I can`t help but wonder, if organ owners get the appreciation and respect from rally organisers, that they deserve. When I last took my organ to rallies, (granted it was a few years ago), I was paid `appearance money` of between £40 and £60 for two seven hour playing stints over the weekend. I`ll average out the sum and say £50. Out of this money came fuel for the generator and transport to and from the rally site, public liability insurance, PRS license and other bits and bobs, leaving me with the majestic total of about £30 for fourteen hours playing time.

The rub was, that if a steward in directing your vehicle into its pitch, backed you into something that caused damage to a stall or your vehicle, the organisers accepted no responsibility for the action of their steward. It would have been entirely my problem to pay out for. They were happy for organ owners to indemnify them against everything, but bear responsibility for nothing themselves.

The thing that really stopped me from going to rallies (although I had been unhappy for a while), was the level of knowledge demonstrated by the organisers, at one rally I considered attending. They insisted that only organs in original condition would be allowed to attend. It never crossed their minds that the organs other than brand new ones, wouldn`t be in playable condition under that ruling. Looking at other exhibits, re-tubed traction engines wouldn`t be there, or vintage vehicles, or anything that had ever been repaired during its long working life.

It would be a rally with empty tents and gazebos and how many punters would pay for that ? As I say, organ owners need more appreciation and basic respect from rally organisers.

I’ve responded to this kind of post in the past but I’ll give my account that finished my enthusiasm for rallying. I was invited to a rally with my 54key Dean in a trailer being towed by a large motorhome it all came in around 7 tons, 45 foot in length so not a small outfit. On arrival I was asked to follow a steward to my reserved pitch all good, as I always did I pulled up out the way got out to walk the route I would take to the pitch and find the best way to pitch up. The steward and I walked the route to my pitch, the pitch I was expected to set up on was very boggy under foot ok maybe it was drying out but not suitable for my outfit, to cut the story short I asked for a alternative pitch. After all the site was almost empty at this point as our group was one of the first to arrive. After sitting where I was parked for almost 3 hours the head honcho came over and asked why im sill sitting there I explained again and this is what I got and I quote (well if thar don't like it Pi** off cos that’s all your getting) I exchanged some profanities but only because he also had a go at her indoors as he arrived (that’s not something any chap should ever do to another mans other half)
Me they can say anything they like water of a ducks back I waited till he was gone and set off home with the rest of the team. My Dean never went out to a rally again as this was not the first time id been treated like a dog being kicked in to a corner. Sold the dean and 3 days ago sold the motorhome as well as without the organ the motorhome was pointless. For the folk that don’t know me I was a very keen supporter of rallies and was out almost every weekend even attending shows December and January, one could say heavily committed, since that event I’ve only visited one event as a punter and that was Widnes. it would take a lot to get me to set up again, I still love organs and will never give that side up but for now will be keeping that side to my self.

Not all organizers are the same that’s a fact but a lot are only interested in lining there pockets under the cover of charity, there the ones that don’t give a dam how much your outfit is worth or cost to them it’s a means of getting revenue and that’s where its stops with them, anything beyond that you’re a pain and considered trash. So unless you’re a yes man I don’t recommend attending some events not even as a punter. Just stick to the well known events they speak for themselves.