Celebrating 50 years

ABSOLUTELY unreal ... that's how the Wairarapa Motor Cycle Club's longest-serving member, Glen Bull, described the club's 50th anniversary celebrations at the weekend.
The man responsible for getting the club started in 1955 also organised Saturday night's anniversary dinner at the Masterton Cosmopolitan Club, when 163 people from as far away as Melbourne came together for a night of reminiscing.
Nine bikes, from a 1904 FN to the latest Aprilia, represented 101 years of motorcycling, and an entire wall and three tables were devoted to photos and memorabilia.
The MC was noted bike enthusiast Gary McPhee, Mayor of Carterton, and honoured guests included Gordon and Gwen Blackwood, parents of the late Peter Blackwood, a successful racer who introduced Aaron Slight to the sport.
Aaron was a central character at the celebrations, speaking at both a Thursday night function in the library, where he was encouraged by librarian Joy Tutty to ferry a young passenger around the bookshelves, and racing with the veterans at Sunday's flat track meeting in Solway Crescent.
His next tilt at motorsport is likely to be super motard, a mix of motocross and circuit racing. He had a taste of that last season, enjoyed it, and has bought a bike to do this year's series.
"It's a good sport for New Zealand," he said.
He was amused by the photo of him published in the Times-Age on Saturday. "I knew I was a little guy, but I didn't know I was that little," he said.
Other speakers on Saturday night included Masterton Mayor Bob Francis, club president Shane Thomson and Errol Conaghan, a former president of Motorcycling New Zealand.