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National Convention 2002The 23rd National Mustang Convention was hosted by the Waikato Mustang Owners Club in Hamilton on 25-28th Oct 2002. 88 cars and 156 people were listed as registered, although final turnout was nearer 100 cars. Two people attended from the NSW Mustang club. For the list of
sponsors for Convention 2002: click here Thursday/Friday RegistrationThe convention was headquartered at the Hamilton Quality Hotel, and the facilities and rooms were excellent and spacious. The Convention officially began with registration on Friday night, although many members from especially from down south had arrived the day before to ensure their cars were well prepared after the long trip north. As it turned out that was a wise move because while on Thursday the weather was near perfect, on Friday it turned more than mite damp. Just on midday as many cars were arriving the at the hotel the heavens opened and for a few minutes the hotel driveway looked more like a river than a car park!
Fortunately the weather then took a turn for the better and by mid afternoon there were plenty of owners out washing and detailing their cars, and discussing issues of vital importance like whose car wiring caught fire on the way up, and whose transmission was leaking fluid, etc
By late afternoon the rain had came drizzling back, but no worries, time to grab some tea and off to registration for a beer and a catch up chat session with lots of old friends; nearly everyone had arrived by then. Saturday Car ShowSure enough it had been raining again overnight and the cars without covers were wet-as. So after much towelling they were all dried off, and ready just in time for more rain!! The cars all headed out progressively from 6.30 to the show venue at Claudelands and those arriving wet were dried off again before being positioned for the show. The venue as you can imagine was a hive of preparation activity right up till the public were admitted at 10 am, and the judges began their rounds.
For car show pics of individual cars, click here Saturday Evening : Casino Evening (+ Rugby!)After the show closed at 4 pm, the cars came storming back to the Quality Hotel and once more the car park was jammed with Mustangs, much to the amusement of other guests. On Saturday evening a casino evening was organised, but it had to compete for attention with the final of the MPC Rugby between Hamilton and Auckland. Hamilton practically came to a standstill for the game, and the streets were all but deserted. A giant frown settled on the faces of the locals later that night... Sunday Motorkhana Event and River CruiseAt 8.30 am on Sunday morning, a meeting of the five clubs was held (three members from each) to discuss the possible formation of a New Zealand Mustang club, and other issues. The minutes of this meeting can be found here. Two events had been organised for the Sunday morning 10 am start. Some cars and drivers headed out to the Waikato Polytech car park where drivers tested their skills around a network of cones. There was plenty of squealing and spinning of tires, and good news - the rain actually held off till the event was finished.
Meanwhile others had headed into town to take a cruise along the Waikato river on the Waipa Delta paddle steamer boat.
Sunday Evening Prize Giving, Dinner and DanceSunday evening was of course the prize giving and dinner/dance. The event theme was "Halloween", and wow did that generate some great costumes!
The first event of the evening was the prize giving and the overall results for each club are set out below. Individual results can be found here
Manawatu Club cleaned up 1,2,3 on the three motorkhana driving skills prizes, and the dipstick award went to Wayne Bates who forgot to secure the battery in his car before testing the motorkhana course, resulting in a major short circuit and a spectacular cloud of smoke!
After prize giving and the buffet dinner, a live band played popular music till well into the night ... Monday Morning Cruise and FarewellsAfter a relaxing lie-in Monday morning more than a few red eyes emerged to pack up the cars. The rain held off very well till the 10 am departure, when the convention fleet headed out of the car park for the last time for the convoy cruise through Hamilton to the Cossy Club.
On arrival the cars were parked up and everyone was seated for the final speeches of thanks (one from each club president) and farewell, followed by an absolutely delicious farewell lunch. Lucky Brett Shackleton won a $100 in petrol vouchers.
Reminder....next year's 2003 convention,
is to be
hosted by
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