THE remote village of Hurst formed the backdrop for Richmond Motor Club's rescheduled Eric Ridley Trophy Trial last Sunday.

Almost 100 trials-starved riders assembled at Tonge Hill to ride a Paul Terry-designed, two-lap, 16-section course. The streams were running high and it was bitterly cold, especially out on the moors near Ridley's Fold, but the forecasted snow did not materialise.

The first two sections down the gill were fast-running torrents which concealed slippery rocks. Guy Kendrew and Jack Stones both lost marks here, as did Will Reynolds.

There was a suggestion of ice on the rocks at the third section. Gary Thwaite was really fired up in the greens and sailed right through to the 10th, where two dabs went away. Roger Williams was right behind him with a mark on the second on lap one, but Paul Dennis dropped away with a stop.

On the hard course, Matt Maynard won the inter category. He dropped 20 to match Tom Hick and John Crinson in the overall scores.

It was a testing event for Maynard and Reynolds as neither had competed since the Scott Trial last October.

Jack Stones had other excuses to rely on. His 21st birthday party the previous evening may have played a slight part in his performance.

A trio of Richmond ladies braved the cool conditions. Katy Sunter grabbed ninth green from Brendan Suffell and Paul Terry. Jack Harker was on his new Beta and beat his father Andrew by two marks.

Down in the clubman ranks, Robyn Alderson and Hannah Richardson delivered good results in what was a 39-strong mix of clubmen and over-40s.

In the youth greens, Ryan Brown excelled over Tom Needham, while Joe Tales shaded the Dent boys, Charlie and Harry.

JST Gas Gas rider Michael Brown, showing remarkable form after a serious knee injury, held onto a one-mark victory at Scarborough and District MC's winter trial at Low North Park, Harwood Dale, on Sunday.

He was just ahead of fellow JST teamster Dan Peace, whose younger brother Jack took youth A and third overall best score.

On a bitterly cold day, the 80 entries had plenty to go at. On the first section, Tom Affleck and Jack Peace produced best rides on two, while Brown and Peace equalled each other on six lost. At Top Rocks, young Peace gave it everything to match Brown on two lost and even fired a clean last lap. Dan Peace fived here on his last tour, which possibly lost him the trial.

In the inter class, two old adversaries did battle, Mark Harrison edging out Harwood Dale's favourite son Gary Collinson due to a fantastic two-mark ride at Foundations.

Stephen Bennett's consistency saw him through to win clubman A class from Scarborough's Mark Taylor, who lost 10 on the third to Bennett's seven.

STANLEY Trials Club turned to Oxenlaw, near Castleside, last Sunday, after the conditions at Ayle Colliery forced the postponement of the Durham County Trials Club event.

They club hastily put together 10 sections, which the entry of 40 rode three times. Robert Waite and Colin Ward had no problems with the expert route, both going clean on a course set up to suit the cold conditions. On the green route, Stephen Dalton lost three in section two before another couple further round, but his total of five gave him the win over Jason Scott, who had problems with section six, which accounted for half his total of 12.

Scott Mayhew managed third place after spending half his day keeping an eye on daughters Molly and Amelia.

LEYBURN joiner Richard Sadler set the benchmark at Sedbergh, where he won the annual Lonsdale Cup Trial on his Beta machine from Whickham's John Crinson and York expert Tom Hick.

Sadler incurred only six penalties on the one-lap, 35-section course to head Crinson by a mere six marks. Ilkley heating engineer Andy Tales won the clubman class from Lothersdale teenager Nathan Parker and Burnley motorcycle retailer Martin Sandiford.

ALMOST 100 riders turned up at Rogerley Quarry, in Weardale, last weekend for the Consett and District MC trial.

Colin Ward went round the expert course without loss, leaving Carl Shaw and Michael Phillipson both disappointed after they had both dropped a slack dab each. Eddie Aitkin would have a been a lot closer without a five in section eight.

On the green course, Jason Scott parted with just one mark, with David Humble a further mark adrift, while Trevor Willans piloted his new 300 Montesa round for four.

A further clean sheet appeared in the clubman scores, where Scott Cousins kept his feet up all day at the expense of Joe Alderson, who parted with just one, and Scott Mayhew, who dropped four to finish third.

Luke Constantine was another to remain unpenalised, this time on the easy course, where the C class rider topped the 44 runners in the class, with Andy Walker and Paul Banks his nearest challengers on one and two respectively.

