Barclays Cook and Drive Day

Last month saw the inaugural Barclays Cook and Drive Day hosted by the Club at the Motocross track. The aim of the day was a mixture of both business and pleasure, and the two mixed very well.

With our host sponsor Barclays we decided to put together this fun day for the family. The ladies were asked to drive a 4x4 course and the men were asked to cook a meal in a potjie. Both the driving and the cooking would be judged, with the emphasis on precision in the driving and the best meal in the cooking competition.

The initial venue chosen for the day (the quarry and gravel pit adjacent to the track) was abandoned after the course chosen for the drivers by our intrepid outdoors man (Rob Mc Claggen) was deemed too difficult. As a result the course for the driving was changed to the Motocross track, and the area around the track was used as the cooking area and kiddies jumping castle.

Stands were sold to various motor dealers in order for them to display their vehicles, which could also be test driven in a 4x4 environment. A number of motor dealers participated including Naledi Motors (Jeep and Pajero), BarloWorld Motor (VW, Ford and Audi), Subaru, Peugeot and General Motors (Isuzu). Red Bull and Worldwide Commodities also put on a great display, and even sold many of their goodies on the day. Barclays was on hand to provide financing to anyone interested in purchasing one of the many vehicles on show and demonstrated.

There were some awesome prizes available for both the cooking and driving (even though we were at pains to stress that the driving was not to be regarded as a competition or event). The most precise lady driver (Linda Taylor) walked away with a magnificent GPS, and the winning potjie team (Peter Barnard and Zane Goveia) receiving a gas braai.

There was much hilarity in both the cooking and driving areas. Many a vehicle was seen balancing on its sumpgaurd on top of the motocross jumps with both lady driver and judge looking a little perplexed. The winner in this regard must go to Thora Milne who having first suffered the indignity of having her vehicle beached on the top of one of the jumps and getting pushed off then had to suffer the further indignity of having to put her exhaust system into the back of her bakkie - all while hubby was swanning around the Greek Isles. In the cooking stakes that indignity must go to yours truly who, having assumed that this was an "outdoors" event, arrived with nothing more than a potjie pot and the ingredients to go in it.

The guys from Pick 'n Pay Molapo pulled out all the stops in the cooking competition, arriving with décor, table cloths and an array of ingredients which would have made a restaurant proud. Not content with making one potjie, the boys started preparing two. This sent Simon Stewart and Kim Brand (and most of the other teams) scurrying for tables, table cloths, décor and another potjie pot.

In the end the judges for the cooking competition a celebrity judge Mac Jack, Clive Fourie and Cathy Tambolini from Worldwide Commodities) decided that the Subaru Team had produced the winning pot. The competition was very tough in the cooking competition and the boys from Pick 'n Pay Molapo were just beaten into second place - methinks that Mr Fourie must be in the market for a new vehicle.

When the smoke from the cooking fires had drifted away and the dust had settled over the track it was agreed by one and all that this was an event which would have to be repeated in the future, but bigger and better. Then it was time for a party…..In all, it was a fantastic day and plans are already being hatched for next year's event.

To our host sponsor for the event, Barclays, we thank you for your support and trust that next year the event will be one which has grown commensurate with the fun and enthusiasm which was shown this year. To all the motor dealers who participated, you certainly put one over those dealers who did not participate, and we look forward to seeing you again next year. The next event will be open to the public, and we encourage all who would like to participate and display your goodies to contact us.

To the team of GMC members who put this event together, well done.

Until then, study the recipes boys. The guys from Pick 'n Pay are not going to take their defeat lightly.