It was hugs all round at the Southern Field Days site at Waimumu for the running of the 16th annual Hug A Rig day. Beaming smiles on the faces of all involved said it all; not even a little shower of rain could dampen this parade.
Arriving at the site on the Saturday morning of the event, things were already abuzz with energy. Volunteers were making final arrangements as participants eagerly arrived at the registration desk, raring to get in a cab and go.
The event has garnered a strong following, and what it delivers for the participants is a real credit to the organisers, Diane and Ian Elstob. “Every year it is a big task that Ian and I take on, but the reward for us is seeing the smiles on all the faces, and that’s how we know that the event is delivering what we want it to, and that makes all the effort worthwhile,” says Diane.
The sponsorship support that the couple manage to gather for the day is absolutely outstanding – the likes of Moreish Food and Coffee operating on site throughout the day, making more than 450 hot drinks free of charge for the crowd, ‘Bees Bites’ cooking 110kg of Makikihi Fries, again absolutely free, and RRT (the Rapid Relief Team) serving up countless hamburgers and sausages in bread, also free. The bottom line is that there is absolutely no cost at all to anyone. The day is all about coming together and sharing the passion for the industry and all it stands for, all the while giving youngsters who face lifelong medical conditions – both physical and intellectual – the opportunity to share in the fun of going for a ride in a combination of trucks and various other vehicles they possibly would not normally have a chance to get up close and personal with.
It would be fair to say the hardest decision on the day for the participants would have been, ‘Which vehicles do we want to have a ride in?’ From your classic W-model Kenworths through to state-of-the-art Scanias and Volvos, all corners of the transport industry were represented. Not forgetting to mention the array of four-wheelers available as well. Mustangs, Corvettes, Pontiacs even a T-Bucket – there was something for everyone. And with the excursions taking about 20 minutes per trip, the turnaround was rapid and efficient. No excessive wait times for the participants; the queues were constantly on the move.
Every year, the following for the event gets a little stronger too, and this year has not disappointed. With the visitor numbers up nearly 25% on last year, it is a fair assumption that Diane and Ian have the recipe pretty much spot on. “A huge part of the day is all the assistance we get from our amazing volunteers and sponsors. We honestly could not make this happen without all of them. It is always a big day out for all of us, but the common goal to put smiles on faces drives all of us; that really is the force behind it. A fun day out for all the family that enables them to put aside their life challenges for just a moment and really enjoy themselves,” Diane explains.
On that note, we will be keeping you posted here at New Zealand Trucking magazine with the planning for the 2026 event as news comes to hand. So if you have read this and feel that it is something that you or your business would like to get behind and assist Diane and Ian with, then please feel free to contact carl@ nztrucking.co.nz and we will steer you in the right direction.
1) Eric Eaves cruising his W-model into the shed for his next passenger. 2) McNeill Distribution’s Western Star driven by Leon McElhinney proved popular with the public, taking out a People’s Choice Award. 3) Freight Haulage Volvos in force. 4) When it comes to organising an event that puts ‘smiles on dials’, meet the A-Team: Diane and Ian Elstob. 5) Even a cruise in the mighty Valiant was on offer. 6) Sinclair Transport’s big Volvos saddled up for their next run. 7) A black Mustang under hot pursuit by the tidy 2016 Freightliner Argosy of Dunedin-based Kiwi Road, owned and driven by Alastair Dick. (Photos: 2, 5 and 7 Charlie O’Brien).
