The Gala Dinner that night was packed. Some 300 people were seated and I believe another 200 plus tried to book in but sadly missed out.
As with all gala dinners, there is a heap of thankyous and announcements. The winners of the World Tuscany Open were announced (see website www.moscaclubaltotevere.it ) and the guests and Judges were individually thanked and called up from the floor to receive a silver statuette of a fly fisher playing a trout.
At the end of all the formal announcements, the President, Mauro Raspini, disappeared only to return dressed in flowing robes and wearing an ancient traditional head piece, the kind that they use for formal celebrations, etc., at Italian Universities.
The President Mauro Raspini and Federico Renzi reading the decree.
This decree was sealed by dubbing a cane fly rod on our shoulders and the sipping of Italian red wine from a special silver tasting dish. What an honour. It was 3 am when we got to bed.
The Swearing In and what an ordeal it was, lots of pomp and pageantry, as one would expect - all good stuff
An announcement was made in Italian and then Hans van Klinken (Klinkhamer fame) and yours truly were called up front. We each had to place our hands on a copy of the Isaac Walton’s “Compleat Angler” whilst a declaration was being made that both Hans and I were now officially honorary life members of Mosca Club Altotevere and that we were now both President of the club for one hour!
Sunday saw us back up at Arezzo, blending with the fly tiers and the
various exhibition stands which featured a number of clubs and some
commercial stands. For me it was a bit of a problem trying to find any
semblance of intelligence, or what was left of it, after the night before!
The lunch was back up on the mezzanine and those that were there the day
before knew what they were in for.
That night it was another feast at the Borgo Palace and it was a time to say
goodbye and thankyou to our hosts.
To the President, Mauro Raspini, Federico Renzi, Luca Castellani and all of
the team behind the scenes, I congratulate you and both Alaine and I thank
you for your hospitality and friendship.
Ciao my friends,
Mick Hall