With Michael Pang as the wily COC, the hunt represented the sport played at its very rudimentary level. Purely cryptic questions and treasures; no booze-guzzling challenge, or dart-throwing contest needed for thematic linkage with the organizer’s business!
Probably this came closest to the hunt version of high noon showdown (literally) outside a Western bar!
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| Royal Oak Treasure Hunt 2011 |
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| Royal Oak at Jaya One |
Perhaps with about RM15k cash reward prizes, it’s understandable that he must have expected a much greater turnout than the meagre attendance of about 20 teams of bounty hunters.
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| Mr Nathan from Royal Oak |
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| Final briefing by Sheriff Michael Pang |
He sensibly concluded his short address with a good luck wish to them; which would definitely come in handy, based on the evidence of Michael’s past hunts. After all, Michael has a reputation for his very cryptic, take-no-prisoners, shoot ‘em where they stand - style.
For this hunt, he was like a formidable town sheriff, wittily challenging the cowboys to solve the mystery of Royal Oak. A few booby traps and crafty deceptions have been strategically set for the unwary, the unthinking and the plain gullible bunch of grizzled ‘bandits’ who had plans to lay his town low, with the intention to plunder and pillage.
Any ‘gunslingers’ who came riding into his ‘town’ had better armed themselves with an arsenal of his-prior-hunt knowledge and a whole bunch of ammunition. Indeed the gathering of the famous hunters at the shootout was reminiscent of the gunfight at OK corral.
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| Hunt participants |
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| Hunters Ming Yang and Asri |
While a sacrifice of the right one in Q3 was good old-fashioned poker, the “remember” poser in Q5 reminded one of a hand in bridge where the opposing teams tried their darndest to decipher!
Q3 Sacrifice the right one for love in the names of style.
Ans: Kedai Wain Barrique
For those previously ‘whipped’ by his past questions (stand up means no lap, anyone?), they would have surely learned their valuable lesson! For those new to his style, they should keep in mind his quirky repertoire for future reference.
Q5 Remember a number – zero.
Ans: Malindo
As the outlaws scratched and savaged, Sheriff Michael slyly unleashed the double-cross (Q6 & Q7), catching the marauders with a sucker punch.
The ruse of using two similar signs was nothing new; yet a few sun-stroked cowboys were waylaid. A Tiger decoy innocently displayed at mid-sector for Q6, lured the unsuspecting hordes to needlessly cut down the sector and search in vain for the solution to Q7; while someone else has managed to hang the real Tiger board high up at the first shop of the sector.
Then came the double-dealing (Q11 & Q12), which can be deservingly described as a masterpiece, worthy to stand with the last game of poker played by Maverick. Q11 was a delectable pun on several ‘Go’ words; probably one suspected more than enough to make the hunters go crazy as well.
Q11 Go up, go left, go in the ocean, finally just go!
Ans: Butik Desiree
For Q12, they were again sent on a wild horse chase; this time searching for a non-existent Spanish flat! The coincidental presence of a 7-Eleven outlet further complicated the matter. “Caramba, I need a tequila with my Mirinda right now, senor!”
The word ‘above’ inevitably resulted in a massacre of young guns and cold-eyed killers that would have made the Battle of the Little Bighorn look like a picnic.
A good example of the right question at the right place! It’s a question of ingenious wordplay, simple (on hindsight!), yet lethal; that made it so breathtakingly aesthetic!
Q12 Who owns the Spanish flat above?
Ans: Dimiliki oleh Glamour Trading @ Butik Desiree
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| Alleycats' songs rendition |
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| Playing cards after dinner |
During the dinner, the participants were nostalgically entertained by Alleycats’ songs – the likes of Andainya Aku Pergi Dulu, Seribu Bintang, Jika Kau Bercinta Lagi etc. But the one that probably befitted the occasion must be Hingga Akhir Nanti (Till The End).
Just when the participants thought that they had seen it all, Michael ended the hunt with an unexpected bombshell among the treasure questions. In the past, he has been famously Scrooge-like with words in his treasure questions, with minimal info on the required items.
Only in a few hunts (including this one), has he surprisingly deviated from his normal one-liners. On the surface, this may look more merciful on his part, but this was indeed a perfect smokescreen to entrap the participants. His T1 poser was about cricket and smoke; yet more hunters’ points went up in smoke too; as they somehow failed to ensure that their treasures ‘last longer’.
When the dusts had finally settled, it was another memorable shoot ‘em out with great prizes, good entertainment value and of course, Michael’s superb questions, which served as a great ambush. Surely some surviving cowboys must have cherished the challenge to the draw next year, as they would look forward to the next attempt at taking his town!!!
FULL RESULT
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| Novice Category - 3rd Winner |
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| Novice Category - 2nd Winner |
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| Novice Category - Champion |
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| Open Category - 3rd Winner |
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| Open Category - 2nd Winner |
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| Open Category - Champion |
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