Battlefield 2014

[Alex Roux]

Hi Everyone

Still spaces available on this.

When: 1 – 4 May 2014

The 3 Provinces Battlefield Trophy is a unique, fun 4×4 event for the whole family, themed around the Anglo-Boer wars that took place in and around the town of Volksrust in Mpumalanga.

Two completely different routes are planned for every Battlefield Trophy, making each year unique from the one before. The routes consist of public tar roads, public and private gravel roads and 4×4 trails and many obstacles, literally taking teams through 3 provinces; the Free State, KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga.

Along the routes we’ve placed activity points where teams have to complete fun and challenging tasks for points. Some of these activities may be as easy as filling in a questionnaire or riding a camel! More challenging tasks include shooting an old muzzle-loader, clay pigeon shooting or canoeing. There will also be fun and challenging activities for the young ones. The more adventurous could undertake optional tasks which might earn them bonus points (and will certainly provide entertainment for spectators!)

Each teams’ skill (or lack thereof) and answers, will be scored and the winners announced at a prize-giving dinner at the end of the weekend.

What do I need to enter?
- A 4×4 vehicle with low range and good ground clearance.
- A driver and navigator. Passengers are allowed. (National traffic regulations apply)
- 4×4 Driving experience. Formal 4×4 training preferable.
- A sense of adventure, with a slice of competiveness and enthusiasm!

Web – http://www.battlefieldtrophy.co.za/ | Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/4x4battlefieldtrophy

[Alex Roux]

Okay, so one from the Nissan club or Patrol Forum joined me on this one.
Well, you missed out on a lot of fun.

Hopefully the pictures will inspire you to help hold the Patrol name high next year. I did my bit...
The competition is all about the scoring on activities at each activity point, which need too be reached following a navigator's interaction sheet.
There were lots of technical 4x4ing in between each activity point, but no scoring on the 4x4ing itself.
This is deliberate to keep it fun, rather than the tense bickering that the scoring of obstacles can amount to. Also the emphasis is on it being a family event.
Nevertheless the trails were very technical in some parts and also exclusive. We criss-crossed over several private farms. So we had the opportunity to venture where te public generally cannot get access to.

Beautiful views of the surrounds. Lots of mountains. A lot of history in the area, Zulus against Brits, Boers against Brits, Boers against Zulus, etc.

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The above three pictures were taken at a mud hole on day two.
The vehicles were split in two, doing the two days' routes separately. I do not know what happened on the first day at this obstacle, but on our day, only a lifted Rubicon with muddies, and my car came up this hill without a strap being pulled from above. The other cars struggled mainly because of inadequate approach and departure angles and wrong tyres. Front lockers on the Rubi also helped.

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Above: Grietjie - an exact replica of the namesake cannon that did duty at the battle of Blood river - The cannon was announcing the start and end of the event, shooting blanks.
This picture above was taken while it went off on the final night.

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Above: Evidence of a spade used. However it was not used to dig the car out of mud. It was used to dig my son's crok out, after stepping into knee deep sludge of mud. The crok went in, but only his foot came back out!

[ricster]

WOW .... Alex this looks like a brilliant adventure.

Well done on keeping the Patrol name high, especially without front lockers..... .... Witblitz must have loved that mud hole with that sweet sounding motor !!

[Magiel Oberholster]

Dit lyk na vet pret.

[Jorrie]

Welgedaan Alex!!

[Tinus lotz]

Mooi man.....dit lyk baie lekke outing.....

[Alex Roux]

Guys

Now that we have done this, and I am back in the office, I realise just how much fun we had.
Lots of technical 4x4'ing in between activites in what are otherwise restircted areas.

So please seriously consider joining us on this one next year.
I just hate being the only trollie among a bunch of jeeps, yotas and landys.
Entries open around late October.
I will re-open this thread then to invite.

[Tinus lotz]

will make a plan next year....

[Kagiso II]

Ek wou graag gaan, maar dit het ge bots met ons uitreik na Ngamiland...

[Alex Roux]

Hi all

Earlier this year we went on the Battliefied trophy at 3 Provinces farm.
We had an loads of fun.
The competition is not really about the 4x4'ing.
Its just that you have to do a lot of 4x4'ing on exclusive private farm roads in order to get from points A to B, where competitive events take place.
Hence final scoring depends on stuff like clay pigeon shooting, general knowledge questions, starting a fire with a flint and so forth.
But if you like 4x4'ing, you will do tons of that on this weekend.

The dates for the 2015 event has been finalised. It will be between 30 April and 3 May (Labour day weekend).

See the attached article.
My Patrol (the only one in the 2015 competition) is featured here driving up from a mud hole.
This was only one of two vehicles that got out of the mud hole unassisted that day. The other being a modified Rubicon.

Entries will open only in October. But please diarise so long!

EngelseBerigNaRecorder.pdf

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