Convention 2014: Canterbury - News

Whilst the growth of the classic car movement throughout New Zealand has been evident for some time, with increasing numbers of classics and enthusiast cars being regularly seen on Sunday runs and at other events, what isn’t so well known or understood is the overall economic impact that such groups can have in a local area.

An example is this month’s 2014 National Ford Mustang convention in Christchurch. Boosted by the highly recognised 50th anniversary celebrations of this famous model, over 225 Ford Mustangs and their owners, families and friends numbering over 400 people will gather in Christchurch at Labour weekend.

Based on a high level analysis, the total economic impact to Christchurch and surrounding area is estimated at between $500,000 and $600,000. This includes registration fees, accommodation, meals and incidentals, convention events, sponsorship investments, convention expenses such as advertising, signage, transportation, attendees’ fuel costs, shopping and recreational expenses, staff wages for all those involved at the special events, and more.

With Christchurch still facing and working through its post quake challenges, the Canterbury Mustang Owners Club as convention organisers feel a sense of special achievement and quiet satisfaction with this level of overall economic impact into our city, especially given accommodation pressures, limited function venues, and the other challenges the working team have faced.

Christchurch last hosted the national Mustang convention in 2008, a far easier assignment than this year’s task, not only because of the restricted facilities available but also the spotlight of the 50th anniversary celebrations. As Peter Geddes, convenor of the convention working group, says, “We originally set ourselves a target of a top class, well funded convention, catering for up to an optimistic figure of 200 Mustangs. At that time it seemed very ambitious, given the challenges in Christchurch and the fact that it had never been done before. And now, we feel really pleased that it has come together, not only for our club but for Christchurch”

On the final note of economics and finance, think about the total value of the convention itself.....225 Ford Mustangs on display under one roof, representing approximately $14 million of automotive investment! Make sure you see it at Turners, adjacent to Hagley Park, Saturday October 25.

On Friday evening October 24, two years of planning and hard work for the Canterbury Mustang Owners Club will culminate with an informal registration function for the attendees of the 2014 Ford Mustang National Convention here in Christchurch, kicking off an action packed three days for the registered Mustang owners from all around New Zealand.

This year’s convention, the 35th such event in New Zealand, will be the biggest ever held, befitting the accompanying special celebrations for the 50th anniversary of the iconic and legendary Ford Mustang.

Final registrations for the 2014 convention now exceed 225 Mustangs, from the very earliest 1964½ models to the latest 2014 imports. All these fabulous cars will be featured under one roof at the public exhibition on Saturday October 25, at the Turners Car Auctions venue in Detroit Place, adjacent to Hagley Park South.

The cars will be displayed in model year groupings, making it very easy for the public to walk through 50 years of legendary performance and style of the cars that characterised what came to be known as the “pony car” era. Conservatively, the convention display is estimated at $12 to $14 million in value, making the public entry price of only $10 (young accompanied children free) outstanding value!

Other events for the attendees across Labour weekend include....
- An informal gathering on Saturday evening, with a special theme recognising the legendary status and stars of Mustang in NZ motorsport.
- A traditional “pony run” on Sunday, heading into North Canterbury for a relaxed open air lunch and country museum visit
- The convention highlight, a “gold glitz and glamour” Gala Dinner and entertainment on Sunday evening, celebrating the 50th anniversary and the numerous prize winners and award recipients, notable guest speakers and lots of fun and dancing
- A closed track day experience at Ruapuna, dedicated to Mustang owners and their cars.
- Mustang participation in the Targa Tour opening stages on the Port Hills (mid afternoon) and late afternoon at Ruapuna, Monday October 27.

The Canterbury Mustang Owners Club could not have completed all of this planning without the special support of a large number of sponsors and supporting companies, as listed below. We are deeply indebted to them for their support, their confidence in our planning ability, and their enthusiasm for the excitement and image that the Ford Mustang instils in all of us.

Join us in Christchurch on Saturday October 25, and be part of a very special 50th birthday!
For further information, contact Garry Jackson at gsj.ads@xtra.co.nz or 0274855335
www.nzmustang.com/2014convention
 

  North Harbour Ford, North Shore
  John Andrew Ford, Auckland City
  South Auckland Ford, Manukau City
  Fairview Motors Ltd, Hamilton
  Ultimate Motor Group, Tauranga
  Courtesy Ford, Palmerston North
  Stevens Ford, Lower Hutt
  Team Hutchinson Ford, Christchurch City
  Avon City Ford, Sockburn, Christchurch
 

