Ashburton Courier: June 10, 2021

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NEWS
Ashburton Courier, June 10, 2021
23
Keep in contact, ask for help
Keep in contactwith people
and seek help if you need it,
Rural Woman New Zealand
national board member
SandraCurd says.
Mrs Curd, who farms at
Winchmore, said people were
available to help or give
advicetothose who reached
out.
‘‘People are there to help,
please do not shy awayfrom
talking to others, you are not
the onlyone heavily affected
by thissituation.
‘‘Be sensibleand safe, take
care of yourselves,’’ she
offered to farmers still dealing
with flooding issues.
Mrs Curd said some of the
big issueswill include feed
needs, fencingand keeping
farmersmental wellness in
the foreground.
‘‘People needtokeep in
touch with their banks/
landlords etc ­most important
to keep talking to them and
keep themuptodate with
your situation,’’she said.
Some of the Ashburton contingent at the final Brass Monkey Rally in
Central Otago.
PHOTO SUPPLIED
Brass Monkey
final rally ride
2376022
BYLINDA CLARKE
Mates, motorbikes and memories
of freezing, but fun, camping
resulted in about 20 Ashburton
motorcyclists taking part in the
final Brass Monkey Rally, at Ida
Valley, last weekend.
The rally, run by the Otago
Motorcycle Club, was in its 40th
year but will be the last.
Workmates John Hetrick and
Brian Hill were among the
Ashburton crew to ride south. It
was John’s 16th rally and Bryan’s
23rd. Another member of the
group, Grant Watson, was
attending his 37th rally.
John said the trip took several
hours, with afew scenic stops.
His partner Kristine drove the
support van, which carried the
group’s camping equipment.
Rally rules require
participants to camp out.
John said the nights could be
chilly and riders have been
known to wake up to hoar frost in
past years. At least once, it had
snowed.
“The year of the hoar frost it
was minus 12.
‘‘The ice was hanging off the
fence and the beer was freezing
in the can. You had to stand near
the fire.”
Numbers had fallen off in
recent years, so Ashburton
motorcycle fans had decided to
make the effort to farewell the
event.
Riders gather to talk
motorcycles, catch up with
friends from all around the
country, and to socialise.
John said there was athrill in
riding in agroup, on beautiful
machines.
His was aSuzuki 1000.
John and Bryan work for Jeff
Marshall Suzuki in Ashburton;
Bryan travelled to the rally on a
GSXR750, wife Tania and
daughter Chloe also travelled
down.
Bryan said the rally’s
attraction was that it is was so
different from other rallies,
being at the mercy of the
elements.
He still remembers his first
Brass Monkey, when riders had
to stop to dry out their gear
during avery wet trip.
Weather aside, the Brass
Monkey is one of New Zealand’s
longest­running and best­known
motorcycle rallies.
It is understood ageing
stalwarts, alack of younger
riders, and increasing
bureaucracy have been key
factors in the rally’s demise.
Afireworks display and an
impressive line­up of bands were
part of the final event.
Organisers have indicated an
alternative event could replace
the Brass Monkey and take
advantage of the infrastructure
set up at the Idaburn Dam site,
but what that will look like is yet
to be confirmed.
The last Brass Monkey:
Thousands of motorbike
enthusiasts took to the road at the
weekend to support the
last rally. Organisers cite
increasing compliance and costs
including traffic management
plans, fire and liquor licences and
professional security making it
more difficult to organise, as well
as aolder age group of riders and
fewer attendees. During its 40
years the event has raised more
than $100,000 for charity.
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