Club Captain’s Report

What a wonderful month of events! I had the pleasure of going to the Women and Young Drivers Rally and watching two nervous grandfathers, Rod Thrower and Graham Sword, with their kin driving their precious vehicles, particularly since they were not used to driving manuals! However all nerves were restored once they got the hang of it and made it happily to the end. Well done ladies. Coffee and Cars seem to attract some potential new members this month and the motorcycle trial day looked like it was well supported. As some of you may know, I am on the Swap Meet committee. This month has meant I have been involved in sorting the rosters for Eftpos and the Headquarters, organising the band and the supper for Saturday night - things are going reasonably smoothly - which is great! The Homestead Run is well underway in being organised. So please look out for your entry information in this Hub. (Page 29)

Coming Events

7th, 8th and 9th October Swap Meet 15th and 16th October Girder Fork Motorcycle Rally

Keep well and the hay fever medication up for those that suffer!

Katryna

VETERAN REPORT

Annual Veteran Rally

The Annual Veteran Rally was held on Sunday 25th September and although numbers were slightly disappointing with only 15 cars on the run, all those who attended had a very good day. Our meeting point was the West Eyreton domain – an out of the way location right next door to the West Eyreton school, but a very green and sheltered domain that provided a safe start location on very quiet roads. I got there at 9.15 to find Tom and Jenny Stevens and Don and Judy Bennetts already there waiting for the gate to be unlocked, so from then on it was all go dispensing rally numbers and instruction sheets for our 10.00am departure. The first part of the run was the timed section, with the checkpoint exactly 14km along the route. Most cars came through individually, although there was a short procession of 5 cars in a row which kept the time-keeper busy. From there it was another 8km to Oxford where the short run finished, or another 20km for the long route participants who journeyed out as far as View Hill before returning to Oxford. Once there all the cars were parked in the Victoria Park oval near the Men’s Shed, and there was time to go and find a coffee from one of the cafés in the main street. At 11.15 we all made our way to Ribblesdale Garden on the corner of Route 72 and Barracks Road, where our hosts Denise and Robin Illingworth were waiting with the sun shining and the garden in full spring bloom. Picnic chairs were found and everyone settled in for a delightful picnic lunch on the lawn in the middle of the garden, followed by a stroll around the different areas of the garden –some still in hibernation, others emerging with the new season coming, and others in their full spring splendour. At 2pm it was time to fire the cars up again and head back to West Eyreton

domain where the field tests were held. A few questions and some simple driving and blindfold navigation tests soon sorted out the winners in time for a simple prize giving about 3pm. A new car to our group for this run was a black 1914 Model T roadster which has just been purchased by Malcolm and Anita McGibbon. It was their first outing in the car, and although it did prove a little temperamental they did successfully complete the run, albeit with it steadfastly refusing to start again after it stopped half-way through the field tests. It did redeem itself though by placing first in concours – this being the third veteran car Malcolm and Anita have won that award with over recent years. The field tests were won by Don and Judy Bennetts in their 1912 Albion, and the Time Trial by Bob and Andree Hayes in their 1909 AX Renault. The overall winners were Don and Judy, who were a very close second to Bob and Andree in the time trial. As well as the veterans, It was good having a number of early vintage cars on the run, and especially pleasing to be joined by two cars from Ashburton –David and Marion Oakley in their 1914 Rover, and Bruce McIlroy in his 1922 Rolls Royce Silver Ghost. It was also good to see John and Elaine Lynn out on their second run in the 1920 Davis which John has just completed, and top marks too to Kelvin and Lesley Finlay who filled their 1915 Hupmobile with friends John and Diane Kimber to enjoy the day with. All considered this was another very good veteran outing, completed on a beautiful spring day with a beautiful garden to admire at the lunch stop as well. And I got a message from Malcolm

McGibbon later that evening to say he’d found the problem with the T – nothing more than a partial blockage of the main jet in the carburettor!

Other Veteran Happenings

Don’t forget the group display we are planning at the Hororata Highland Anita and Malcolm McGibbon try the Games on Saturday 5th blindfold driving test. Matthew and November. It will be run Colin Hey officiating. along the same lines as it was at the last Highland Games 2 years ago. You will need to commit to the display until the close of the event at 4pm, but it will be a fun and interesting day as indeed it was 2 years ago, and the ticket price is discounted considerably for those who take part. All the details can be found on Page 40 of last month’s Hub, along with the link to the entry form. This is a great opportunity to showcase our vehicles to a very large crowd of all ages. This year we are accepting entries from all Veteran and Vintage vehicles. Please note that entries close on 16th October – this is so we have time to get passes organised for everyone who enters. Best regards Colin Hey Veteran Convenor.