Trucks worth big bucks and kids riding shotgun rolled on at the second edition of the Kids N’ Rigs Truck Show at the Richmond A&P Showgrounds on Saturday.
The event’s driving force, Tamara Eggers says the haul of 5000 people through the gates and 600 passengers for laps in big rigs, including local heavyweights Stuart Drummond Transport and Sollys, exceeded expectations.
“It's just good to be able to show the public what it's all about and why people are truck drivers, and try and gain you know that younger generation to come through as truck drivers as that’s lacking a bit so it would be great to get that message out,” she says.
“I think we worked out there's about 20 odd million dollars worth of gear there on Saturday.
“We had guys and girls from Christchurch, we had North Island [trucks] come down, we really hope to attract a wider audience next year.
When asked if the little units will now be twisting their caregivers arms to get them an 18-wheeler, Tamara says “we hope so”.
A best truck in show competition, bouncy castles, a Safety MAN interactive road safety truck, a Sollys stock truck display, live music, food and drink, and Richmond, Brightwater, and Appleby fire brigades also kept the heaving crowds smiling like a truckie spotting an illuminated diesel stop.
The event also drove funding for Nelson Hospital’s Special Care Baby Unit (SCBU) and the family of Richmond girl Rilee Wright, who has Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML), a rare and aggressive cancer. Final fundraising totals will be confirmed at the end of this week and shared on the event’s Facebook page. “A big thanks to all our sponsors, volunteers and organisers, [the event] definitely wouldn’t have happened without them all,” Tamara says.
