Organised by Cape Town Nomads Motor Cycle Club, the rally attracted bikers from across South Africa, the United Kingdom, and Namibia, Club President Luderick Jacoby said. By midday Saturday, the organisers had tallied 4 810 bikers, slightly up from last year.
The Nomads Motorcycle Club was founded in April 1966 and has a proud history of charitable donations to the host towns of the Buffalo Rally. The Nomads work closely with local charity organisations, such as the Round Table and NSRI, who benefit financially.
Earlier this year, The Round Tables of Mossel Bay and Zeeuwsch Vlaanderen in Holland officially opened new school facilities for the Khanyisa Day Care in KwaNonqaba, built mostly from funds raised at the Buff.
In addition, the Buff provides employment to many local residents from the poorer communities, as the organisers are responsible for keeping the festival area clean, safe and serviced.
Not all Buffalo Rally visitors stay over in the festival park; many choose to stay in accommodation outside of the Rally grounds and the Protea Hotel Mossel Bay, The Point Hotel, the Hotel Portão Diaz, Tsogo Sun Hotels' Garden Court Mossel Bay, and the Diaz Strand Hotel and the ATKV-Hartenbos, as well as self-catering accommodation offered special tariffs and reported very good bookings.
Mossel Bay Tourism's Marcia Holm said that a record number of visitors came into the tourism information office on the Saturday of the rally, but that many locals have been saying that they hadn't really noticed that the bikers were even in town.
"And that's brilliant because it means that the visitors are having a good time without negatively impacting on the host community – which is one of the ideals of responsible tourism."
But, she said, the people of Mossel Bay who did come into contact with the riders did everything they could to make them welcome.
Early last week, the first of the bikes started to arrive and soon the vroom of the big engines had everyone in town talking.
Trade in town and at the festival area of the De Bakke and Santos caravan parks were rife and ice cold beer, burgers and boerewors cooking on the braai, pizzas in special little ovens, Halaal curry and rice, schwarmas, roosterkoek and the loveliest aromatic coffee, among other, fed the hungry crowd. World-class extreme stunt riders Bruce and Brent Le Riche had locals and visitors amazed by their carefully planned show, while the bands Kiss The Sky and Late Final had people dancing from early on.
Big screen TVs in the festival tent kept the visitors abreast of their favourite sports teams' results in matches played over the weekend.
Outgoing chairman of Mossel Bay's Chamber of Business, Pierre Venter, said that all the Chamber's members are very positive about the Buffalo Rally.
"One newspaper estimated that the Buff brought R 10 million into the economy, and if you consider the number of people who attended, and the amount they spent, that figure's probably about right.
"It's a huge injection for the business sector, and very welcome."
Lucrative prizes were on offer and the a Mossel Bay woman from Hartenbos walked away with the huge cash prize of R100 000. The third prize was also won by a woman.
Prizes:
* R100 000; 1st Prize was won by Mrs T Barnard but collected on stage by her husband, Nico Barnard from Hartenbos
* R20 000; 2nd Prize was won by Cherise van der Merwe from Gordon's Bay
* R10 000; 3rd Prize was won by Zizanda Mamve, entered at the Gate - address not known as her info still has to be captured.
The Buffalo Rally was first held in 1969 in Bathhurst in the Eastern Cape, with just 250 bikers. Since then, it has been held at a number of venues, including Aliwal North, Oudtshoorn and Port Elizabeth.
This year's Buff, however, is considered a huge success due to the reduction in the noise levels which Nomads Motorcycle Club Chairman, Luderick Jacoby, says "is because we appear to be attracting a more mature group who dislike the unnecessary revving of their Bikes.
"Mossel Bay is a venue that works well for us: the people of Mossel Bay gave the riders a huge welcome, it's closer to Cape Town than Port Elizabeth - where we used to hold the Buff - and the facilities at Santos Caravan Park are ideal because the ablutions can handle the numbers.
"We'd really like to keep coming back, and we'll soon be submitting an application to extend our contract with the Municipality for another three or four years. "The highlight for me every year is the Mass ride and the great number of people with their children who take the time, no matter the weather conditions, to come out to view the procession.
"I wish to take this opportunity to thank the Mossel Bay Advertiser for the cooperation and assistance we have received, as well as the positive reporting you have given our event" Jacoby concluded.
View more photos here.
Des Pistorius (78) and his faithful companion, Boswell, upon arrival at the De Bakke festival park for the 2013 Buffalo Rally. Photo: Dave van der Merwe
ARTICLE: NICKEY LE ROUX, MOSSEL BAY ADVERTISER JOURNALIST
Additional reporting: Martin Hatchuel
