Thomas, was up against the best in Britain.
Judges reckoned he had the looks, temperament and work ethic to take the title. Now he is to be rewarded with extra carrots for his efforts.
Mr Thomas, who has owned donkeys since 2000, said Dennis, a regular at Llanelli beach, would now be giving rides at the Llandyfaelog Show this weekend.
Mr Thomas has been offering donkey rides on the beach since Easter 2006.
National Judge Rosemary Clarke from the Donkey Breed Society said: "I think Dennis is absolutely wonderful. He was beautifully turned out, in lovely condition, his tack fitted well and his owner obviously cared for his donkeys very much."
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The annual competition, organised by the Sidmouth-based Donkey Sanctury since 2003, aims to recognise high standards of animal welfare practice and awards donkeys and their owners with two national titles.
One is for the best individual donkey and the donkeys owned by John Nuttal at Skegness have been named as Britain's Best Group of Beach Donkeys.
John Holmes, of Gorseinon, whose six-year-old granddaughter Amy has enjoyed a ride on Dennis said: "He is a real star and deserves this win."
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