August 2025 | Issue 781 | Page(s) 3 | Gaynor Cauter
It’s been a pretty full-on few weeks since we last met on this page and the trusty Club Transit has been well up to the task of ferrying our ‘shop’, gazebo, flags and other paraphernalia around the country (which is more than I can say for my knees!).
We were delighted to support Mark Brierley at Silverstone for the Jaguar Breakfast Club’s magnificent Supercharged Saturday and we watched in amazement as his marshals parked up more than 600 cars in perfect lines in front of the museum. Watching this was a spectacle in itself and the sight of nearly 200 F-Types disappearing into the distance was one of those camera shots to pin on your wall. For a taster of just how good it was, turn to Out & About, where you will also find some great shots of our visit to Area 3’s display in front of Ely Cathedral, including this month’s cover shot of a red XK150 – one of pair that turned up at the cathedral and, sadly, a rare sight at shows these days.
Seeing this fabulous display of cars at Silverstone – and the level of enthusiasm everyone displayed for our beloved Jaguars – gave us a brainwave for our forthcoming Spares Day at Stoneleigh on Sunday 19 October. Why not make it a Breakfast Club meeting? I discussed it with Mark, we spoke to Stoneleigh, and the answer was… yes! They will have the café open and ready to serve up the bacon butties at 9:00am when you arrive and weather permitting, we will park up the Breakfast Club cars on the grass in front of the halls. So put it in your diaries for 19 October – Jaguar Spares Day and Breakfast Club meeting all rolled into one. No need to book – just turn up on the day and it’s still only £10 a head to come in and browse the stalls and who knows? You might just find that vital bit your car needs to win next year’s Champion of Champions!
And speaking of which, don’t forget that we will be back at Gaydon on Sunday 21 September for the biggest JDHT event of the year – Jaguars at Gaydon – where we will be judging the final of Champion of Champions in the Collections Centre, adjacent to the British Motor Museum.
I can’t tell you the finalists yet because we haven’t chosen them – something we’ll be doing on Sunday 3 August at JDC National Day – and if your magazine has arrived on time, that’s in two days’ time on Sunday the 3rd at Whittlebury Park, near Silverstone. We have a record 131 members sitting down to dinner on the Saturday night, including Club President Sir John Egan and his wife Julia, and without giving too much away… expect to see a lot of XJSs for the 50th anniversary. Meanwhile, I’m looking forward to seeing you!
Finally, I have great news for all our members in Ireland, north and south, because not only is Jim McFerran busy reviving Area 30 Northern Ireland, but we have a new Area 106 being formed in the Republic of Ireland thanks to the enthusiastic efforts of Sebastian Vidal, our new rep. Please support them and help them make the JDC presence in the Emerald Isle a force to be reckoned with. All the details in the Area listings.
Gaynor
