Off-road Trials

THE 70TH anniversary event was not an event reserved for static displays. The half-day offroad trial event, sponsored by Bearmach, allowed registered attendees to test their mettle in pursuit of trophies, grille badges and bragging rights. The challenge had three categories: short wheelbase, medium wheelbase and long wheelbase. Walking the track before the event kicked-off, it was clear that some of the tight corners were going to prove a challenge for anything other than a compact rig. But who could begrudge an 80-inch wheelbase Series 1 model 1948 Land Rover the opportunity to show-up its modern-day rivals? The Defender 110s, 130s and a suite of Perenties didn’t stand a chance. The other best efforts were reserved for some of the Range Rovers that were able to hit the mark (rather than the course markers) with terrain management and cornering.

One outstanding entrant was 16-year-old Kyle Stewart on his L-plates. He and his Dad drove their 1997 Defender 110 (which has an impressive 904,000km on the clock) all the way from Queensland for the event. Not only did Kyle complete the course, but he was the youngest entrant on the day. We reckon we’ll be seeing more of Kyle in years to come.