President's Picnic 2023
Our Club’s annual picnic for all our members will again be held in the riverbank grounds of Ebenezer Church on Sunday 17thSeptember and everyone is invited.
If you wish to attend the President's Picnic this year, then you MUST complete the Registration Form behind the Book Now button in this post for catering purposes.
Ebenezer Church is the oldest church in Australia s established in 1809 and conducts weekly services and is situated just 12km from Windsor in a rural parkland setting on the banks of the Hawkesbury River. As Church volunteers provide most of our lunch options, we will be passing the hat around for donations to the church's restoration fund.
Everyone has the chance to wander through the historic sandstone Church and school building, make a purchase at their canteen and walk around its well-maintained grounds and the rows of roadsters on the day. Everyone is encouraged to exhibit your car in one of the competition categories or take the opportunity to simply detail and park your MX-5 in the grounds in the company of over 100 other roadsters. Members either individually or in Chapter groups will again have the opportunity to sit back and enjoy the event in the company of friends and members from all chapters and volunteer to help on the day.
Proper barista coffee will be provided (not that instant rubbish we had last year) along with biscuits, cake and pastries during morning tea with a lunch of BBQ chicken, sausages and salads being served from around 12:30pm. To get your free morning tea and/or lunch you must have pre-registered for this event. Please ensure that your membership is current when you register online.
Ready your picnic gear to join our Presidents Picnic and leave the rest to the Club.
THE CLUB RESERVES THE RIGHT TO CANCEL OR VARY THE PICNIC AND/OR CAR COMPETITIONS UP UNTIL THE DAY OF THE EVENT DUE TO WEATHER CONDITIONS. PLEASE CHECK THIS WEBPAGE ON THE DAYS BEFORE THE EVENTS FOR ANY CHANGES.
Registration & Parking
On arrival at Ebenezer Church, all attendees must register at the registration desks on Coromandel Road turn off Coromandel Road then proceed to the side entry gate into the Church Grounds as directed. All attendees must sign-in before proceeding to park their car in rows as directed by volunteer parking marshals.
Non-Member Attendance and/or Participation
Non-member attendance is welcome provided they comply with the directions of our Committee Members and volunteers. Non-members are not eligible for trophies.
Non-members who wish to participate in lunch will be charged $30 per person, and those who don't want lunch will be charged $10 per person entitling them to park in the grounds an receive a wrist band to enjoy free tea, coffee & cake on arrival.
Getting There
Members may choose to travel the Presidents Picnic individually as a part of a Chapter run. Runs to the event may be organised on the day by Chapters starting at various locations and will be posted separately on the event calendar by participating Chapters. Chapter runs will be posted individually on the Club’s Event Page.
MX-5 Show Events
The Club will be conducting numerous car show events on the grounds of the Ebenezer Church in conjunction with the President’s Picnic for members and guests.
All classes of events require not less than 3 cars in each individual competition. A car can only be entered into one competition event. Due to lead time for trophy delivery, If a class has less that 3 cars nominated seven days before the President’s Picnic, then the competition for that individual class will either be cancelled or merged into another class.
Members & visitors will have the opportunity to show their cars in three categories with four classes each. All MX-5s parked on the church grounds will be considered vote for the People’s Choice Award, whilst the volunteer judges collectively determining the Best on Show, Concours, Show 'n' Shine , Modified MX-5 , the best Ladies Car and Track Car.
Everyone entering an event agrees if asked to make themselves available to act as a judge or join committee members as a volunteer on the day to help with parking cars or other duties around the venue. Each year we need around 50 members to undertake volunteer roles in two shifts.
Trophies are being awarded in Concours, Show 'n' Shine , Modified MX-5 competitions in NA, NB, NC & ND classes for a trophy to each winner. Only financial Club members can win the Club trophies with all entrants eligible for Certificates of Merit.
Lady members may enter into any one of the four competitions and still be eligible for best ladies car on show.
Concours d’Elegance CANCELLED FOR 2023 DUE TO LOW ENTRY NUMBERS
The rules for members wishing to enter their MX-5s in Concours have been changed in line with the new NatMeet and club judging rules. The points for originality have been set aside to allow modified cars to enter on a more level playing field. For ease of identification the competition is classified as an Open Concours d’Elegance. Trophies and Awards in this event will remain as trophies and awards for Concours.
Should the end result of judging under the Open Concours Rules be that there is more than one car on equal points in a class then originality will become relevant in determining the ultimate winner. In all other respects the judging criteria remains the same as in previous years.
