The Challenging Land Rover Extravaganza at Stonham Barns Park showcased all things 4×4

On Sunday 5th October the venue showcased all things 4×4, strongly supported by clubs from the area who displayed their classic, modified, and new Land Rovers. The exhibits included Freelander, Discovery, Defender, Evoke and Range Rover.

There was an auto jumble, club trade stands, live music and food outlets serving throughout the day’s event.

Suffolk Land Rover Club was just one of the clubs at the show. To make the show more interactive, the club provided off-road rides on a specially made course to demonstrate the manoeuvrability, resilience, and handling of the unique 4x4s. This – as always – was a runaway success with the many visitors opting for an off-road ‘experience’ to see how these vehicles could handle the lumps and bumps of the rural terrain.

Something new for this year was the addition of a fleet of 4 x Mini Rovers along with a mobile obstacle course for young drivers to navigate.  Children were challenged to an off-road course including bridges, see-saws and a water feature! Each child navigated the obstacle course accompanied by an adult on foot who held a remote cut off switch. Once the children had completed their experience, they were given a ‘driving licence’ as a keepsake.

Stonham Barns Park Events Manager David Sandpearl comments, ‘This show is now well established with the Land Rover clubs and owners in Suffolk. There was so much enthusiasm brought to the show last year – and so many and varied 4x4s – that we developed the concept further for this year with the addition of The Freelander Jamboree Team who brought even more activities into play.’

‘Rovers most certainly ‘Landed’ at the show.  With 360 exhibitors there were plenty of 4x4s to look at and some of them were available for an off-road drive for both adults and children with the fabulous Mini Rovers!’

‘It was a great day with plenty of show vehicles, trade stands and interactive activities for everyone.  The stormy weather held back and encouraged plenty of visitors to enjoy the day.’

The event was supported by The Freelander Jamboree. Inspired by the global Land Rover G4 Challenge, Nomad Hippo service and MOT business in Ipswich put on the activity which centred on a fitness driving course in the centre of the Showground Visitors were able to drive a 2006 Freelander HSE Automatic, affectionately known as the Hippo. 

Paulo Sousa of The Freelander Jamboree says, ‘We are delighted to have been able to bring this new concept to visitors this year.  It gave show visitors the chance to get involved in what makes 4x4s so compelling and enjoyable. As the saying goes, One Life, Live It!’

Stonham Barns Park has a huge following in East Anglia as a leading show venue.

Stonham Barns Park is a day out for all the family to suit all ages. Other activities at the leisure, retail and holiday venue include The Suffolk Owl Sanctuary, Legends Bar, Café 24, The Golf Centre including Adventure Golf and FootGolf, The Teapot Pottery, holiday lodges, a caravan park, camping and fishing lakes. For more info go to www.stonhambarns.co.uk