Picture above shows the start of the Annual Hardy Country Classic Tour, the club's major charity event every year supporting the local Hospice in Dorchester ' Weldmar '.
Hardy Country Classic Tour History 2000 - 2025
HARDY COUNTRY CLASSIC TOUR started in the year 2000, a year after the club had started. Club member Len Watts organised the event, which back then was called ' The Hardy Country Run ', from the first one it has always supported the Weldmar Trust with the exception of one year when it supported the Dorset & Somerset Air Ambulance.
In the early years it started from Weymouth and finished at Kingston Maurward House and then it was switched around to start at Kingston Maurward and to finish outside the Weymouth Pavilion. Sponsors over the years have been the Thomas Hardy Brewery and Weatherbury Roofing ( Ron Coleman ).
In the early years it started from Weymouth and finished at Kingston Maurward House and then it was switched around to start at Kingston Maurward and to finish outside the Weymouth Pavilion. Sponsors over the years have been the Thomas Hardy Brewery and Weatherbury Roofing ( Ron Coleman ).
After ten years Len & Milly Watts stood down from organising this event, and so Nick Aplin Editor & Vice Chairman took on the role with father Will Aplin. The event was renamed as ' HARDY COUNTRY CLASSIC TOUR ' and in 2011 the Tour attracted almost 70 vehicles and the new introduced lunch stop was well received as to was the start venue of Auto Express at Hampton Farm Business Park by kind permission of Alan Matthews.
The lunch stop was held at Lulworth Castle by kind permission of the club's Patron Mrs Sally Weld. We also introduced catering facilities at both the start venue and lunch stop. 2012 we have found a superb lunch stop venue and we hope the 15th Hardy Country Classic Tour will be another event to look forward to.
The lunch stop was held at Lulworth Castle by kind permission of the club's Patron Mrs Sally Weld. We also introduced catering facilities at both the start venue and lunch stop. 2012 we have found a superb lunch stop venue and we hope the 15th Hardy Country Classic Tour will be another event to look forward to.
In both 2012 and 2013 we enjoyed high entries and the new lunch stop proved very successful, we are looking forward to a good 15th Tour in 2014 and with another NEW route and Lunch Stop all is set for another good day out.
The 16th Hardy Country Classic Tour has a NEW ROUTE, NEW LUNCH STOP AND NEW VENUE TO FINISH AT ! The route will take in some lovely parts of Dorset before the lunch stop at the lovely SHILLINGSTONE HOUSE, we thank the owners Sir Michael and Lady Caroline Salt for welcoming us to their premises for our lunch stop this year.
Later the Tour will finish at the Iconic RIVIERA HOTEL at Bowleaze Coveway near Weymouth, where the vehicles will be on Static display from approx. 2.30pm - 4.30pm. The Hotel are welcoming us here this year, and we are very grateful to finish at such a new venue. The Tour will again be raising money for the WELDMAR HOSPICECARE TRUST. Entries are coming in well and we are expecting up to 100 vehicles this year !
ANY OFFERS OF SPONSORSHIP / SUPPORT ARE ALWAYS WELCOME.
2016 our 17th Tour broke all records and we had 101 vehicles booked in, the event seems to be getting more popular as the years go on.
2017 the 18th event is shaping up to be another great one !
2018 and 2019 were both very succesful years for the Tour and sadly due to Covid 19 and the Pandemic the Tour didn't take place in both 2020 and 2021.
The 21st Anniversary Tour took place in 2022, the lunch stop was at Lulworth Castle and we finished at The Riviera Hotel a venue we have enjoyed now for many years. The date is set for 2023 for Sunday 4th June and entry forms will be available in early 2023.
The 2023 event was another good day we finished back at the start venue in this year due to the Hotel being closed for building works.
A date has been set for 2024 as Sunday 2nd June our 23rd event, more news will follow in due course. Entry forms are available as of 1st February ! PLEASE email [email protected] for entry form to this year's event.
2024 will see the last year for the organisers Nick & Will Aplin after 13 years of doing the job, details of the 2025 Tour will appear in the New Year. The date has been set for Sunday 1st June. The new Organiser is Terry Downton and you can email him for entry details at [email protected] . A new route and Lunch stop have been arranged.
The 16th Hardy Country Classic Tour has a NEW ROUTE, NEW LUNCH STOP AND NEW VENUE TO FINISH AT ! The route will take in some lovely parts of Dorset before the lunch stop at the lovely SHILLINGSTONE HOUSE, we thank the owners Sir Michael and Lady Caroline Salt for welcoming us to their premises for our lunch stop this year.
Later the Tour will finish at the Iconic RIVIERA HOTEL at Bowleaze Coveway near Weymouth, where the vehicles will be on Static display from approx. 2.30pm - 4.30pm. The Hotel are welcoming us here this year, and we are very grateful to finish at such a new venue. The Tour will again be raising money for the WELDMAR HOSPICECARE TRUST. Entries are coming in well and we are expecting up to 100 vehicles this year !
