The LAND ROVER OWNER INTERNATIONAL SHOW at Billing Aquadrome in Northamptonshire in the UK is the largest Land-Rover Show in the world!
For ten years Land-Rover enthusiasts from all over the globe have migrated to the heart of the UK for the annual LRO shindig. I first attended six years ago after the Lode Lane Lust re-awakened inside me. Our family had always had Series Land-Rovers but I had strayed from the fold purchasing a series of lesser vehicles, all of which failed to suffice. Then I had a drive in a relatively new 90 and from then on I was like a man possessed, no other form of transport, other than our trusty Mini, would be considered.
At my first Billing outing we had a look around the trade stands, which took all of an hour, watched the arena demonstrations, took a look at the off-road course and that was it. About an afternoon's work in total, but enjoyable nonetheless.
The LRO show 2000 could not have been more different. there were literally thousands upon thousands of Land-Rovers and their accompanying owners. We arrived late Wednesday and the campsite already looked full. By Friday morning it was absolutely packed, but still they kept coming. It seemed that every concievable blade of grass was covered with vehicles, tents or caravans barely leaving enough space to walk between the units.
Anyone arriving Saturday morning was greeted with miles of tailbacks before being turned away at the gate by the police. For those of us already inside there were more trade stands than any previous show and the arena events were different to anything staged before, though why they thought people would be interested in a Fashion Show I'll never know. It seemed they also forgot to lay on changing facilities for the modelsand had to hastily source an army surplus tent for the day.
The organising team were new to this event and it showed.
On the plus side, the various club stands were excellent as usual and with the thousands of Solihull vehicles on site we got to see some fantastic motors.
EMAP - publishers of LROI - will tell you that they have now outgrown Billing Aquadrome and are looking for an alternative site. Well that is not entirely true. They could certainly do with more room but it's a case of they were pushed rather than jumped. The Billing Aquadrome Management have signed a deal with a rival publisher to host a Land-Rover Enthusiasts event there for the next two years - see details on the right. Where the LRO show will go is open to speculation, a couple of obviously unconfirmed rumours listed the Castle Donnington Race Circuit and Brands Hatch as possible contenders.
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I'll show you mine
if you show me yours! |
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The DoorMobile stand is always a favourite of mine. This year they also had an extremely rare Range-Rover version. |
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Where it all started - some of these 40-50 year old examples of the marque are in better condition now than when they left the production line! |
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The Ex-Military stand had a wonderful selection of Land-Rovers, showing how they easily adapt to different uses worldwide. |
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Camping was so tight at Billing this year - a roof tent was probably your safest option |
| What about next year?
Just days before the Billing show a letter was sent to all exhibitors stating that EMAP had decided to move the LRO show to a new venue for next year.
It went on to say that a rival publisher may take the opportunity to host a rival event at Billing and offered all exibitors a discounted rate if they signed up for next year's show at the new venue.
How successful this offer was we don't know. They could not say where the event was going to be or what dates it would be held on.
What people soon found out though was that Richard Green, one of the original LRO publishers, and a number of other LRO staff were about to launch a new magazine LAND-ROVER ENTHUSIAST and had secured the Billing site for a rival LRE show for 2001 and 2002.
Things get a bit acrimonious at this point with various clams and counter claims coming from both camps.
What IS clear though is that we could possibly get to choose from THREE Land-Rover specific events next year. Hosted by LRO, LRW and LRE - only LRM seem to be staying out of this particular bar-room brawl, at least for now.
How can this happen?
Well it seems that when EMAP took over LRO a few years ago, ownership of various other bits - the Billing Show, the LRO shop and the LROI web site - were left under the control of the outgoing publishers. A bit like selling your house but letting the previous owners use keep a set of keys.
They have taken advantage of this and struck a potentially fatal blow. EMAP have the global might to put down any insurrection but I'm sure the new team have speed and agility on their side to try to win the day.
Whether the market can sustain FOUR Land-Rover magazines is questionable. At a joint cost of over £150 for the year, who can afford to read them all?
Bets are being taken as to which will go first . . . |
