The PAC hosted a very successful National Peugeot Pageant over the Easter weekend in 2011, with more than 100 participants in the various events. Most interstate visitors arrived on the Friday and stayed at Eaglehawk Holiday Park, where pageant registration was held on the Friday afternoon. The pageant concours was held in brilliant sunshine at Mt Majura vineyard on Saturday morning, with around 50 cars on display.
The judges had a difficult task in choosing the winners because of the high standard of entries. Two classes were judged - rear wheel drive and front wheel drive; and there was also a people's choice award.
Winner of the RWD class was the beautifully presented maroon 604 of John Marriot, with the FWD award going to Rob Turner for his immaculate 307 hatch. The resounding winner of the people's choice award was the rare 404 cabriolet of Denise and Allan Horsley. On the Saturday afternoon, activities were transferred to the Greyhound Racing Track in Narrabundah for the motorkhana and driving skills events. As expected, competition was fierce with Geoff Boyd winning the motorkhana in his 203 sedan and Graeme Cosier winning the driving skills event in a 406 wagon.
With Paul and Steve Thorne filling 2nd and 3rd places respectively in the motorkhana, the ACT club won the motorkhana trophy for the first time in some years. Since the trophy was originally donated by Ian Robertson and Flash Flanagan way back in 1980, it has justifiably returned to its home (the ACT club won the inaugural trophy in 1980). On the Sunday, after a briefing from Peter Rees at Eaglehawk, competitors set out on a navigation trial to Braidwood, answering a set of challenging questions along the way. Lunch in the park was followed by a visit to a local antiques store and a leisurely drive back to Canberra.
I worked furiously on compiling the results of all events on the Sunday afternoon, awarding points to each place-getter to determine the winning club, won this year by New South Wales, with Victoria second and ACT a creditable third. Then it was off to the very enjoyable pageant dinner at Eaglehawk, featuring wines from Mt Majura vineyard.
Thanks to everyone for making the weekend a great success, including all participants, the pageant committee (Peter Rees, John Bower, Colin Handley and Neil Sperring), our sponsors (Shannons and Peugeot Australia), Melrose Peugeot (for displaying an RCZ at the concours), Mt Majura Vineyard and Eaglehawk Holiday Park.