Hi Mike:
You raise some good points. As someone who will never be able to attend
one of the big shows - unless one is held somewhere within 1500 miles, in a
location with sensible visitor pricing - I'd like to offer a couple of
suggestions.
1. Register people as driving participants and concours participants.
Charge a lot more for concours participants. For those who wish to do
both, find some middle ground. I personally like shows as well as driving
activities. However, it makes a lot more work if a concours level of show
with good judging is planned. I personally loathe peer judging and don't
participate in it.
2. Show cars by the last digit of their age. My '70 would be shown with
'50 TDs and '60 As and 80 LEs, and any pre-war machines that fit the year
category. This would force a true mixing of the field. You would have 10
separate areas to look at, each mixed by year. If you didn't want so many
categories, do it by two-year groups. You could have all the 0 years with
all of the 5s and so forth - making sure to mix it up as much as possible.
I thind this wouldn't be too much more work for judges and would provide
some great photo ops.
3. Use the Pebble Beach approach regarding trailer queens. All cars must
be driven on to and off of the site.
4. If no one is willing to judge cars and if only peer judging is expected
simply don't judge at all. Let everyone have a good time bragging and call
it a day. Why should their be winners and losers - especially losers - at
a fun event which is part of a fun hobby. A nice dash plaque and a few
novelty awards is certainly better than the feeling of being an "also ran".
5. If a show is planned, insist that all participants provide a decent
informative sign. Don't use the usual windshield paper with felt pen
scribbles which blows away in the first breeze and clutters the look of the
vehicle. Each person wishing to show can certainly provide a sign - made
to a pre-published standard - which is informative, attractive and
personal. It will certainly cut organization costs and get rid of the
usual sponsor logos and miniscule information provided by the type
presently used.
6. Spend the money saved on trophies on decent souvenirs. I'd rather have
a nice grille badge than another T-shirt to add to the huge pile I already
own. Give me a nicely made pin not another goofy hat. The cost is the
same, or less, in the quantities you can expect.
7. You can still make up T-shirts, sweat shirts, hats, scarves etc. but
don't include them as part of the registration.
8. Do include donation auctions and suitcase swap meets as part of the fun
and as a good way to defray expenses but manage them well and make them
short.
Well, Mike, these are a few ideas from my years of playing with old cars. I
hope some of them are useful. All of them work and can make a better
event.
John MdEwen
>This is a little long, but I am curious about how others feel.
>
>I just got back from the NEMGTR Noggin and Natter. Had a great time and I
>am sorry that this event is so short. I digress, but this event is the only
>one without the cars, and the group that shows for the annual business
>meeting has a blast every moment except the business meeting itself.
>Remember its the MG people, that are the greatest, not polishing cars.
>
>At the meeting we had a presentation from Don Harmer of Atlanta regarding
>the events for MG2001. His club is one of the host clubs. The issue was the
>car show.
>
>Without going too far back in history, this event was something suggested
>by myself and others following the MGCC 1991 raid on the U.S. (please, no
>comments on that matter) . What grew out of that time was the realization
>that all the existing but separate clubs and registers in the U.S. should
>try a co-ordinate events, and hold a national , all club event every few
>years. The MG council was thus formed, being a loose organization of all
>the clubs and registers in North America which meets at Import Carlisle in
>May, the Twist Party in the summer, and usually at the NAMGBR convention.
>(anyone can attend these meetings and vote)
>
>The first event organized was Indy, which was a great success. However,
>Indy did vary from what was planned.
>
>Early in the plans for Indy, it was decided not to have a car show with
>awards. The reason was to try and mix the models and their people, and to
>let anyone with any model to join in without any affiliation. Based on
>that, the NEMGTR planned its event around the Safety Fast car inspection,
>which is a regular event at our GOFs, but was opened to any MG or person at
>Indy. (this was a great success, ask anyone who went though it)
>
>At the main hotel in Indy, the huge parking lot was filled with every type
>of MG from prewar M types to 1980 LEs. At night when the sun went down, and
>the temp. dropped to a cold 90 degrees, everyone mixed.
>
>However, for reasons unforseen, the A and B registers decided to holds a
>car show. The question raised was whether or not a non member could enter
>his B or A in these shows as long as they were registered for the event.
>Apparently, the bylaws of the various clubs don't permit this, and there
>were incidents of bad feelings.
>
>Going back to Don Hammer, he was asking the clubs to endorse a wide open
>car show regardless of club affiliation which we endorsed at the Natter,
>but with the understanding that the show and awards represent MG 2001 , not
>the NEMGTR.
>
>My problem and worry, (probably wrong) is that this will tend to separate
>the models into the obvious categories and separate the owners into their
>model types, destroying the mix originally planned. When the B register
>held its show in Indy, the B's separated from the others, as did the As
>during their car show.
>
>The question is whether or not MGs can come together without an award type
>car show or not. Apparently we can't, and I guess this bothers me as I
>rather talk to people about their cars and experience rather than polish
>brake lines.
>
>Mike Leckstein
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