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History
A view back:
Herkomer competitions
1905 - 1906 - 1907
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Looking back: HERKOMER KONKURRENZ 1905 – 1906 - 1907 The Herkomer Konkurrenz, the world's oldest classic touring car rally, celebrates it's Centennial in three years: 2005, 2006 and 2007. The Bavarian Automobile Club, on initiative from Sir Hubert von Herkomer, sponsored three rallies from 1905 to 1907. Named after their initiator Herkomer - the widely popular German-English portrait painter born in Waal near Landsberg - the rallies became an immediate success. Herkomer's vision of developing durable and sportive touring cars came in the year 1903, when he visited the Gordon Bennett Race in Ballyshannon, together with his client, the Governor General of Ireland. Although impressed by the race, Herkomer saw little future in racing vehicles built only for speed, 'roaring monsters', as he called them. In contrast to contemporary contests which called for crossing the goal line by the fastest speed possible, Herkomer envisioned a completely different style of rally. He foresaw a contest with touring cars that were durable enough to complete challenging tours over extended distances on normal roads. With this in mind, Herkomer approached the president of the Bavarian Automobile Club, Prof. Ludwig Pöhlmann with his idea. Together, they worked out the strict rally guidelines that are still in effect to this day. Herkomer's guidelines were also adopted by the Prince Heinrich Tour, held from 1908 to 1910. The dream of Sir Hubert von Herkomer still holds true, from the first touring car rally worldwide to the 100th Jubilee; the Herkomer Konkurrenz 2005-2007.
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Sir Hubert von Herkomer was a well known and popular artist of his time. Among those crowned heads of Europe who counted themselves honored to sit for a portrait by Herkomer, were Queen Victoria, Prince Regent Leopold and Kaiser Wilhelm II. A sport event conceived by Herkomer and sponsored by the Bavarian Auto Club of course, gave cause for major excitement. The response from aristocracy and industry was overwhelming. The year 1905 found illustrious participants at the starting line of the first Herkomer Konkurrenz: Prince Heinrich von Preußen, the brother of the Kaiser, Duke Ludwig in Bavaria and Lord Montague of Beaulieu, together with automotive pioneers and courageous men such as Heinrich Opel, Vincenzo Lancia, Edgar Ladenburg, Ernst Büssing, August Horch and Ernst Sachs, together with many others. The overall winner, Edgar Ladenburg in his Mercedes, was presented with a massive silver trophy designed and donated by Herkomer. Sir Hubert von Herkomer also painted Ladenburg's portrait, a great privilege at that time. Both portrait and silver trophy are on display in the Herkomer Museum in Landsberg. The following years, both size and popularity of the Konkurrenz grew to amazing proportions. The length of the course grew from 937 km in 1905 to 1819 km in 1907, while the number of vehicles taking part in the Konkurrenz increased from 91 to 161!
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