This year’s Rust de Winter 4x4 jamboree long weekend attracted over 120 competing vehicles for the popular gymkhana and mountain trail events. Just over half of the vehicles entered were Toyotas, from single and double cab Raider bakkies of varying vintages, to all variants of the marque’s iconic Land Cruiser brand.

The jamboree has been organised since inception in 1978 by the Pretoria-based 4x4 ATV organisation and aims to promote camping, caravanning and family enjoyment of the outdoors. A major objective is for competitors to learn and enjoy the capabilities of their 4x4 vehicles in the gymkhana and mountain trail competitions.

The gymkhana course underwent a major upgrade in 2007, with extensive re-engineering and several new obstacles.

The existing incline obstacle was given a steeper gradient of 35 degrees, and the new tricky twister would test suspension and articulation to the limit. On the remodelled speed section, drivers would need all their skill to deal with sharp turns, gradients and washaways. The improvements are now more interactive and allow disabled competitors to compete on an equal footing with able bodied entrants.

“The upgrade was undertaken to ensure we maintain the quality and high standards of previous years,” said chief organiser Dirk van Wyk. “It was a great success and, after a few more refinements here and there, it will be a true test of both ability and nerve.”

For the first time since its inception in 1978, the Rust de Winter event was postponed last year because of severe drought in the area. The 4x4 ATV organisation switched the event to the end of the rainy season this year.

Toyota South Africa has sponsored the Rust de Winter 4x4 event for 30 years, indicating its longstanding support for customers of its off-road vehicles. Toyota’s mammoth event support vehicle, a 20-metre long mobile office cum entertainment suite with a big Hino tractor up front, formed a prominent installation at the entrance to the Rust de Winter camp site. Competitors and visitors arriving on the Friday could register for the gymkhana and mountain trail, and socialised with attending Toyota personnel under its vast double awning.

Weekend attractions for visitors at the 28 hectare camp site included a display of historic and unique Land Cruisers, some dating from the 1950s, 60s and 70s, as well as a radical 6x4 six-wheeler double-cab Land Cruiser conversion. The 43° Prado see-saw ramp also offered visitors a ride up and down the steep five-storey contraption, the R20 ticket price going to Charity. Also for a R20 donation to charity, visitors could hitch a ride in the navigator’s seat of the Castrol Toyota Off-Road racing Hilux.

Toyota works driver Anthony Taylor got passenger pulses racing on a 3km off-road track he carved out of a vast grass field alongside the camp site. Tickets for a ride in the R1,6-million racing car were sold out by Saturday night.

The Saturday gymkhana comprised a series of obstacles to test driver skills and vehicle handling, plus a simply daft mud pool tow exercise that still counted towards total point scores. All vehicles had to have a male and female occupant. Some of the more demanding obstacles entailed driving the vehicle up an incline of thick tree logs. Long travel suspension was a must, and not all competitors succeeded.

Edward Fourie, 27, and his wife Chantelle were confident their Lexus V8-engined Hilux double-cab would breeze through. However, the engine wrung the rear prop shaft like a rag before snapping it, leaving the Fouries bowed but not beaten, with only front wheel drive on their 4x4 Hilux. A quick trip to Pretoria for a replacement saw them return to finish11th.

The Sunday mountain trial, closed to spectators due to inaccessibility, offered varied and testing terrain to competitors, ranging from steep climbs and river crossings, descending inclines, loose gravel and muddy patches. A few competitors complained it was too easy, but many vehicles returned totally encrusted in mud, a graphic indication that it was tough enough.

The first five finishers were Toyota Hiluxes, a coup for the country’s most popular one-tonner. The winning Hilux was crewed by Jarus & Alet Bosman.
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Continental equipped and staffed the children’s entertainment area as it has been doing for the past 15 years. Two inflatable water slides, table tennis, and a popcorn machine complemented the swimming pool, jungle gyms, see-saws, swings and volleyball court that kept youngsters occupied all weekend.

A tractor train provided free rides around the camp site, and two Toyota Quantum buses shuttled visitors between the camp site and the gymkhana arena across the Rust de Winter main road.

McCarthy Toyota provided visitors in the market for a new vehicle with the opportunity to test drive a range of Toyota products on a special 4x4 route.
An open air restaurant situated under the “Big Tree” provided reasonably priced food and drinks to visitors, with some smaller food vendors nearby offering ice creams and other delights.

According to Dirk van Wyk, the ATV Club’s chairman and jamboree chief organiser, this year’s event was well supported, with the quality of vehicles showing a high standard. “One of the best in years,” he said