ANY OFFERS OF SPONSORSHIP / SUPPORT ARE ALWAYS WELCOME.
2016 our 17th Tour broke all records and we had 101 vehicles booked in, the event seems to be getting more popular as the years go on.
2017 the 18th event is shaping up to be another great one !
2018 and 2019 were both very succesful years for the Tour and sadly due to Covid 19 and the Pandemic the Tour didn't take place in both 2020 and 2021.
The 21st Anniversary Tour took place in 2022, the lunch stop was at Lulworth Castle and we finished at The Riviera Hotel a venue we have enjoyed now for many years. The date is set for 2023 for Sunday 4th June and entry forms will be available in early 2023.
The 2023 event was another good day we finished back at the start venue in this year due to the Hotel being closed for building works.
A date has been set for 2024 as Sunday 2nd June our 23rd event, more news will follow in due course. Entry forms are available as of 1st February ! PLEASE email [email protected] for entry form to this year's event.
2024 will see the last year for the organisers Nick & Will Aplin after 13 years of doing the job, details of the 2025 Tour will appear in the New Year. The date has been set for Sunday 1st June. The new Organiser is Terry Downton and you can email him for entry details at [email protected] . A new route and Lunch stop have been arranged.
|
|
|
|
Hardy Country Classic Tour
|
| 2000 | First Hardy Country Run organised by Len & Milly Watts, finished at Kingston Maurward House. Supported the Weldmar Hospice. Sponsored by Thomas Hardy Brewery |
| 2001 | The second Hardy Country Run was sponsored again by the Thomas Hardy Brewery and more vehicles took part in this charity run to raise funds for the Weldmar Hospice in Dorchester. |
| 2002 | The 3rd Hardy Country Run saw more vehicles taking part in this charity run for the Weldmar Hospice. We donated £973.50 in this year. |
| 2003 | Another successful run resulted in being able to donate £1,043.41 to Weldmar Hospicecare Trust. |
| 2004 | The 5th event was a great success and we donated £1,450 to Weldmar Hospicecare Trust in this year. |
| 2005 | Entries were coming in from further away and the numbers were rising steadily, we donated £700 to the Weldmar Hospicecare Trust. |
| 2006 | Another successful day for the Hardy Country Run, and £770 was donated to Weldmar Hospicecare Trust. |
| 2007 | Our 8th Tour was sponsored by Weatherbury Roofing and we supported the Weldmar Hospicecare Trust. 60 - 70 vehicles took part in this year, the start venue was Kingston Maurward college. The finish venue was Weymouth Pavilion forecourt car park. |
| 2008 | Around 70 vehicles took part in the 9th HCCT. Weatherbury Roofing kindly continued their sponsorship. Weldmar Hospicecare Trust benefitted from this event. |
| 2009 | The 10th Anniversary Tour was another great day, it was to be our last one we started at Kingston Maurward. Weatherbury Roofing sponsored us again. |
| 2010 | Our new Start venue was Hampton Farm Business Park at Higher Bockhampton thanks to Alan Matthews. Lunch stop's were introduced and in this year we visited Lulworth Castle for our stop. Weatherbury Roofing was our sponsor again. |
| 2011 | 70 plus vehicles took part in the 12th Hardy Country Classic Tour. |
| 2012 | A new lunch stop this year was Melbury House by kind invitation of Lady Charlotte Townsend. We finished the Tour at Lodmoor Country Park in this year. Weatherbury Roofing was our sponsor. |
| 2013 | 77 vehicles took part in this year. We enjoyed our second visit to Melbury House for our Lunch stop. |
| 2014 | Entries increased to 84 in this year, we enjoyed a new lunch stop at Honeybrook Farm at Wimborne. Weatherbury Roofing kindly sponsored us again and the tour finished at Weymouth Pavilion's rear car park. |
| 2015 | More change in this year with yet another new lunch stop, Shillingstone House by invitation of Sir Michael & Lady Caroline Salt. We were delighted to introduce a new finish venue, The Riviera Hotel at Bowleaze Coveway. 95 vehicles took part and over £1,000 was donated to the Weldmar Hospicecare Trust. |
| 2016 | Record entries of 101 in this year for our 17th Hardy Country Classic Tour. We returned to Melbury House for our lunch stop. The finish venue was popular again at The Riviera Hotel. |
| 2017 | Our 18th event was sponsored by Ron Coleman. Our 18th Tour was a record breaker with 125 entries, the most ever in the history of the event. 8 Motorcycles took part which is another record number for the Tour, something we would like to see grow over the coming years ! 2018 - Our 19th Tour takes place on Sunday 3rd June and a NEW LUNCH STOP has been arranged !! |
| 2018 | 107 entries and another very successful Tour. New sponsor was Nantes Solicitors |
| 2019 | Sponsored by Nantes once again, 117 entries slightly up on the previous year. Our lunch stop was held at Melbury House |