Motoring event experts, GTI NI, return in top form bringing us their second instalment of Eurotreffen, held at the Blue Circle Boat Club just down the coast from Larne.
This highly anticipated outdoor car show was put together at fairly short notice last year, and turned out to be yet another GTI NI success story; hence it’s return on Saturday 2 July. 2022. The County Antrim event, which has replaced, and considerably surpassed a GTI NI summer show that for years was held Castlewellan Forest Park, did not disappoint.
When you have the team behind internationally renowned car show, Dubshed, in charge, you know you’re in for a treat and this year’s Eurotreffen saw well in excess of 150 entrants. The beauty about a laid-back event such as this one, which starts mid-morning and ends at a sensible time, is that you attract an amazingly eclectic mix of all things automotive spanning a few generations.
Such was the demand to get in and display that on my arrival, which was around 1-hour after the show had started cars were still queuing to get into this peaceful and secluded venue. Surrounded by Forest, the chorus of birds singing from the trees was only ever disturbed by the rumble of the odd train rolling down the nearby tracks and also the sizzling from the ever popular barbecue.
A couple of torrential downpours at the start of the day broke the calm, as too did the stage proceedings which, hosted by Connor McCann, proved to be tremendously popular with everyone. Drive-on, drive-off stages are something I have only ever seen in photographs from European car shows, and GTI NI’s research into them paid off.
Throughout the day, various cars and their owners, people of interest within the car scene, and folk who build and prepare vehicles were all invited onto the stage for a casual chat with Connor and his hat. The fact he was wearing shorts is probably the only reason why the nervousness wasn’t running down his legs, but from what I am told he done a sterling job.
As is the norm for almost every car show in the country, various prizes are handing out covering many categories. Sometimes prizes are simply left on the windscreen of a car, more often however, vehicle details will be read out and its owner gets to collect an award from the applause of their peers. This means that many of us who attend shows never truly know what cars have claimed which prize, unless it is your mate that has won.
Eurotreffen brought the winning cars, and their owners, centre stage thanks once again to their drive-on, drive-off platform. Well done to Nigel, Gethin, and all of those who volunteer to help in making shows like this a success.
A mammoth effort didn’t go unnoticed, and I for one will be sure to try my best to return next year on what I believe will be an even bigger and better event.
Congratulations must also go to all of the award winners, especially Jayme Hill (Mini) and Roger Ashfield (Beetle) for taking home the ‘Top 2’ awards.
Words and Photos: GRAHAM BAALHAM-CURRY
[Images must not be used in any way without prior written consent of the photographer]
