It was all glimmer and gleam at the BMSA’s Anthony “Big Red” Classic Car Show and Exhibition held yesterday, August 4, 2012. Photo: VINO

Honourable Myron Walwyn, in brief remarks declaring the event open, said the organisers of the event deserved to be congratulated, this he observed, was because “they have not forgotten the contributions made by Big Red".

An important aspect he noted, as sometimes, “when people pass on, we tend to forget them and this speaks to the sort of camaraderie and the love and the fellowship that exits in this organisation”.

All classes and types of vehicles were seen on display sporting exotic, customized designs specially crafted to mesmerize and instil the envy of onlookers. Patrons of the event couldn’t help but be left giddy on sight of the delicious eye candy on display, glimmering smartly in the bright afternoon sun.

There were trucks, exotic, classic and sports cars with even a few chargers thrown in for good measure. There were also numerous bikes of all shapes and design at the exhibition this year.

This year's Exhibition also featured a few cultural activities such as a Karate Exhibition by the Purple Dragon group, dances, a hot dog eating competition and the Moko Jumbies also put in an appearance.

One participant, Alden Francois, who exhibited a smartly designed SUV told this news site that this was his second year at the competition, “everything on my jeep is local... it’s not ready-made”. His air brushed graphics, he noted, were all done freehand. “I don’t see [anything being] close, everybody coming with leather, but my interior is gloss”.

Another participant, Darvin Donovan, also seemed very confident of his chances at winning a prize in this year’s competition. He originally got his vehicle, a red, candy coated 1969 Chevrolet El Camino classic, all the way “from Virginia Beach, brought it down to Atlanta and [got] it sand blast[ed] and shipped out to St Thomas” where he had it further customised in preparation for this year’s show. Noting that this was his third BMSA show, he remarked that he had already won seven trophies at the previous show. “I got too much trophies now, I’m coming for a cash prize [this year],” he concluded.

The judges’ task was made all the more difficult and unenviable after casting their glances on some of the stylish, glamorous looking air brushed exteriors and custom designed interiors of some of the cars on display.

Many of the cars were specially imported for yesterday’s show, some from as far as Las Vegas in the USA and others from St Thomas in the nearby USVI, as each contestant tried their hardest to outdo the other in their attempts to earn the judges' favour.

Winners in some of the categories at the exhibition this year included Lance Summer for “Best of Show” with his green Volkswagen; Ted Summer captured “Best Scooter”; “Little White Lie” won the “People’s Choice Award” with a white SUV entry; Darvin Donovan won “Best Truck” for his Chevrolet Classic and Daylon Christopher earned “Best Motorcycle” with a custom “LA Lakers” designed sports bike.

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