Results

Richmond MC Eric Ridley Memorial Trophy Trial, Hurst. – Experts: 1 Richard Sadler (Beta) 5; 2 Guy Kendrew (Beta) 8; 3 James Stones (Sherco) 13.

Inters: 1 Matthew Maynard (Sherco) 20; 2 Thomas Housecroft (Beta) 33; 3 Russell Cannell (Sherco) 42.

Novices: 1 Nathan Cannell (Gas Gas) 30; 2 Tom Alderson (Beta) 30; 3 Thomas Coates (Beta) 60.

Green course: 1 Gary Thwaite (Sherco) 5; 2 Roger H Williams (Montesa) 12; 3 Paul Dennis (Beta) 17.

Youths: 1 Ryan Brown (Beta) 36; 2 Tom Needham (Gas Gas) 44; 3 Sam Charlton (Beta) 68.

Clubmen: 1 Paul Sadler (Beta) 9; 2 Andy Kearton (Montesa) 14; 3 Shaun Clennell (Montesa) 33.

Over-40s: 1 Mark Chippendale (Gas Gas) 16; 2 Martin Pratt (Beta) 31; 3 Chris Manby (Beta) 32.

Youths: 1 Joe Tales (Beta) 39; 2 Charlie Dent (Gas Gas) 49; 3 Harry Dent (Sherco) 82.

Scarborough DMC Winter Trial, Low North Park, Harwood Dale. – Experts: 1 Michael Brown (Gas Gas) 16; 2 Dan Peace (Gas Gas) 17; 3 Tom Affleck (Sherco) 39.

Intermediate: 1 Mark Harrison (Gas Gas) 32; 2 Gary Collinson (Gas Gas) 33; 3 James Wainwright (Beta) 84.

Clubman A: 1 Stephen Bennett (Beta) 13; 2 Mark Taylor (Beta) 16; 3 John Bennett (Montesa) 21.

Clubman B: 1 Mike Kendra (Gas Gas) 7; 2 Steve Kirkwood (Fantic) 8; 3 Brian Alcock (Beta) 14.

White route adult: Liam Clayton (Beta) 4. White route youth: John Turton (Beta) 20. Youth A: Jack Peace (Gas Gas) 20. Youth B: Beth Waite (Beta) 54. Youth C: Claire Collinson (Beta) 81. Youth novice: Jack Darrell (Beta) 25.

Stanley Trials Club trial, Oxenlaw, Castleside. – Expert route: 1 Rob Waite (Beta)/Colin Ward (Beta) 0; 3 John Bennett

(Montesa) 8.

Green course: 1 Stephen Dalton (Montesa) 5; 2 Jason Scott (Gas Gas) 12; 3 Lewis Braithwaite (Beta) 13.

Clubman course: 1 Richard Hawes (Yamaha) 13; 2 Steven Johnson (Montesa) 14; 3 Scott Mayhew (Beta) 18.

Sportsman route: 1 Chris Banks (Beta) 1; 2 Peter McIntyre (Honda) 4; 3 Andy Lewis (SWM) 4.

Westmorlands MC, Lonsdale Cup Trial, Sedbergh. – Experts: 1 Richard Sadler (Beta) 6; 2 John Crinson (Beta) 12; 3 Tom Hick (Beta) 20.

Clubmen: 1 Andy Tales (Beta) 17; 2 Nathan Parker (Montesa) 33; 3 Martin Sandiford (Beta) 36.

Consett & DMC Trial, Rogerley Quarry, Castleside. – Expert course: 1 Colin Ward (Beta) 0; 2 Carl Shaw (Honda) 1; 3 Michael Phillipson (Scorpa) 1.

Green course: 1 Jason Scott (Gas Gas) 1; 2 David Humble (Montesa) 2; 3 Trevor Willans (Montesa) 4.

Clubman course: 1 Scott Cousins (Beta) 0; 2 Joe Alderson (Montesa) 1; 3 Scott Mayhew (Beta) 4.

Easy course: 1 Luke Constantine (Beta) 0; 2 Andy Walker (Fantic) 1; 3 Paul Banks (Honda) 2.

Fixtures

Sunday. – Northallerton DMC Open Chequers Trial, Chequers, Osmotherley, 10.30am; Yeadon-Guiseley MC, Cobb & Jagger Trophy Trial, Keighley Gate, 10.30am; Castleside MCC Trial, Rogerley Quarry, Castleside, 11am.