Judith Jackson takes her dogs for a pre-breakfast walk along Kapiti's Peka Peka Beach every day, joining a group of dog-lovers the less appreciative call "the Mongrel Mob".
Their aim is enjoyment, a touch of exercise, and maybe just a little reward at the Masters Games after it all.
Seventy-two-year-old Jackson loves her dogs and Jed, Buddie, Wolfie and Tambo will be at the Wanganui Masters Games.
Jackson describes them:
"Jed is my Bedlington terrier.
"He is a New Zealand champion and also has CDS, which is companion dog silver [three levels, bronze silver and gold].
"As far as I know he is the only Bedlington in the world to have gained this obedience title.
"At the Masters a few years ago in Dunedin he came away with two bronze and a gold.
"He's a darling dog.
"All Bedlingtons are very affectionate and love cuddles and sleep above anything.
"Jed is more or less retired from competing."
Then there's Wolfie.
"Wolfie is a 2kg papillon.
"Most of the South Island obedience dogs know and fear him.
"He would be a good obedience dog if he wasn't so damn cocky as he always thinks of a 'better' way to complete a round.
"He would be a good agility dog, too, if his handler had longer legs and was 50 years younger.
"Wolfie has CDXS [companion dog excellent, silver]."
Now Buddie.
"Buddie is a large Munsterlander crossed with a German wirehaired pointer, and he's a doll," said Jackson.
"He is trained as a search and rescue tracking dog.
"Buddy hasn't done much cross-country but we'll give it a go," she said. "He's a sweet, loving dog, very caring. He has also qualified for CDXS.
"I have also entered Tambo in obedience. She's too young for cross-country.
"She is a border collie and I got her just weeks before finding I had cancer, so she has had little training and I don't expect much from her.
"Next year will be different and I think she will come on nicely, but probably not in time to do any good at the MG.
"But we'll enjoy ourselves."
Jackson as been training dogs for 60 years.
"However, I am certainly not a top handler.
"We do okay but that's about it.
"What we do well at is enjoying the shows and the other dogs and occasionally getting placed or even winning."
But it's all about this:
"Every morning before breakfast we walk the dogs five kilometres along Peka Peka Beach and often meet the same people every day walking their dogs - so we can finish up with over a dozen or more dogs running together and playing in the waves.
"It's lovely.
"I believe we are known locally as 'The Mongrel Mob'."
Horowhenua boasts 58 of the 2900-plus entries for the Masters Games at this stage.
Jono Maples will compete in England and Belgium this month.