Press Release
April 30, 2012
Fairfield County Concours d’Elegance Bids Farewell;
New Concepts In Development
Westport, Conn., April 30, 2012. Bill Scheffler, Chairman, and John Shuck, President, of the Fairfield County Concours Consulting Group announce that after four months of evaluating numerous alternative venues and show formats after the loss of its location at the Fairfield County Hunt Club, there will be no 2012 edition of the Fairfield County Concours d’Elegance. “Each venue we evaluated brought with it challenges and opportunities for an event of our scope, with regional reputation and headed for national repute. Ultimately, we concluded that none of the options enabled us to continue our steady growth over eight years and onward towards our greater goals,” said Scheffler.
The Fairfield County Concours rapidly grew from its fledgling show in 2004 at Westport, Connecticut’s Veterans Green to become by 2011 one of the country’s top ten automobile and motorcycle events. A move to the Fairfield County Hunt Club in 2007 allowed for new and exciting exhibits, a full weekend of events, partnership with additional significant sponsors, and notably, the addition of Bonhams automotive and automobilia auctions in 2010 and 2011. Continued success and growth to over 10,000 attendees by 2011 found the Fairfield County Concours at the limits of that venue.
"We introduced a number of innovations to the concours scene, and took extra care to make the experience for the vehicle owners a pleasurable one. One of our goals from the start was to welcome a new group of enthusiasts both young and old to our passion through education and the sharing of information,” commented President and Co-Founder John Shuck.
The Fairfield County Concours Consulting Group has been formed by the founders and management of the Fairfield County Concours and is actively developing new concepts in vintage automobile and motorcycle events. These exciting ideas build on the accomplishments and innovations of the Fairfield County Concours, including the facilitation of on-field public access to the vehicles and collectors through providing educational essays on each vehicle, on-field , expert-led tours, and the pioneering in the integration of motorcycles and ‘barn find’ vehicles in a concours setting. The next iteration of the Concours, to be launched in 2013, will continue the Group’s commitment to displaying the best of the best, as demonstrated through the years of the Fairfield County Concours.
“It is with pride and gratitude that the Fairfield County Concours closes out its chapter in Concours d’Elegance history. We toast and applaud all who have contributed to the show’s success,” said Bill Scheffler. “It has been enormously rewarding to showcase extraordinary automobiles and motorcycles and to develop relationships with collectors, enthusiasts, and our many partners.” John Shuck adds. “We especially want to acknowledge the work of our dedicated volunteers, without whom we could not have run the show.” Scheffler concludes that “It is the impressively high quality of vehicles we have presented, the dedicated and enthusiastic owners who have shown with us, and the sponsors who have honored us with their support, which has helped us craft it into a concours of depth that will be remembered as one that showcased truly fine vehicles from the best collections.”
While international in scope, the Fairfield County Concours embraced the local community, working with arts and children’s organizations and charities, the Rotary Club, and local and regional car and motorcycle clubs.
The event has raised more than $100,000 for The Drive to Treat Autism Fund, supporting services for children and adolescents with developmental and Autism Spectrum Disorders through St. Vincent’s Behavioral Health Services, Bridgeport and Westport, Connecticut.
The Fairfield County Concours d’Elegance thanks its sponsors for their support: Presenting Sponsor Porsche Cars North America; Founding Sponsors Tiffany & Co., Sports Car Market, Fairfield Motor Cars, Westport Resources, Moffly Media and DBS Helicopters. Sponsors include: Bonhams, Cadillac, Callari Auto Group, Miller Motorcars, Rubin Worldwide, Gartner, Hagerty Insurance, Inc., Vintage Rallies, Inc., Automotive Valuation Services, Reliable Carriers, Meguiar’s, American Iron Magazine, Bring-A-Trailer.com, Tito’s Handmade Vodka, St. Vincent’s Medical Center Foundation, Automotive Restorations Inc., Roadbike Magazine, Monticello Motor Club, Lime Rock Driver’s Club, FIAT, The Delamar Hotel, WSHU Public Radio, Carriage House Motor Cars, Dragone’s Classic Motorcars, Garage Style Magazine, Attitude Garage, The Doubletree Hotel and Gieger’s Landscape Architects.
