Back in March of 2016, I had this wild idea to start a new Euro car show in the New England area. Having been part of the Volkswagen community for over 20 years, I knew right away the show would centre around VAG vehicles. I had a picture in my head of what I wanted it to be — I just needed the right people to help make it happen.

So, I pitched the idea to my family and close friends. They were all on board from the start and eager to help pull it together. The next step was finding a title sponsor. That’s when I reached out to an old friend from my “Broke Status” days — Sam Desmarais from Sam’s Euro Shop. Sam jumped in as our first title sponsor and, even more importantly, shared my vision for what the show could become.

Then came the final piece: choosing a charity. For us, it had to be Foundation Blue. With everything set, the very first Eurobuilt Car Show & Charity Auction took place that September at the Vermont State Fairgrounds in Rutland, VT. Seventy-five cars showed up, and together we raised $1,900 for charity.

Fast forward 10 years, and on August 24th 2025 we celebrated the 10th Annual Eurobuilt Car Show & Charity Auction right here in Rutland, Vermont. Knowing it was a milestone year, I wanted to do something special for our attendees. After talking it over with family and sponsors, we came up with the idea of charging just $10 for pre-registration — one dollar for each year of the show. It turned out to be a hit, with 236 people pre-registering.

Seeing the number of pre-registered attendees, I knew this was going to be a strong year—I just needed the weather to cooperate. As luck would have it, when show day arrived, we were greeted with cloudy skies and only a slight chance of a pop-up shower (nothing too major).

One big change this year compared to past events was moving to a Top 40 format, eliminating a bunch of separate classes and instead focusing on the overall quality of cars in attendance. This also gave everyone the freedom to park where they wanted and with whoever they wanted, regardless of make or model. Based on the feedback we received after the show, this new approach was very well received. Another bonus of the new format was how much easier it made setup.

Based on how much our special items typically raise; we knew this one was going to be big

As I walked around the show field, it became clear that this was our biggest show yet. After a quick count in my head, I realised we had finally surpassed 300 cars—a major milestone for us. With attendees coming from all over the New England area and even as far away as North Carolina, it was clear that selecting just 40 cars for our awards was not going to be easy.

Some notable cars in attendance included former PVW Alumni (March ’25) Jon Belton and his ever-evolving New Beetle—we’ve heard he has some big changes planned for his ride this year. Also present was Tim Sorres with his Mk6 Jetta GLI, sporting Stage 2 modifications and custom orange accents. Recent PVW Alumni (December ’25) Rachel Levey attended with her MK2 Golf. We also can’t forget the duo of Tommy Butler and Lauren Cahill, who brought their matching red Mk5s, complete with air ride, wheels, custom interiors, and more—always a treat to see.

As always, what’s a show without some Best Of awards? This year, our Best VW award went to former feature car owner (PVW 7/25) Erik Marrier and his slammed Caddy finished in a mint colour. Next up was the Trendsetter Award, which was presented to former feature car owner (PVW 4/20) Nick Kramarczyk and his Mk2. The award, given by Foundation Blue in memory of Alexi DeRochambeau, recognised Nick’s influence and style. Nick also took home Best Interior thanks to his recently redone interior.

Our title sponsor, Sam’s Euro Shop, also selects a favourite each year for a special award. This year, the honour went to Tulio Figueiredo and his Brazilian-built Mk4 Golf. You may remember Tulio from our recent May Edition event, where his car was chosen as the Promoter’s Choice. His Golf features modern styling, extreme stance, oversized rims, a larger panoramic roof, smoothed tubs, and flawless execution throughout.

The Promoter’s Choice Award winner not only takes home a trophy but also has their car featured on the artwork for the following year’s show. This year, that honour was awarded to Johnny Shaitman and his peachy ’84 Jetta, complete with a shaved engine bay, VR6 swap, air ride, and custom interior. The car is exceptionally clean inside and out, making him a clear and deserving choice for the award.

With 13 events & 10 years under our belt, we’re looking forward to the future

As always, we held our charity auction to benefit several great organisations. Once again this year, Mia—one of our Eurobuilt kids—was selling her homemade bracelets to raise money for Shriners Children’s Hospital. She raised around $100 on her own, but it didn’t stop there. I asked if anyone else would like to donate, whether it was loose change or a few dollars. After putting out the donation box, it quickly grew to an impressive $1,037.

Next up was Foundation Blue, the recipient of our annual charity auction, which featured framed artwork, skate decks, and banners and so much more. This year, Cory Sterling returned to the mic as the foundation’s MC. By the end of the auction, we raised another $5,000 to donate in memory of Alexi DeRochambeau.

By far the most anticipated item was our special auction piece, created to raise money for a nonprofit close to my better halves and my heart. Since 2016, there has always been a plan in place: I saved one new event shirt from each year so that, on our 10th anniversary, we could auction them off. For weeks, my better half, Penny Inglee, carefully cut up all the shirts and turned them into a quilt for the auction. Based on past years and how much our special items typically raise; I knew this one was going to be big. When the bidding ended, the quilt sold for $1,000.

To celebrate our 10-year anniversary, we also threw in a few additional custom items, raising another $700. This allowed us to donate a total of $1,700 to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Since 2016, thanks to the generosity of our attendees, Eurobuilt has donated over $90,000 to various charities.

With 13 events and 10 years under our belt, we’re already looking forward to the future. The 4th Annual Eurobuilt Spring Show & Shine is scheduled for May 3, 2026, at the Franklin County Fairgrounds in Greenfield, MA. Our 11th Annual Eurobuilt Car Show & Charity Auction will take place on August 30 in Rutland, VT.

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