Issue 130 : August - September 2003
Farmyard 03
Magna Carta
Road Star Warrior
India by Enfield
H-D 100th in Spain
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Farmyard 03
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Farmyard '03Bigger and better than ever
Riding North the great forested bulk of Sutton Bank confirms that I'm almost there. Up around the bends, over the top and on toward the site which is already heavily populated by early Friday evening. The variety of bikes is mind boggling and speaks well for the inclusivity of the event and for MAG. Sports/sport tourers spurting forward on the loose gravel,tourers progressing sensible, growling cruisers and a fair few snorting classics all happily co-existing without a sneer or scowl. Riding through the site and riding and riding, where's the end? Tent up at last, am I still in Yorkshire? Walking back to the main arena of activity. How much further ? What's this? extra bars in the campsite half way houses for the lost and bewildered, that's grand that is. A thousand individual sites with a lived in look, woodpiles and cooking apparatus, chairs even, the army is entrenched. What to eat? Fish and chips, oriental, noodles, curry, pizza, burgers errr can't decide. Loads of choice loads of vendors, queues not too long. Lots of banter among the people waiting, no attitude, ridiculous hats. Bikes chicaning by, towing heaps of wood, groups carrying rafts of it, dogs barking, dogs on rafts of wood, dogs on bike tanks, dogs on their legs. Familiar faces looming out the crowds, hands extended. How you doing? I'm alive but thanks for asking. 'Have you seen the dance tent?'
I sit by the river for a bit. groups of folk on the banks, babbling water, a wine bottle is uncorked, it's quieter here. The hillside towers above us, thick green forest, sky beyond sparkling with stars, you can see the stars in the country, and everywhere the smell of woodsmoke. One am, the Blues tent, packed with partyin' people. I mount the stage, snap a few revellers, spent an hour swallowing a beer, wander off, tent still packed. Hello, you still up ?
Mutch  Farmyard amazing things you didn't know
Ten years ago, the party had grown to such a size that the whole of the Yorkshire region's MAG groups were involved in the running of the event and a limited company had to be formed to look after the legal side of things. The MAG members of Yorkshire own the company which in turn owns the Farmyard Party. I pay the bills for the party and as I was sitting here putting the books in order I made a few notes, some of which I thought you may find interesting...
And finally... The only person to fall off a motorcycle during the event was Aine Gale, our National Chairman (didn't think we'd seen you, did you Aine). See you all next year.
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The Farmyard team have spent years perfecting the recipe for success that this event has become and the comments from those who attended this year's do bear out the claim that they've got it right - incredibly right. 
Just over seventeen years ago, East Yorkshire MAG decided to throw a party. It was mid-summer's weekend and around 300 Bikers attended. They all camped, drank, listened to music, drank some more and chilled out around the campfires. It was the birth of the Farmyard Party.