Richmond Motor Club. Sid Morton Memorial Trial, Fremington Edge, Good Friday

Richmond braved a cool wind and rain showers when ninety hardy trials riders and a dozen observers scaled the heights of Fremington Edge and Reels Head on Good Friday to compete in the annual Sid Morton Memorial.

The base was set at Reels Head tracking some Scott Trial and Reeth Three Day sections which when wet become a nightmare., All the Richmond ‘big guns’ were out in force especially in the expert ranks where James Stones put his Beta at the sharp end with a dab in section eight on the first of three laps.Only Dan Thorpe posted and opening clean lap but a two slipped away on lap two at the fifth where Richard Sadler added a mark. Matt Maynard headed Will Reynolds in the Inters while Louis Haley gave his Bou impression. Nathan Cannell and Tom Needham ran off with the novice and youth classes.

Thirty one riders contested the Green category where heating engineer Andy Tales set the standard - just, by a mark from Gary Pears. Knaresborough building supplies director Neil Gaunt got his Beta four stroke home one mark ahead of Paul Sadler. But for a mark in the twelfth section the West Witton joiner would have nailed the class. And, a blast from the past, Skeeby brothers Stephen, Allan and Leslie Richardson were out in force backing nephew Jonathan R while former Scott Trial winner took on the top riders. Clerk of Course Bruce Storr gave his Beta a run to beat his son Dan who rode Clubman while his parent dallied with the Over 40’s. 

Stanley T.C. Trial, Bedburn, Wolsingham, Saturday

Stanley Motor Club headed back to Bedburn, above the village of Wolsingham in the Wear Valley recently, when fifty five riders tackled four laps of ten sections, with a choice of three routes.

On the Expert route, Colin Ward’s only problems in section eight. enough to claim seSteven Johnson was on form on the Clubman course, losing his only mark in section three, where Douglas Castle, Dan Duncan and Callum Worsey all managed to remain clean. Kev Chapman rode his pre64 Trifield into second place on six, pushing Andy Pearson into third on twelve.The Easy Course win went to Chris Church, who took his TRS round for four, one less than Gary Daykin, who himself went round for one less than Jeff Nutter.

Eboracum M.C. Easy Trial, Moor Farm, Ouseburn, Good Friday

THE Eboracum easy trial on Good Friday evening was just that - easy.

Moor Farm was in good form for all fifty competitors, so good in fact that seven cleans sheets emerged from the thirty six adult hard course riders. Add in four x one scores, three x two scores and a couple of three scores. The same facts came up in the nine strong youth class who rode exactly the same sections as the adults. Four youngsters returned faultless rides. Only Bobby Pulman broke the deadlock in the Youth easy category by dropping six compared with George Darrell’s thirty nine score.

Eboracum M.C. Two Day Charity Trial, Moor Farm, Ouseburn, Saturday/Sunday

COURSE plotting gang led by Brian Kendra and land owner Simon Gill had produced a lengthy course of two and a half laps with fifteen sections to be ridden twice and then the first seven sections to finish.

Another ride across towards the new incinerator at Allerton Park before returning to Moor Farm to ride section fifteen alongside the lane. A good ride round, thought to be about fourteen miles.. Certainly Simon Gill had pulled out all the stops to provide Clerk of Course Brian Kendra with many acres of Moor Farm and the riders really did appreciate something totally different rather than a dozen laps of a pocket handkerchief version.

Weekend Results check

Richmond Motor Club. Sid Morton Memorial Trial, Fremington Edge , Good Friday.

Experts: 1 James Stones (Beta), 2 Dan Thorpe (Gas Gas) 3, 3 Richard Sadler (Beta) 5.

Inters: 1 Matthew Maynard (Sherco) 27, 2 Will Reynolds (Montesa) 30, 3 Louis Haley (Montesa) 51.

Novices: 1 Nathan Cannell (Gas Gas) 57, 2 Thomas Coates (Beta) 101.

Green course: 1 Andrew Tales (Beta) 13, 2 Gary Pears (Scorpa) 14, 3 Richard Fraser (Sherco) 14.

Youths: 1 Robert Weatherill 38, 2 Charlie Dent 70. (All Beta).

Clubmen: 1 Neil Gaunt (Bet) 3, 2 Paul Sadler (Beta) 4, 3 Paul Wearmouth (Montesa) 10.

Youths: 1 Ashley Pumpton (Sherco) 99, 2 Lewis White (Gas Gas) 114, 3 Steve Plumpton (Sherco) 121.

