Private Plates - Rally Prizes
Special awards are often given for obscure reasons. In 1987 there was a award for the most recently transferred registration - one person has transferred his number on the Friday afternoon and attended the rally on the Sunday. In 1975 the CNDA rally was held on Easter Sunday and prizes were awarded for easter bonnets - although such frivolity ended there. Surprisingly enough, there has never been a prize for the best turned out most interesting car. It really is the registration that is the important factor and many will be surprised to learn that there's no snobbery about the car carrying the plate. You'll receive as much acclaim for a distinctive registration on Ford Fiesta as a Mercedes. Obviously the high cost of numbers general means that the cars are more than likely going to be expensive, hence not too many crocks participate. Prizes are awarded to the lucky few, judged on the basis of the reason for owning the number and how appropriate it is to the class of entry. There are usually six or seven classes. A pre-determined set of judges (more of that when we get to the Leeds rally) decides the best entrants in the relevant classes and awards are presented by someone of minor or major importance. The most distinguished presenter ( trophies was the Rt. Hon. Norman Fowler M.P., at Dodington in 1977.
People don't go to rallies to win prizes, they are really incidental to the proceedings. Of course it's very nice to drive home with a trophy, but with few exceptions nobody worries if their plate doesn't receive the ultima acknowledgement. Some dedicated enthusiasts make an effort to attend every rally and will schedule their holidays accordingly. The majority of such true enthusiasts don't own top of the range vehicles, but their plates are as cherished (if not more) than that on the most splendid of vehicles in attendance. Not surprisingly, you can never please all the people all of the time, and many are disappointed that a rally of any importance is not held close to the home. Long haul awards are a feature of most rallies and are often won by entrants who have travelled over 400 miles. My 1988 project to attend all the rallies was something of a feat in itself. I clocked over 1,000 miles in my quest. The first event was on Sunday 8th May and was billed as "NORFOLK SECOND CHERISHED NUMBERS RALLY". It was an unusual venue for a numbers rally insomuch as it wasn't held at an historic or stately home - was part of a giant village fete in a field near Morley, near Attleborough.Norfolk. As well as numerous stalls and trade stands offering everything from new cars to second-hand bras, the local commercial radio station was there with a roadshow, Majorettes did their thing in the arena, rural crafts and skills were on display, including sheep shearing (those sheep that didn't escape from the pen) plus a display of World War II military vehicles. Chiefly of course, the car numbers rally was the attraction and what a fantastic job the organiser, Mike Sims, made of it. The attendance was double that of the previous year despite the weather not being too kind - although thankfully the rain just about held off.
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