For many Land Rover enthusiasts, it was difficult to swallow the lump in their throat
as they sat around the camp fire with Kingsley Holgate, a humanitarian and modern
day explorer at the Landy Festival South Africa 2015, held on the 22 and 23 August
at Soetdoring Vakansieplaas in Vereeniging.
What is it about a Land Rover that can evoke such emotion? Owners usually name
their cars, Defender owners greet each other on the road with a wave or by flashing
their lights, and there is always a story to tell isn’t there, an adventure just waiting
around the corner. The Landy Festival 2015 also paid tribute and farewell to the
iconic Defender.
Kingsley “Greybeard’ Holgate chatted around the fire. EPH Productions contributed
to the setting by creating an intimate look using six Robe Robin 600s, two Martin
401s and control on a grandMA Lite. “We used the Robins, positioned on truss
totems, to light the trees and to imitate the fire, creating warmth and ambience in
the bush,’ said Andre Westraad from EPH Productions.
Kingsley has ventured through every country on the African and talked about his
upcoming Heart of Africa Expedition, which is said to be his toughest exhibition yet.
The aim is to reach the Equatorial rain forest and to reach the geographic centre
point of Africa. As always it will include reaching out to communities with malaria
prevention, distribution of water purification LifeStraws and spectacles for the poor
sited and will hopefully encourage awareness for elephant conservation.
The Landy Festival 2015 included a display of both old and new Land Rovers, a few
merchandise stores and a 4×4 course for the brave at heart.
