The way Team Waikato has grown since 1999 is no real surprise because of the wonderful people that make up the club. It is a real pleasure to see so many people enjoying their cars and having a great MG day out with other members.

Team Waikato is part of the MG Car Club Auckland so when making arrangements for events we try not to clash with their events. This way any Waikato Members who are interested in speed events or trials etc can still participate.

Our events are of a very social nature and we have grown from 17 people who attended the first run to 102 who have attended a least one event this financial year.

In 1999 we were talking to the Club President, Sue Martin, and mentioned to her that we would like to get the Waikato Members more involved with the club. She then challenged us to do it and asked us if we would take over as the club contacts for the Waikato.

Sue played a very big part in getting us going with support and kind words of encouragement. The commitment she put into the MG Club was an inspiration and motivated us both.

We then met Shane Lavery one day and explained to him what we would like to do and would he be interested. His very enthusiastic response gave us the courage to carry on with our dream to make it happen.

In the September that year Auckland were having a run to Te Awamutu. We made the decision that this is it and we contacted the people we knew that were interested and made arrangements to meet the Auckland convoy at Whatawhata.

There were five cars which met that day to go on the run and afterwards they made a commitment to each other they would stay together no matter what and get MG moving in the Waikato.

The next move was to get a list of all the MG Club members and contact every single one. We got such a response and encouragement from making contact with everyone that it was just unbelievable and we knew it was going to work.

In the club MaG Sue in her article on the Te Awamutu event referred to us as Team Waikato and that name has stuck ever since.

We had our first official MG Team Waikato run on the 5th December 1999 which was a picnic run to Lake Hakanoa in Huntly.

If you have a MG or are thinking of getting one why not come to one of our events, you would be made very welcome.

Lyn & Garry

gary@mgwaikato.co.nz