Phil Irving Show
HMCCQ Phil Irving Concours 2021 • 25 July, 2021 – Mt Gravatt Show, Holland Park, Qld.
In these strange times we are exceptionally lucky to have any events actually realised. Many thanks to people like Fraser McMillan and his team who put in the hours knowing full well that their efforts could be wasted if another lockdown was enforced and the event cancelled. I noticed also the changing face of the public, with everyone sporting face masks. Will we ever return to normality? I would also like to acknowledge inclusion of the special display from the Vincent Owners Club. Phil Irving’s contribution to the Vincent motorcycle and the new category for the Best Vincent was very appropriate to the Concours bearing Phil’s name. Dave Dettmar authored an article in the last HMCCQ magazine reporting the very first Phil Irving Concours was held in May 1982 at Anzac Park Toowong. Phil was present and chose the Bike of the Show out of the 62 entries. Fast forward to 2021 and the event is still alive and well. Fingers crossed we can stage the 40th Anniversary Concours in 2022.
I volunteered to run the Phil Irving Concours this year after a three-year break in the event, in part due to COVID. I must thank all the people who helped me as a, perhaps typical, volunteer I did not know what I had let myself in for. The biggest thanks must go to John Butler who did a huge amount of work and had a somewhat better idea than I as to what was going on. Thanks to Ray Burrows who opens up the club store on request and has a fair idea what is in there. David Dettmar took on the entire judging task and had plenty of judges ready to go to work on the day. Jim Allen is an asset to the club and contributes a great deal of otherwise chargeable work time preparing artwork. To the extent that the Concours looked professional it was thanks to Jim.
Bailey Rowe was on site at the crack of dawn to help with the set-up on the day. Part of my reason for volunteering was to ensure Doug Jollife did not take on even more work for the club. I did have to contact him occasionally and he was always available and helpful. Further thanks go to the Vincent
Owners Club which supported the event in sufficient numbers for
Vincents to be a separate judging category. Jan McMillan used all her organizational skills before and on the day. Keeping the paperwork under control in the wind was no small task! The People’s Choice was awarded to Ian Hill for his 1982 Mike Hailwood Replica Ducati. The judges chose one of the oldest machines for Best in Show, Brian Fleming’s 1913 Chater-Lea. Overall the event was well supported given we are still in a COVID-limited environment. While I believe it is desirable to run the Concours in conjunction with another event like the Mt Gravatt Show to bring in the crowds, the venue had its limitations. The showground organisers were a pleasure to work with and I particularly note Loretta Smith. It is important to be aware of the many safety issues they were working under in these plagueridden times. We did our bit and the showground organisers were pleased with our involvement and the level of visits to our site. We have been invited back next year. From Fraser McMillan