The Jamboree at Headworks Park was a good success considering we cancelled it on Friday morning!  We would like to thank everyone who attended, even though it was cancelled!  Our next Jamboree will be held on October 3rd and 4th 2009.  Due to the cost and complexity of putting an event together, at this time we do not plan to schedule a makeup event.

After the rain all day Thursday and Friday morning, and after seeing that 2/3rd's of the overflow pasture was under water, we decided to cancel.  However, the crowd kept on coming!  On Saturday morning, we did not want to disappoint a the large number of people who traveled a long distance for the Jamboree, we decided to hold a Jamboree with fewer events and we cut the entrance fee by more than half.  It was too muddy for sled pulls, and we thought it was too muddy to get equipment out onto the sand for the drag races. 

Instead we combined all of the events on Saturday and had a barrel race, a tree race and a poker run.  Also we held the drag races the 'old fashioned way' Saturday afternoon.  A 70% chance of heavy rain was forecast for Saturday night and Sunday, but it never showed up.  The main parking area was filled up more than it has ever been, even though through traffic was not allowed, and asked for and received permission to open the newly installed canal road gates for extra parking.  This worked out really well and people were very respectful of the satiation.  We learned one thing for sure after this Jamboree, you can't trust the weather forecast!

 

Our official Jamboree estimated attendance was 1200 riders on Saturday as calculated by the number of arm bands that were distributed.  An estimated 900 riders showed up on Friday and another 400 on Sunday.    Two injuries occurred on Friday that required help from the Genoa Rescue Squad.  Both who were injured are reported to be doing better at this time.  The Genoa Rescue Squad responded to a call late Saturday night for someone having a seizure.  Other than these incidents, and other than a few minor injuries, things went well.  We don't have a report from the Sheriff's department concerning any violations, but the incidents involving minors such as possession of alcohol are down considerably.  

 

We had a lot more than usual problems with trash at this event.  People left a huge amount of trash in the Loup parking area.  Some people simply left and made little or no attempt to clean up their trash.  About six NOHVA members spent four hours cleaning up trash, especially from smoldering fire pits.  The metal trailer we use to haul trash with caught on fire.  Instead of placing the smoldering cans and trash in dumpsters, we placed it next to the dumpsters to burnout.  Gary Gibbs had offered to scoop this into the dumpsters this week.   Some of the smoldering camp fires were not cleaned up because the trash was too hot.  We hope to make it to the riding area this week to finish the cleanup.  We found several fire pits dug out and were over two feet deep and over three feet wide, and full of smoldering trash.  Even though we handed out over 100 trash bags, people dug huge holes to hide trash.  We would like to find a solution to the camp fire and trash problem. 

 

New this year CanAm offered demo rides.  Over 150 riders took advantage of the free rides.  When CanAm offered free rides at the most popular sand dune area in California during the most popular holiday, only 11 people took part in the demo rides.

 

With a positive vote of the NOHVA Board of Directors, the Nance County Sheriff's Department took delivery of a new Polaris Razor this weekend.  The Razor project is a joint effort with NOHVA, Motoplex of Norfolk and Polaris.  The intent is to increase the effectiveness of rule and law enforcement, enable the Sheriff's Department to carry two people while on patrol or during a rescue, and enable the department to carry more equipment.  Also, the Razor will be able to tow the rescue trailer to and from the riding area better than the ATV did.  The cost of the unit was split 50/50 between Motoplex of Norfolk and NOHVA.  Polaris kicked in $500 and 0% financing for NOHVA.   We want to thank Don Novotny, the owner of Motoplex of Norfolk for working very hard to make this work out!   The loaner unit from Curry Bros. Motorsports will be returned.  We certainly appreciate their help in providing an ATV to us over the years. 

 

We would like to thank everyone at Loup Power for all of their help to make this event successful!  Also we would like to thank all the volunteers who help make this off-and-on again jamboree work out!

 

Dan Nitzel, Business Manager and Co-founder
Nebraska Off Highway Vehicle Association
2231 W. 10th Street
Grand Island, NE  68803
Phone 308-381-2143
www.nohva.com