We hosted our popular annual bike show at the Wakefield May Day Gala, on Monday 7th May (May Day Bank Holiday), at Clarence Park Arena. We have appeared at the Gala for a good number of years now, hosting the Yorkshire MAG stand and a free to enter bike show, which is a very popular attraction with the 'public' at the Gala.
Our advance party arrived at the site at 09:00am to set up the MAG stand, in the same prominent spot as the past few years: an elevated slightly sloping plot above the main arena, highly visible from the entire site, and conveniently next to the access road.
We quickly erected the Yorkshire MAG stand (well, pending a few head scratching moments as we desperately tried to remember how it had gone up the previous year), and populated it with lots of MAG promotional material, leaflets, posters, copies of the Road magazine, together with Wakefield MAG products for sale. We also set out our fund raising tombola, raffling prizes most of the branch had donated. We were joined by the Christian Motorcycle Association this year, who pitched their stand right next to ours.
So, with our stand all set up, we then waited for the show entrants to start rolling in. The weather this year was glorious with record temperatures forecast. We expected a bumper turnout as a result, and we are glad to report an all time record attendance. Lots of coming and goings throughout the day and at one point we counted 57 bikes in attendance. At any one time we had 30 plus bikes in the show. Due to the weather, people just chilled in the park, enjoying the sun, whilst waiting to see if their pride and joy had won an award.
The bike show judging started around 1:45pm and following the success of last years revised format (and taking a cue from the Yorkshire MAG rally custom shows we marshal), we dispensed with categories and instead had 6 show winners and an Overall Best in Show. This format works well as you never quite know what will get entered. As always, the judges decisions were difficult (downright impossible !!) as there was some quality machinery on display, but we eventually came up with a consensus. With the winners decided, it was time for the prize giving .... cue drum roll:
Seven well deserved show winners !!! Another excellent show and a most popular attraction at the Wakefield May Day Gala.
The MAG stand did very well and we gave out huge amounts of literature and back copies of the Road magazine, fielded countless queries, sold a good few Wakefield MAG products (12 patches, 2 stickers and a bandana raising £44.90) and sold 5 Yorkshire Pudding Rally tickets and 4 Farmyard Party tickets. The tombola was particularly successful pulling in £142.25, all of which goes towards the MAG fighting fund.
A huge thanks to everyone who brought along their bikes / trikes to show, visited us, spent lots of money on the tombola and products, and of course, a huge thanks to all our volunteer marshals who were there early, stayed late, and helped make the show the great success it was: Martin, Caz, Terry, Sharon, Steve B, Pingy, Pete, Keith, Lorna, Becky, Ange, Justine & Steve T (although he didn't do much TBH, other than photobomb the winners pictures) - you are all heroes !!!!
And to everyone we spoke to and invited along to our meetings, we are in the back room of the Grey Horse on Kirkgate, Wakefield, every Wednesday at 8:30pm ... hope to see you all down at a meeting soon.
We will be hosting another show at the Wakefield Gala next year, so hope to see you in 2019.