Basic Format

What is the Basic Format?

Every Wednesday, Hashers will usually gather at park or other chosen venue e.g. Golf Club within the 4171 postcode area. Details of the venue will be via this website, Facebook, by word of mouth or desperately phoning someone minutes before. As everyone arrives it is a good time to chat to friends or meet new ones and perhaps even have a steadying ale. The "ON ON" is given by the Grand Master/Mistress at approximately 6:30 p.m. so it is a good idea to arrive about 10 mins early to change and prepare for the worst.
The Hounds will gather in a pathetic milling group at the front of the venue as the Grand Master/Mistress welcomes them and has the Hare/s provide you with guidance on the upcoming run. A well set run will keep the pack close together but often this does not occur. Front runners should be calling "ON , ON" for the benefit of the slower runners and latecomers catching up. Every so often a Check will be held to allow the pack to regroup and the new direction of the trail to be found.
Typical runs are usually 4-5 kilometres long and are designed to last about three quarters to a full hour. However the pack have been known to be barely out of sight before they return or to arrive home after a couple of hours on trail and many complaints. However these sort of runs are the exception. As everyone starts arriving back at the On On, revelries will commence with much socialising and testing of beverages. This is where the Hare/s are congratulated/punished for laying such a clean, mud-free and interesting trail - or not. It is also customary for the Religious Advisor to lead a session of community singing before awarding Down Downs for anyone deemed to have sinned, such as the heinous crime of turning up for a run with brand spanking new runners, defying Darwin's theory of natural selection by having yet another birthday, being a competitive bastard, further diluting the gene pool by having offspring and any trumped up charge that can be found etc etc!.