Palm Beach Jet Aviation Center and Marina, 24.-25.01.2013
With a lot of different activities on the 4 days in January the
Cavallino Classic attracts a diverse audience to the various
locations. Starting with the track days most of the visitors are
very interested in the old race cars and take the rare opportunity
to hear them running at speed. The Concours at Mar-a-Lago on
the other side is mainly for the owners of classic cars and their
guests who like spending their Sunday in an exclusive private
club, the concours at the Breakers is a meeting point for all
Ferraristi, historian, restorers and collectors. Although the main
concours is also an event on the “must be” calendar of the upper
class spending their winter in the region the main focus is still
clearly on cars.
The real social events are the evening receptions on Thursday and
Friday at the Jet Aviation Center and the Palm Beach Marina.
Although on both soiree some Ferrari were lined up there are less
old cars and the audience is different. The first reception at the
Jet Aviation Center conglomerates the men toys on four wheels
with those in the air as the cars are parked between some of the
latest business jets and these can be surveyed by the potential
clientele. For the women a selection of fur coats and accessories
was displayed, some wine tastings, cocktail bars and finger food
provided sustenance. Certainly the average visitor was less
knowledge in the history of Ferrari and especially the early cars
so one could be curious on the public vote for the best car on
display. Outside the hangar many newer examples and a few old
ones were lined-up in the sunset including a 250 SWB, a 275
GTS, a 250 GT Coupé Speciale (1007GT) or a 288 GTO. Inside
the last year's winner of the Yacht Hop public vote, the 375 MM
(0382AM) was prominently displayed on a red carpet but this
year's award went to the 250 GT LWB California Spyder (0919GT)
that should also be seen on the following days earning more
awards. The knowledge visitors were aware of the rarity of this
example, the superb restoration and the fact that it was not seen
in public for decades but the majority might have been simply
convinced by the elegant lines of the Pinin Farina design showing
that this shape is still attractive after 50 years even without taking
the history of the model into account. Owner Peter Neumark
proudly received the Bella Macchina Award for the dark grey
California.
The day after the second reception was held in the West Palm
Beach Marina just up the street of the previous location at
Rybovich Yacht Club, a change that became necessary because
of the limited parking space down the road. Although the old spot
might have been a little bit more appealing than the Marina with
its additional buildings and a pool lounge, it became obvious that
the decision to move was a good one as the Yacht Hop did
attract more visitors than the previous years, just as the Jet
reception the day before. This increase was judged by some as
an indicator for an end of the weaker economical years and
although this might be a rather precarious statement this is a
typical example of the American optimism.
Certainly the increasing number of paying guests was not just
welcome to the organising Cavallino Magazine making the event
worth the efforts but also to the supported nonprofits
organisations as this was for charity as well.
Just as the day before some of the displayed Yachts could be
inspected and a few cocktails could be enjoyed. At the end of the
soiree the prize giving for the races of the day at the track days
was held on one of the boats as was the public referendum given
to a yellow Ferrari 275 GTB/4, one of just a handful of cars
lined-up on the nearby parking.
As the sun goes done quit early in January the outside reception
did not take too long and in typical American style the visitors
went early to dinner or to private parties in the area.
Maybe for those travelling to Florida in January purely for the
Cavallino Classic these two receptions might be less important
but for the society staying over the winter in the sun these are two
good dates in the calendar where one can meet old friends and
make new ones.
Report & images ... Peter Singhof
www.ClassicCarPhotography.de
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