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Palm Beach Jet Aviation Center and Marina, 24.-25.01.2013

With a lot of different activities on the 4 days in January the Cavallino Classic attracts a diverse audience to the various locations. Starting with the track days most of the visitors are very interested in the old race cars and take the rare opportunity to hear them running at speed. The Concours at Mar-a-Lago on the other side is mainly for the owners of classic cars and their guests who like spending their Sunday in an exclusive private club, the concours at the Breakers is a meeting point for all Ferraristi, historian, restorers and collectors. Although the main concours is also an event on the “must be” calendar of the upper class spending their winter in the region the main focus is still clearly on cars.

The real social events are the evening receptions on Thursday and Friday at the Jet Aviation Center and the Palm Beach Marina. Although on both soiree some Ferrari were lined up there are less old cars and the audience is different. The first reception at the Jet Aviation Center conglomerates the men toys on four wheels with those in the air as the cars are parked between some of the latest business jets and these can be surveyed by the potential clientele. For the women a selection of fur coats and accessories was displayed, some wine tastings, cocktail bars and finger food provided sustenance. Certainly the average visitor was less knowledge in the history of Ferrari and especially the early cars so one could be curious on the public vote for the best car on display. Outside the hangar many newer examples and a few old ones were lined-up in the sunset including a 250 SWB, a 275 GTS, a 250 GT Coupé Speciale (1007GT) or a 288 GTO. Inside the last year's winner of the Yacht Hop public vote, the 375 MM (0382AM) was prominently displayed on a red carpet but this year's award went to the 250 GT LWB California Spyder (0919GT) that should also be seen on the following days earning more awards. The knowledge visitors were aware of the rarity of this example, the superb restoration and the fact that it was not seen in public for decades but the majority might have been simply convinced by the elegant lines of the Pinin Farina design showing that this shape is still attractive after 50 years even without taking the history of the model into account. Owner Peter Neumark proudly received the Bella Macchina Award for the dark grey California.

The day after the second reception was held in the West Palm Beach Marina just up the street of the previous location at Rybovich Yacht Club, a change that became necessary because of the limited parking space down the road. Although the old spot might have been a little bit more appealing than the Marina with its additional buildings and a pool lounge, it became obvious that the decision to move was a good one as the Yacht Hop did attract more visitors than the previous years, just as the Jet reception the day before. This increase was judged by some as an indicator for an end of the weaker economical years and although this might be a rather precarious statement this is a typical example of the American optimism.

Certainly the increasing number of paying guests was not just welcome to the organising Cavallino Magazine making the event worth the efforts but also to the supported nonprofits organisations as this was for charity as well.

Just as the day before some of the displayed Yachts could be inspected and a few cocktails could be enjoyed. At the end of the soiree the prize giving for the races of the day at the track days was held on one of the boats as was the public referendum given to a yellow Ferrari 275 GTB/4, one of just a handful of cars lined-up on the nearby parking.

As the sun goes done quit early in January the outside reception did not take too long and in typical American style the visitors went early to dinner or to private parties in the area.
Maybe for those travelling to Florida in January purely for the Cavallino Classic these two receptions might be less important but for the society staying over the winter in the sun these are two good dates in the calendar where one can meet old friends and make new ones.

Report & images ... Peter Singhof
www.ClassicCarPhotography.de

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