Trophy Sponsors

On April 17 1964, America awoke to a nationwide new car launch that took the market by storm, and which established the Ford Mustang as an aspirational blend of performance and style that continues to this day, 50 years later.
Here in New Zealand, the Mustang legend is very well established, with an estimated 2000-3000 privately imported Mustangs on the road and in the garages of the Mustang fans. Mustang owners have a strong sense of brotherhood, with almost 1000 registered members of the seven Mustang Owners Clubs across New Zealand.
The first Mustangs imported into New Zealand set the scene for high performance and a racing image, with strong motorsport presence in 1965 and the ensuing years. Names such as Ivan Segedin, Paul Fahey, Jim Richards, Leo Leonard, Alan Moffat and others quickly became the heroes of motorsport folklore. Christchurch was to the fore in those heady days, as the home of the crowd pleasing (and very fast) PDL Mustangs.
The first two New Zealand Mustang clubs were established in Taranaki (May 1975) and Auckland (November 1975), followed progressively in later years by Canterbury, Waikato, Manawatu-Wellington, Southern (Invercargill) and Bay of Plenty. National Mustang conventions have been held annually since 1979, with organising responsibilities alternating every year across the clubs. The common interests shared by all Mustang owners, the friendships and the stories have become the lifeblood of an increasingly strong Mustang fraternity across New Zealand, mirroring a similar brotherhood spirit in Mustang’s USA homeland.
All of this background serves to emphasise just how special the 2014 National Ford Mustang convention in Christchurch in October will be....
- It is the 35th annual Mustang convention to be held in New Zealand

- It is a celebration of Mustang’s 50th anniversary, a special milestone that very few global automotive models and model names have achieved

- This 50th celebration convention here in New Zealand follows on from an extensive program of 50th anniversary events across the world in 2014, extending from very high profile Mustang gatherings throughout the US to smaller but no less enthusiastic events in Australia, England and even the Middle East. These events kicked off in the US in April, Mustang’s birthday month, with a substantial number of New Zealand Mustang owners participating at the various celebration pony runs and events from Las Vegas to Carolina.

- The 2014 Convention will feature a special display format at the exhibition Mustang show, open to the public on Saturday October 25 at Turners Car Auction facility, adjacent to Hagley Park. Over 225 Mustangs will line up, all under one roof! Each of the model year groupings will be parked together, making it easier for the public to see follow the 50 years of Mustang history, and the legacy of classic, high performance style. The models years are...

- Within these model years, as applicable will all the public favourites and legends: Shelby’s, Bosses, Fastbacks, Convertibles, Notchbacks, and more!

This has been facilitated by the concurrent timing and locations of the Labour weekend convention for NZ’s Mustang Owners in Christchurch, and the first ever Christchurch start of the 2014 Targa New Zealand from Christchurch on Labour Day Monday the 27th October. As a result, the opportunity now exists for those willing (and brave!) Mustang owners to participate in the “Targa Tour” across the challenging closed Summit Road high above Christchurch, just ahead of the full blown motorsport competition cars in the Targa proper.
This Summit Road stage kicks off the Targa New Zealand event throughout the South Island, with approximately 200 competitors and participants covering approximately 805 kilometres of high speed competition on closed public roads. The Targa Tour precedes the high speed competition, giving the Tour entrants a unique opportunity to experience the same roads at moderate pace after they have been closed to the public, and to sense the excitement and challenge in their own road cars, without the full motorsport preparations and expenses of the main competitors. For the spectators who come out to view the opening Targa stage, the Targa Competitors are preceded by the Tour participants with the impressive sights and sounds of Ford Mustangs in the dramatic Port Hills landscape opening the stage.

The arrangements between the convention organisers and Targa NZ have dovetailed perfectly. Up to 200 Mustangs are expected to take part in the convention’s closed track event at Ruapuna on the morning of Labour Monday, with Targa organisers lending a supporting hand for all the organising arrangements. Many of those Mustangs will then take part on the Targa Tour that kicks off the Targa NZ event on the Summit Road early that afternoon, with all the Targa competitors and Tour participants then returning to Ruapuna for a concluding high speed special stage before they head south for the challenges that the South Island will offer over the following week.

Rob Donaldson, Vice President of the Canterbury Mustang Owners Club and a member of the convention working group, expects this new opportunity to appeal to a number of Mustang owners. “Where else can you get the opportunity, for little or no expense, to give your Mustang the chance to stretch its legs on both a closed race track and one of NZ’s most iconic and challenging rallying stages, all on the same day? This will be a perfect way to finish off what will be a superb convention weekend, and I’m sure the post Targa stories and discussions will become part of the folklore of a very memorable, once in a lifetime, 50th celebration event for all Mustang owners.”

For more information about the 2014 Ford Mustang Convention, and the Targa arrangements, contact Rob Donaldson at 0274 329-388.