This archive report was first published on 30 September 2019.
On Sunday, John Wroe's 1930 Ford Model A made history by taking first place at the 49th Concours d'Elegance Afromotive, held at the Ngong Racecourse. The event, which has been running since 1970, attracted 72 cars and 31 motorcycles from across the continent.
The Concours d'Elegance Afromotive is one of the most prestigious events on the Kenya motor sports calendar, and this year's edition was no exception. The cars were judged on their age, roadworthiness, interior, boot, and external finish, among other criteria. Motorcycles, on the other hand, were judged based on their trim, roadworthiness, external finish, and age.
The event was organized by the Alfa Romeo Owners club and sponsored by the Commercial Bank of Africa. It drew participants from South Africa, Uganda, Tanzania, and Kenya, with some even coming from as far as Uganda and South Africa.
For the students and staff of the Rift Valley Technical Training Institute, the event was a great learning experience. 'We have seen different works of art on different vehicles and we now know that we can work on ours intentionally to lead in next year's competitions,' said head trainer Fredrick Obiero.
Principal Secretary for Vocational and Technical Training, Kevit Desai, also made an appearance, bringing his sleek Jaguar 420 model. He encouraged more technical institutions to be hands-on in training mechanics and artisans using the ever-evolving technology.
John Wroe's 1930 Ford Model A took home a shield, a medal, and a Sh21,000 cash voucher for its impressive performance.
