To our great delight, we were chosen as the 'Best Group' in our region. the South East of England.

We were also runners up in the whole UK.  Not bad for our first season.

In 2006, more awards as they are considered best in the region for the second year running.

But better still, the award of 'Best In Britain' followed.

WINNERS ALL THE WAY: Maggie Aldridge, left, who runs the donkey rides on Weymouth Beach receives the award from national judge Maggie Taylor and Mark Kerr

THE donkeys on Weymouth beach have been labelled the best in the region for the second year running.

Owner Maggie Aldridge started running rides on Weymouth beach only last summer but her drove has already scooped the trophy twice.

She says her six donkeys, Sooty, Peejay, Beejay, Sparky, Stumpy and Jasmine, have healthy shiny coats thanks to a high fibre diet and the occasional ginger biscuit.

"They basically live on grass, hay and straw but they also love ginger biscuits," she said.

"They're very fattening though so they have to be reserved as a real treat."

After a century of donkey rides running in Weymouth the resort was without the traditional pastime for four years when John Downton retired in 2000.

But when Mrs Aldridge, 58, left her job as a community nurse in London so her husband could take up a post at Bovington Tank Museum she thought it could be the perfect new career.

She said: "I wasn't sure what I wanted to do but one day I thought 'Weymouth has such a wonderful beach - why no donkeys?' "There are some similarities with my last job as a nurse - I've gone from looking after one group to looking after another."

It took her 18 months to get the business going but in the first season her donkeys kicked sand in the face of the competition when Sidmouth Donkey Sanctuary named them the Best Group of Beach Donkeys in the region.

Now they have scooped the award again and judges have been back to decide if they could be named the best in the country.

Mrs Aldridge, of Came Down Close, Broadwey, says looking after the donkeys at a Preston farm is a full-time 365-days-a-year job.

And this year for the first time she is planning to offer weekend rides throughout the winter.

She said: "There has been a lot of interest so, weather permitting, I'm hoping it will be a success."

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SIX OF THE BEST IN UK

Dorset Echo September 4^th 2006

DONKEYS on Weymouth Beach are getting extra carrots today to celebrate being the best in the land.

Sooty, Peejay, Beejay, Sparky, Stumpy and Jasmine came top in the region and after facing the best of the rest they have now been crowned the best in Britain.

Their owner Maggie Aldridge was stunned to hear the good news.

She said: "It's been quite a week and I really can't believe it.  I went all goose-pimply when I found out."

"The Judge told me I'd better sit down and have a cup of tea, but I assured her I was going to need a brandy!"

Mrs Aldridge, 58 of Camedown Close, Broadwey, started the traditional pastime on Weymouth Beach only last Summer.

In her first year she scooped the prize for Best Group of Beach Donkeys in the region, and now she has set the benchmark, beating 50 other groups including regional winners Blackpool, Scarborough and Skegness.

She said "Being scrutinised was a nerve-racking experience.  The judge was professional and kept it very close to her chest."

But judge Maggie Taylor from Sidmouth Donkey Sanctuary felt Weymouth's group was the clear winner.

She said: "These donkeys are all in fabulous condition and the group is made up of two small, two medium-sized and two large donkeys, which means there is a donkey for everyone."

"I was also highly impressed by the owners attitude and her efforts to educate children about donkeys."

Mrs Aldridge has designed information leaflets for visiting children.  In the leaflets the oldest of the group, Jasmine 14, introduces the youngsters to her fellow donkeys.

Mrs Aldridge left her job as a community nurse in London when her husband took a job at Bovington Tank Museum.

She was looking for a new challenge and decided to revive the rides, looking after the donkeys throughout the year at a farm in Preston.

Donkey rides had been running in the resort for a century before John Downton retired in 2000.

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"Donkeys are happiest beach herd in the area"

From the Echo, first published Friday 26th Aug 2005.

BEACH donkeys in Weymouth were today named the best group in the region by animal experts.

Operator Margaret Aldridge is delighted her six-strong herd has scooped the accolade of coming first in the South East category of the 2005 Britain's Best Beach Donkeys contest organised by Sidmouth Donkey Sanctuary.

Mrs Aldridge, who lives in Broadwey, Weymouth, said: "I was surprised but very pleased to find out the donkeys had won the regional title.

"I knew about the competition because I took training courses at the sanctuary but I didn't think we would be up and running in time for this year's one.

"I have thought the donkeys are looking good though. The judges watched their behaviour, how they operate and everything about them.

"It's good for us to get this far in the competition. We are up against a lot of experienced operators for the national title, so we will have to wait for the judge's decision."

Mrs Aldridge gave up her job as a district nurse to pursue her dream of bringing back the children's attraction to the resort this summer.

Sidmouth Donkey Sanctuary launched the competition in 2003 to award beach donkey operators for high standards of animal welfare.

Judge Liz Ellis, from the sanctuary, said: "We love to see fit and healthy donkeys working on Britain's beaches, especially when for many children the beach is where they will see a donkey for the first time in their lives. Beach donkeys are among the few remaining types of traditional working donkeys in the UK."

BEACH DONKEYS SIMPLY THE BEST

Dorset Echo September 4^th 2006

WEYMOUTH'S beach donkeys have received their award after being named the best in Britain by a leading animal welfare charity.

Judges from Devon charity the Donkey Sanctuary awarded the national title to six donkeys owned by Maggie Aldridge following a series of regional contests.

The winners - Beejay, Jasmine, Stumpy, Sparky, Sooty and Peejay - received their prizes during a seafront ceremony attended by Weymouth and Portland mayor, Councillor Howard Legg.

National judge Maggie Taylor said: "The awards are based on the donkeys' welfare.

"The donkeys must be in good health, with good conformation, have gentle natures and, above all, be happy in their work. The condition and suitability of their tack is an equally important factor."

She added that she was delighted that Maggie Aldridge's six donkeys had won the title of Britain's Best Group of Beach Donkeys.

She said: "Firstly all the donkeys were in fabulous condition. They could accommodate any child up to the weight limit of eight stone as the group was made up of two small, two medium-sized and two large donkeys which meant there was a donkey for everyone.

"I was also highly impressed by the owner's attitude and, equally, her efforts to educate children about donkeys."

The Donkey Sanctuary, for which Ms Taylor is fundraising officer, is based at Sidmouth and has taken more than 11,800 donkeys into its care in the UK, Ireland and Europe.

9:37am Monday 25th September 2006