There was plenty of noise, plenty of chrome, and more than a few interesting machines when Vernon Developments opened its Drury site for the second Tailgates & Mates event
The gathering, dubbed Chicken Run #2, brought together a mixture of cars, trucks and enthusiasts for an informal day out, with convoys making their way to the event from Greenlane and Hamilton.
Once at Drury, the Vernon Developments site provided plenty of room for vehicles to park up, catch up with other enthusiasts and have a look around.
For a company whose day-to-day business revolves around earthmoving, cartage, agriculture and recycled aggregates, trucks and machinery were naturally part of the backdrop. Vernon Developments operates a sizeable fleet covering everything from excavators and tractors to trucks and trailers, so there was no shortage of interest for anyone with a liking for working equipment.
“We had no expectations on who would turn up,” says organiser Cam Vernon. “The whole point was to get everyone together and have a good time.”
The event also had a community element, with participants asked to make a $10 donation per vehicle or whatever they could afford to support the Hunua and Papakura Fire and Emergency New Zealand volunteer fire brigades.
Food was supplied by Falgoon Patel of Falg’s Fried Chicken, adding another appropriately named ingredient to an event that was as much about socialising as it was about machinery.
For Vernon Developments, events such as this fit neatly with the company’s long-standing involvement in the wider transport, earthmoving and rural sectors. Founded by Cam and Becky Vernon in 2013, the family-run business has grown from its earthmoving and cartage roots to include aggregate recycling and rural contracting.
The Tailgates & Mates concept is considerably less formal than a conventional truck show, and that is probably part of its appeal.
“There were no trophies or judging criteria to worry about – just an assortment of vehicles, a convoy, some food and a good excuse for people who enjoy trucks, cars and machinery to get together,” says Cam.
Fair to say, word is already getting around about Chicken Run #3.
Images by Earl Edwards
