Hi everyone,
I have just arrived home, put the washing on and sat
down to pen some thoughts.
In the immortal words of a junior enduro rider at a
presentation night...
"I'd just like to thank....."
Everyone who came along to the Australian Four Day
Enduro 2010 at Portland. Thank you for your support of our event, we
really appreciated the positive feedback from everyone who was
there. By all accounts, the riders had a great time and the crews were
able to view the awesome tests on offer.
Thank you to the Lithgow City and Bathurst Regional
Councils for their assistance with the preparation of the A4DE and a
special big thanks goes out to Kellie Barrow and her staff at the
Lithgow Visitior's Information Centre for their outstanding service
throughout the planning process. I must also make mention of the
amazing ground staff at Kremer Park who were constantly at our disposal
for help and there on Monday morning to help in the clean-up effort.
We appreciate the guidance and co-operation of
Forests NSW and the NSW Police - they worked with us all the way to
ensure and interesting and safe event. Forests NSW even suspended some
of their logging operations to try to ensure that there would be less
heavy machinery in our area during the A4DE. We had constant
communication with the foresters and I know this made me feel much
easier knowing that riders had less chance to come face to face with a
logging truck as we all know that a logging truck outweighs a rider
anyday!
Central Tableland Motorcycle Club for their
enthusiasm and fantastic trail preparation. Months of hard work went
into the planning of the route for the A4DE and judging by the riders,
they all enjoyed the challenge that was laid out before them. CTMCC
then backed up and did a lot of the sweep duties, so all went well daily
out on the trails. Thank you Paul, Mal, Macca, Steve, Geoff , Eugene
and all the boys for the great job you did!
The Landholders - Centennial Coal, Delta Electricity,
Malina Kearns, Geoff Henning, Dave Seymour, Chris Brackenrig, Mal and
Donna Sleet, Val Porter, Jim Scro and Darren Francis, their families and
friends - what a fantastic bunch of people. When the word went out that
we were in the area and needed some private properties for the special
tests, many hands were raised to lend their properties for us to enjoy.
How good were the venues and what a great final moto paddock - thank you
everyone for sharing your farms with us.
The Sponsors - Yamaha as the major contributor and
all the other sponsors who were featured throughout the event. Thank
you for your involvement in the A4DE and our sport in general. Look
through your programs and rider packs for all the supporters of the
event and please make sure you support them in the future.
Portland and surroundings communities - 6 months
ago, these people had no idea of what a Four Day was nor the impact we
would have on their town! However, they rose to the challenge and did a
fantastic job feeding us at the Parc Ferme and welcoming us with open
arms. Businesses in Portland banded together to assist us in many ways
and thank you to everyone at the A4DE for supporting these people who
supported us.
The catering throughout the event was by
Lidsdale/Wallerawang CWA, Portland Tidy Towns, local schools and
community groups and how good were the cakes and slices from Meadow Flat
Public School at the Final Moto! I believe that one School, St. Pat's at
Lithgow, will now be able to finish their classroom air
conditioning/heating program and purchase electronic whiteboards, thanks
to the money they raised from the A4DE! I am yet to hear from other
groups to see where their money will go, but if I hear anything, I will
let you all know.
The Key Officials - Peter Dooley, Steve Squires,
Collin Jennings (and his beautiful Gypsy Queen, Teena). Denise Hore
(and the Intrepid Wanderer, Gary), Sandra Palmer (and the sensational
birthday girl, Bec) and Jan Waldon (Everyone's enduro mum). All these
people ensured a safe and well run event and dealt with everything we
threw at them - thanks everyone for being there when we needed you.
Thanks to Motorcycling Australia and Motorcycling NSW for appointing
these officials and supporting our event.
The scorers - Richard, Chris and Rod - These guys did
a fantastic job - the hours are long and the work is technical, but we
had results out ASAP daily for everyone to look over, worry about and
absorb. Well done and thank you for making one of the biggest jobs at
an event like worry-free from an organisers point of view.
