Concours d’Elegance raises money for youths in ag
Ironstone Vineyards’ amphitheater was built with a car show in mind — and not just any show.
The venue was designed to showcase the stunning antique, vintage and classic cars that roar up to Murphys each year for the annual Ironstone Concours d’Elegance.
“I just got this idea that it would be fun to do a Concours d’Elegance,” said Gail Kautz, chairwoman of the annual event.
It wasn’t just a whim. Kautz was chairwoman of the California State 4-H Foundation when she conceived the idea. The group was looking for ideas for a fundraiser for the organization.
Back then, around 90 percent of their donations came from farmers and other agricultural leaders.
“We decided we should expand our base and reach out to other people,” Kautz said.
So she got in touch with a friend who is a car expert.
“I am not a car expert. I’m an admirer of the beautiful cars, but I’m no expert,” she said with a laugh.
He put together a group of classic car aficionados, and they organized the first Concours d’Elegance at Ironstone Vineyards.
Saturday will be the show’s 21st year. The show brings together dozens of classic and antique automobiles — some more than 100 years old.
This year, a 1905 National is expected to be among the exhibits, as well as a 1912 Kissel Kar 5-50, said Anna Sass of SASS! Public Relations, which is handling publicity for the event.
“We have a whole group of Packards,” she added.
The show will also showcase some of the designs of Steve Moal, who creates what he calls automotive art in Oakland.
Kautz couldn’t choose a favorite car at the show.
“That’s like saying what’s your favorite country that you’ve visited,” she said. “They all have good things.”
One car does stand out, though: A frequent visitor to the Concours d’Elegance is an antique electric car owned by a Lodi resident.
“I always laugh when they come out with these new electric cars — ‘State of the art!’ Well, we’ve got one from 1909,” she said.
Plein air painters will be at the show.
“They paint the cars, they paint the grounds of Ironstone,” Sass said. “Really it’s just whatever they’re inspired by at that moment.”
But while the cars will be the focus of the day — and the main attraction for most of the people who come out to the event — there’s another motive behind the Concours d’Elegance.
The event allows local 4-H, FFA and other students exploring the field of agriculture to share what they’ve learned with visitors and car owners.
Members of the 4-H and FFA clubs that the event helps to support are invited to come out in uniform to share their projects. So are scholarship recipients who have benefited from the fundraiser.
“We’re trying to introduce all our guests to 4-H and FFA,” Kautz said.
The Ironstone Concours Foundation, which hosts the yearly event, donates $10,000 to the State FFA headquarters in Galt each year, and presents scholarships at the California State Fair and Calaveras County Fair. The foundation also helps to support 4-H programs like the Leadership Conference, guide dog and horse projects.
For Kautz — who, with her husband John is a farmer, vintner and local agricultural leader — supporting the agricultural endeavors of young people in Northern California is vital. Helping them teach others about where food comes from is equally important.
“As you know, this is our future. If you like to eat, you’d better support agriculture,” she said.
Her plan seems to be working. Since she helped launch the first show 20 years ago, the Concours d’Elegance has raised more than $750,000 for youth agricultural programs.
On Saturday, more than 300 antique and classic cars are expected to help the foundation build on that amount.
“It’s one of the top concourses in the U.S. now,” Kautz said.