Registration the following day was a latish 11am in the enormous lobby of the Royal Pines. Parked outside was a new XJ as well as a new XKR glistening in the sun. We registered at the same time as Ron and Chris, and opted for a proper coffee rather than one from the urn, after putting our names down on the list of tables for the Presentation Dinner. We enjoyed the conversation so much that we didn't leave till about 3.30. Just enough time to go back to our digs for a swim and spa before the Meet and Greet function at 6.30.
The Convention centre was packed with people dressed in their finery, the speeches were relatively short, the food was plentiful, and the music was great. Chris Liddis was present and it is great to have access to someone like that from so high up in Jaguar management. Des and I bent his ear for a while, along with lots of other interesting people, all the time wishing we had the money/room for more Jaguars in our garage.
The following day was the big day, and the course was set out in lines marked on the grass, with cars exhibited in their model grouping, which was good, because you could compare like with like. The cars to be judged were completely roped off from the public. Also a good idea. It only takes one sticky beak to leave handprints on your glass (or nose prints!), and you lose points through no fault of your own. One of the highlights was the Jaguar XJ13 owned by Digby Cooke (who used to co-drive with Peter Brock in a Torana XU1). Dennis Bedford of DRB Sports Cars, and builder of some of the finest replica Cobras and Ford GT40s built this car. The engineering and workmanship was nothing less than spectacular.
Another particular favourite of mine was an Ecurie Ecosse replica in that famous metallic blue. There was also a red SS100, which was also a magnificent. On display, there were also some amazingly good cars, including a magnificent white Mark IV drop head, a perfect Regency red XJC, a bronze XK150 drop head, and many more exceptional cars. Unfortunately for some owners, they left the venue before 1 pm and were therefore ineligible for the ACJC award for the best car on display not entered into judging. (Judging for this award started just after 1 pm). I can think of one stand out XK140 in particular which probably missed out on a trophy.
The ladies were catered for as well, with a fashion parade in the morning, plus there was a regalia tent to peruse. I personally thought that the regalia was a bit uninspiring, and didn't come home with any. Mind you, there was plenty of stuff in my case from the Rivers store. Some of the ladies, along with Jenni and Anne left the Concours and went to the Carrara Market for part of the afternoon for a spot of retail therapy. That evening, the Tasmanian contingent along with Ron's sister and husband met for dinner down at the waterfront for a lovely meal together. We attended the Sunday Alternate run which was a nice drive to Mount Tambourine for morning tea, then on to the Performance Driving Centre at Norwell, home of Super Cheap Racing. After watching some laps as well as some of the action on the skidpan we had lunch followed by a tour of the Super Cheap Racing workshop.
At the Presentation Dinner that evening it was a pleasure to be on Ron and Chris Leach's table when it was announced that they had won a gold award for their XKR. They also won Best in Class. Also at our table were Barry and Joy Cooper who are from Brisbane. Their E Type roadster won a gold award, Best in Class, and I think the Sporting award. That probably makes it the best E Type in Australia. Barry and Joy are prepared to bring their car to Tasmania for the E Type 50 year celebration tour if we can pull it together. The theme for the 2011 Rally is the 50th anniversary of the E Type, but I am not aware of anything very much that is E Type specific other than acknowledgement of the fact of the 50th anniversary.
The Monday brunch was held at Southport Yacht Club and Marina. It was great looking out at the sensational yachts at the marina. We expected that Easter Monday would see many yachts out, but alas, only one boat left for a day on the water! Geoff Lovett owns one of the largest boats there, a Hobart electrician turned Riviera boat salesman now residing on the Gold Coast. If you are interested, it's for sale! I reckon you would need around $2 million though. Breakfast was a sumptuous buffet, and I was sitting beside Ron and May Gaudion, who used to live in Sandy Bay, and who now live at Emerald Lakes. Ron was a Jaguar mechanic at Le Mans in the Fifties, and counts many of the Jaguar greats like Norman Dewis amongst his personal friends. (Unfortunately, we ran out of time, and couldn't take them up on their offer of a visit to Emerald Lakes for a coffee and chat.)
Following the brunch, we watched the cars depart for the Post Rally Tour, and then went for a walk through the Marina Mirage shopping centre, followed by a relaxing coffee at the palatial Palazzo Versace, where we pretended to be millionaires for a while.
All in all a great National Rally, and a tough act to follow for Canberra in 2011.