The Volunteers - WOW, WHAT A GREAT BUNCH OF
PEOPLE.... We had volunteers not only from Oyster Bay MCC, but also
from all over Australia and New Zealand help us throughout the A4DE.
Every single state (and island) had someone help us at some point
during the event - I am not sure there are too many A4DE events that can
boast this fact! Without such a fantastic group of willing and
enthusiastic helpers, this event would not have been possible. It needs
a huge amount of people power to run a A4DE and I would like to
personally thank Wendy for her amazing effort in organising the merry
band of helpers, day in and day out. Wendy, Don and Sandra also put
together a fantastic training program and "workers information bible" so
that all our volunteers were informed, confident and comfortable from
the very beginning of the race - one of the many new innovations
that made this event the success that it was. Thank you to those of you
who also assisted with the clean up effort of the venues - this helped
immensely as we all know, many hands make light work!
St. John Ambulance and the local SES also helped out
during the A4DE. Thankfully, they were rarely needed and the two
major rider incidents both proved to be nothing serious. In fact, the
rider who had the ride in the helicopter actually wanted to re-start on
Day 2 and the young guy who crashed in the final moto made a guest
appearance at the Presentation Night! Thanks to Brendan and Geoff from
St John and Gary from Portland SES for co-ordinating our emergency
services.
Speaking of "Presso Night" ... thank you to Jayne
Waldon and her group of helpers for organising a great evening for
everyone. Not only did around 420 folk turn up to the Awards Dinner,
but Jayne then organised an after party for those who needed no sleep!
Well done Jayne, it was a top night for all (even if the morning after
was a bit dodgy for many!)
I am indebted to our Committee - Don Atkins (Parc
Ferme, A4DE Wizard), Wendy Cleland (Volunteer Co-ordinator, Worker
Magician and Stationary Junkie), Brenda Larkin (Financial Controller,
Entry Sorter and KTM Queen), Scott Crowley (Sponsor Chaser and
Media Go-getter), Chris Dodd (Course Designer and GPS Guru). Thank you
for all the hard work, long hours and sleepless nights that become "the
norm" when running such a big gig! I owe you all big time!
Thank you Oyster Bay MCC for supporting our committee
when we first pitched the idea of running the A4DE. Sorry, I am not
promising any income from this event, but I think everyone had a good
time anyway! There were heaps of smiles at the end of each day, so I
guess the club name "Oyster Bay " will be fondly remembered by many for
a long time to come.
Last but not least, my family. Rick (Course
Director, enduro fanatic and crazy husband) Cardi, you did an awesome
job - your enthusiasm was second to none and although it has been hard
work and extremely emotional for all of us, I believe that this A4DE
will be remembered by the riders, families, crews and supporters, as
"the best Four Day" for many years. To our sons - Geoff,
congratulations on a fantastic result and Steve, well done for finishing
after a big crash and painful knee injury on Day 1. Dad and I are
sooooo proud of you both and thank you for your support and
understanding while we have been busy over the past 6 months. Thanks
to all the other mums and dads that looked after our boys during the
event while their actual parents were elsewhere - it goes to show the
world what a family sport we are when all our kids are inter-changeable!
All in all, I feel that the Portland Australian Four
Day Enduro 2010 will go down in enduro folklore as a "top event" and I
am pleased that I had the wonderful people around me to make it so. The
enduro fraternity both in Australia and New Zealand are a fantastic
network of people and I am honoured to have you all in my life. Thanks
for your kind words of encouragement and everyone's "thank you's" each
day.
I wish the Queensland organisers of A4DE 2011 all the
best and I look forward to their event in Mackay over Easter next year.
It's been a long time between "Four Days" for Queensland, so I am sure
they will put on a great event - it will be well worth the drive (and
beach holiday afterwards!).
I hope I have remembered everyone, please forgive me
if I have not personally mentioned you as the list is long. However,
your help much has been much appreciated - thank you once again.
Bye for now,
Lyn Braico
Event Co-ordinator
A4DE 2010
