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Forbes Rally Report |
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It doesn’t seem that long ago that I accepted the job of co-ordinating the 22nd National Rally due to be held at Forbes in October 2007. In retrospect, it has been a challenge which has been extremely satisfying. The aim was to have a Rally which was fun, friendly and entertaining. Judging by the reaction of so many attendees that test was met successfully. Some people have said that the actions at the AGM spoilt the Rally. I disagree – the AGM is held for logistical reasons at the same venue as the Rally – in my opinion, it is NOT part of the Rally – and I don’t intend to discuss it further. For me the components which make up a Rally include the poets’ breakfasts, seminars, craft and other classes, disc bowls and photographic competitions, the hundreds of rugs our Members make and which we leave behind as a memento for the generations even older than us, the friendships we renew and the new mates we find, the thousand and one special moments which occur such as enjoying the talents of our entertainers and our own artistes.
Special thanks to my wife Sue who provided background support from start to finish. To our many, many volunteers who pay their Rally fees for the privilege of setting up the infrastructure prior to the Rally and for the privilege of organising the many activities which make up a Rally from getting your vehicle on its site to the time you depart the Rally, everyone owes a debt of gratitude – you always perform to an incredible degree. To name you all would take up this entire page, so please one and all accept this as my personal thanks. One of the absolute highlights for the ‘yellow shirts’ will no doubt be the pre Rally BBQ and karaoke night – special mention of the Lakelander girls who provided the choreography to many of our singers (no matter how badly they sounded – every team got up on stage and was prepared to make fools of themselves).
The efforts of the Show Society President, Norm Haley, and his committee to get the grounds ready and grassed as much as they did with such horrendous lack of rain was amazing. The Council works staff who worked with our own maintenance crew did everything possible to ensure all participants were as comfortable as possible. The local Tourism personnel – in particular Richard Barwick – excelled with their wonderful tours and answering hundreds of questions from people as to where they could go and what they could see.
On Sunday afternoon before the majority of Members were due to arrive, we were confronted with a confirmed equine influenza (EI) outbreak on our rear boundary. This resulted in a loss of 70 sites – special mention of the maintenance and siting teams, who pulled together and created other sites, re-arranged plans for incoming traffic on Monday and more. Some 707 motorhomes were processed on Monday with an 8am start – equating to one motorhome being sited every 40.7 seconds. No wonder many meet and greet girls and siting team members were seen with their feet in cold water on Monday night.
The local Department of Primary Industries (DPI) worked with us so there was very little inconvenience – sure you had to wipe your feet and sanitise your hands if you were going up town, and if your vehicle was going further than the CBD, you had a wash down underneath. Thanks to Members who were patient and courteous to these guys who had a job to do. This was a small price to pay rather than have the whole Rally cancelled due to our proximity to the EI horses.
The Mayor Rhonda Keane and Councillor Graeme Miller gave out local papers to those in the Monday line-up. We rated huge press coverage in the Forbes Advocate on four days and special thanks to Chrissy and Bob Eustace for arranging photographs and captions ready to print, at such short notice. The coverage in the local media, organised principally by Diana Worner, was no doubt partly responsible for approximately 3,000 people through the gate on Open Day Saturday, which raised a whopping $7,500. That made a huge contribution to fundraising for a skate park for local youth and was much appreciated by the Forbes community.
Also on donations, 327 knee rugs were lovingly made and handed out to various nursing homes in the area and over $1,000 was raised by the morning tea and donated to the Cancer Council. We sure showed them how to share this lifestyle and what it means to belong to this wonderful Club.
Our Founders, Don and Erica Whitworth, wore their “It’s All My Fault” shirts with pride at our opening night, at meetings with regional council and tourism representatives and at the closing ceremony where presentations were made to those who had successfully competed in events detailed elsewhere in this edition.
The welcome from the people of Forbes was outstanding. Their kindness will ensure many of our Members will journey through the Golden West on many occasions in the future. We look forward to an extension of that camaraderie for many years to come.
Thanks to the Board for the opportunity, to all you magnificent volunteers who created the reality and I look forward to a continuation of the friendships made for many Rallies to come.
Paul Pitstock, N30152
Photography Winners 22nd National Rally in Forbes
Section 1
1st Place The Dawsons, Q43959 Letter to Clancy of the Overflow No 116
2nd Place Garry Voysey, Q37162 Down by the River No 134
3rd Place Brian and Patricia Kent, N3055 Camel Love No 183
Section 2
1st Place Kay Doecke, N17785 More Secret Mens’ Business No 120
2nd Place Lyn Linsell, N25701 Early Morning Ride above rally site No 29
3rd Place Leo Huyghebaert, Q33827 Just the Beginning No 44
Lynne Wyatt, Q44999 At Home in the Motorhome No 59
Section 3
1st Place Kay Doecke, N17785 Sunset at Thompson River No 121
2nd Place Garry Voysey, Q37162 Mystery Bay Sunrise No 135
3rd Place Garry Voysey, Q37162 Wallaga Lake Sunset No 136
Section 4
1st Place Kay Doecke, N17785 Cross Dress at Casino Village No 123
2nd Place Carol Dahler, Q7554 Highway Wanderers No 153
3rd Place Anita Flynn, Q2119 Happy Hour No 4
Kay Doecke, N17785 Hot Flushes between Friends No 124
Section 5 - Set of sequential photographs telling a story
1st Place Kay Doecke, N17785 Synchronised Swimming No 125
2nd Place Lyn Linsell, N25701 Karaoke Interpretors No 30
3rd Place Nita Johnson, N9948 Solo’s 10th Birthday Leeton No 37
Section 6 - Any photo suitable for The Wanderer Cover
1st Place Carolyn Bate, A39697 Morning Tea at Prevelly Beach No 98
2nd Place Lyn Dalby, N38227 Table Cape Lighthouse No 19
3rd Place Malcolm Street, N26735 Wine Country No 138
Best photograph Kay Doecke, N17785 Camp Draft No 117
Most successful exhibitor Kay Doecke, N17785 whose name will be on the perpetual trophy.