"ALL" Gold Awards
1960 Jaguar XK150S 3.8 FHC - Colin Galley, Aspley Queensland
1968 Jaguar E-Type Series 1 FHC - Barry Cooper, New Farm Queensland
1989 Jaguar XJS Convertible - Steven Appino, Dural New South Wales
1995 Jaguar XJS Sport - Stuart Dawson, Paradise Point Queensland
1998 Jaguar XK-R Coupe - Ron Leach, Otago, Tasmania
2002 Jaguar S-Type R - Peter Millikin, Black Rock Victoria
2003 Jaguar XJ Super V8 (X350)- Raymond Hodges, Victoria Point Queensland
2003 Jaguar X350 - David McKnight, Mount Ommaney Queensland
Gold Awards:-
1967 Jaguar E-Type Series 2 2+2 - Tom Gibbs, Southport Queensland
1977 Jaguar XJS Coupe - Westley Evers, Thornlands Queensland
1977 Daimler Sovereign XJC - Ian & Vicki McKinney, Pelican Waters Queensland
1982 Jaguar XJS V12 HE - Gordon Ellis, Inverell New South Wales
1985 Jaguar XJ6 Series 3 - Chris Marsh, Banksia Beach Queensland
1989 Jaguar XJS V12 HE - Kurt Lindener, Hope Island Queensland
1991 Jaguar XJS V12 Convertible - Ray Lopez, Yarra Glen Victoria
2000 Jaguar XJR (X308) - Bruce Raines, Green Bank Queensland
2003 Jaguar XK8 Convertible - John Whiteford, Sovereign Island Queensland
Silver Awards:-
1995 Jaguar XJR (X300) - Barry & Joanne Cranitch, Banksia Beach Queensland
Lofty England Sporting Trophy - Barry Cooper JDCQ E-Type 1968
Coventry Jaguar Spares Trophy - Eldon Smith JCCV SS1 1934
Jaguar Cars Aggregate Point-Score Trophy - Barry Cooper JDCQ E-Type 1968
Terry Kelly (Memorial) Age/Distance Trophy - John Isaacs JCCV S-Type 1966
Ron Campbell (Memorial) Trophy - Eldon Smith JCCV SS1 1934
Tony Reilly (Memorial) Sporting Trophy - Peter Davidson JDCQ S-Type 1999
Brysons Concours Team Trophy - David McKnight, Ray Hodges, Stuart Dawson - JDCQ
Jaguar Car Club Tasmania Team Sporting Trophy - Peter Davidson, Rod Greasley, Bryan White - JDCQ
ACJC Concours d'Etat Trophy - Rick Learmonth & Margaret Giddy JDCA S-Type 1965
ACJC Concours D'Etat/Sporting Trophy - Rick Learmonth & Margaret Giddy JDCA S-Type 1965
Sir Nick Scheele Trophy - Eldon Smith JCCV SS1 1934
Ian Cummins Trophy - Rod Greasley JDCQ Mk IV 1948
Andrew Whyte Jaguar Journalistic Award - Graeme Burbidge
Jaguar World - Paul Skilleter Journalistic Award - Brian Durack
ACJC Best in Class d'Elegance - E-Type Barry Cooper JDCQ E-Type 1968
ACJC Best in Class d'Elegance - Chassis Based Eldon Smith JCCV SS1 1934
ACJC Best in Class d'Elegance - Modern David McKnight JDCQ XJ8 2003
ACJC Best in Class d'Elegance - Grand Tourers Ron Leach JCCT XKR 1998
ACJC Best in Class d'Elegance - Monocoque Not Awarded
ACJC Best in Class d'Elegance - Classic XJ Not Awarded
ACJC Best in Class Sporting - Class A Not Awarded
ACJC Best in Class Sporting - Class B Not Awarded
ACJC Best in Class Sporting - Class C Bryan White JDCQ XK140 1956
ACJC Best in Class Sporting - Class D Max Parnell JDCQ MK 1 1957
ACJC Best in Class Sporting - Class E Peter Davidson JDCQ XJ6 1983
ACJC Best in Class Sporting - Class F Not Awarded
ACJC Best in Class Sporting - Class G Warwick Clifton JDCA XJR 1994
ACJC Best in Class Sporting - Class H Not Awarded
ACJC Chairman's Award - Allen Shephard JDCWA
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