Pre-registration in Concours is essential. Concours entrants must complete their Registration Form selecting Concours as their event by 5pm Friday 8th September. Concours competitors will be sent an email following registration with a copy of the Concours Information & Guide Sheet and the Concours Judging Sheet
Entrants must print and complete their Concours Judging Sheet to hand to the judges filled in with their details for their MX-5 to be eligible for judging. Concours cars will park in a dedicated area from 8:30am before general entry from 9:00am.
It is a condition of entering the Concours competition that entrants be willing if called upon to assist in judging a Concours class in which they are not an entrant.
Show 'n' Shine
Show 'n' Shine trophies and award certificates of merit based on how a cross section of our membership, acting as volunteer judges, perceive the exterior of those NAs, NBs, NCs and NDs on show taking into account originality and/or external modifications and trim as they deem appropriate.
Those wishing to enter should record their intention in their Registration Form on or before Friday 15th September and have their cars parked in the grounds by 10.00am unless on a chapter run from Hunter, Mid North Coast or South Coast Chapters..
Show 'n' Shine is for everyone who wants to show their MX-5 at its best and should not be confused with the Concours event that has formal judging criteria. Show 'n' Shine is an opportunity for all members to show their MX-5s without having to go the trouble to prepare for this event as if entering for Concours.
Show 'n' Shine has no points or judging criteria. The judges drawn from the general membership will determine what in their opinion is the most deserving NA, NB, NC and ND overall from their external appearance and visible cabin areas of the car. Entrants must not enter MX-5s with major body panel modifications or changes excluding modified trim, exhaust or wheels. Entrant can present their cars with roof left up or down to show off the interior finish for the judges to take into consideration. Engine areas, boots and the underside of panels are not considered by the judges in Show 'n' Shine.
Minor scratches, bumps, paint chips and blemishes may be disregarded at the judge's discretion. Originality and aftermarket trim may be taken into account in accessing the appeal of cars that the judges believe enhance the overall appeal of an entry deserving of a trophy or special mention.
Best Modified & Performance MX-5s
For those members of the MX-5 community who are into modifying the performance and/or appearance of their MX-5s, our judges will chose an NA, NB, NC & ND class trophy winner and may award certificates of merit in each class primarily taking into account the nature and quality of mechanical, interior and exterior modifications.
Those wishing to enter must record their intention in their Registration Form on or before Friday 15th September and have their cars parked in the grounds by 10:30am.
If you wish to participate and be considered for a Modified & Performance MX-5 Award, the bonnets of the car should be left open when you park in your allocated area. The criteria and modifications by which the cars are judged is left to the judges’ discretion.
Best Track Car
Any MX-5 that has taken part in a Club Track Day, Super Sprint, MX-5 Cup or other track event in which the Club has participated may enter this event. A dedicated parking area will be allocated to track car parking. There is only one class of entry for all models and the winning entry is decided by the judging panel on presentation, appearance and the mechanical set up of each car.
Best on Show
All the judges for Concours, Show 'n' Shine and Modified MX-5 competitions will select their choice of which member's MX-5 has the biggest "wow" factor parked on the church grounds on the day allowing for originality and/or modifications for the Best on Show Trophy. There is no formal entries or nominations for the Best in Show Trophy.
People's Choice Award
All registered participants with a lunch ticket will be given a voting paper to select three MX-5s of any model for the People's Choice Award. Everyone receives as part of the registered process a People's Choice Voting Slip and a pencil to make their nominations for their choice as the best MX-5 on show. Voting slips and pencils will be collected between 10:30am and 11:30am.
Best Ladies MX-5 on Show
All the judges for Concours and Show 'n' Shine and Modified MX-5 competitions will select their choice as Best Ladies MX-5 on Show for Le Beau Prix MX-5 de Dames Trophy from cars registered to a female member who requests and displaying a pink tag. A member nominating on the day for this award may also enter in one other competition as well.
Timetable
7.30am Judges and volunteers may enter and park in the grounds
8.30am Concours car only can enter and park in the grounds and prepare for judging.
9.00am Registration desk opens for members to register and park in the grounds
Concours judging commences
9.30am Coffee Cart opens with biscuits, cake & pastries provided for a morning tea
10.00am Show 'n' Shine, Modified MX-5s & Track Cars judging starts
11.00am Collecting People's Choice commences.
11.30am Registration Desk closes
Entry to grounds closes
Coffee Cart closes
12.00noon Judging closes
Open forum & Q&A chaired by the President
12.30pm Lunch commences
2.00pm Presentation of Trophies & Awards
4.00pm All cars and attendees out of the church grounds