Over 40’s: 1 Tony Wild (Beta) 10, 2 Mark Proudlock (Montesa) 21, 3 Ian Hall (Yamaha) 21.

Youth Class A: 1 Mathew Allum 100, 2 Tom Riley 128. (All Beta).

Richmond Motor Club. Easter Monday Easy Trial, Iron Banks, Richmond

THE Richmond club completed their Easter weekend trials marathon on Monday at Iron Banks where the venue dried out to provided a fine easy trials course for adults, youths and a huge contingent of twenty three youngsters from the ages of four to ten who competed on separate eight section four lap course.

Somehow Gary Thwaite managed to control the riders, and their parents. Charlie Astwood won the main class while Oliver Wright and Daisy Cannell ruled the other classes. All three won their class by a good margin.

Darren Fowler and Paul Mugridge masterminded the three lap twelve section main course which took in two opeing section across the meadow then ran from three to five alongside the lower boundaries. Section eight to twelve tracked the top of the wood with very varied climbs and sharp turns followed by equally daunting descents. Several fallen trees played a major role, especially at the end of the ninth section where back wheels slid at all angles to the intended path. The final section was a flight up a muddy gully and many found wheel grip at a premium. Nick Hunt threw his mint Repsol Honda up the ninth incline and the Japanese four stroke rebelled and threw its owner off, in mid-air. The Clubman class was won by Tony Heath and Road and Trial franchise owner Tony Kaye who was having a break and spending time in his West Witton caravan. The Darton dealer had just learnt that his showroom had been ram raided and road bikes damaged but the worst was that the entire frontage was a scene of destruction.

Stanley T.C. Trial, Bedburn, Wolsingham, Saturday

Expert Course:1 Colin Ward (Beta) 7, 2 Carl Shaw (Gas Gas) 14, 3 Stephen Bennett (Montesa) 15.

Clubman Course: 1 Steven Johnson (Montesa) 1, 2 Kevin Chapman (Trifield) 6, 3 Andy Pearson (Gas Gas) 12 Easy Course: 1 Chris Church (TRS) 4, 2 Gary Daykin (Ossa) 6, 3 Jeff Nutter (Gas Gas) 7

Eboracum M.C. Easy Trial, Moor Farm, Ouseburn, Good Friday

Adult hard route: 1 Anthony Barron (Montesa) 0, 2 Peter Coverdale (Gas Gas) 0, 3 John Gaskin (TRS) 0.

Youths: 1 Martyn Pratt (Beta) 0, 2 Alick Sharp (Sherco) 0, 3 Richard Pulman (Scorpa) 0.

Youth easy route: 1 Bobby Pulman (Gas Gas) 6, 2 George Darrell (Oset) 39.

Eboracum M.C. Two Day Charity Trial, Moor Farm, Ouseburn, Saturday/Sunday

Pre-65: 1 Mark Buckworth (James) 20, 2 Darren Johnson Trifield) 23, 3 Darren Walker (BSA) 33.

Twin Shock: 1 Mike Watson (Triumph) 13, 2 Richard Jackson (Fantic) 30, 3 Paul Pulman (Yamaha) 46.

Aircooled mono: Callum Williamson (Yamaha) 10, 2 Richard Pickering (Yamaha) 27. 3 Shaun Page (Fantic) 30.

Clubmen: 1 Chris Laws (Beta) 2, 2 Matt Sharp (TRS) 8, 3 Matt Handley (Beta) 8.

Youths: Elliott Laws (Beta) 16, 2 Richard Pulman (Scorpa) 36, 3 Alick Sharp (Sherco) 58.

Pre-65 easy: Steve Pressick (Fantic) 64.

Pre-65 easy: 1 Rob Chapman (Matchfield) 20, 2 John Pattinson (Ariel) 27, Trevor Buckworth (BSA) 66.

Aircooled mono easy:1 George Hardy (Fantic) 47, 2 Mark Williamson (Scorpa) 73.

Clubman easy: 1 Seamus Watson (BSA) 37, 2 Johnn Jackson (Beta) 64, 3 Dawn Sharp (Beta) 81.

Youth easy : Niamh Watson (Gas Gas) 36.

Main course.

Clubmen: 1 Tony Heath (Sherco) 0/Tony Kaye (Sherco) 0, 3 Simon Williamson (MOntesa) 2.

Over 40’s: 1 Mark Whelan (Beta) 14, 2 Darren Fowler (Montesa) 16, 3 Martin Pratt (Beta) 19.

Twin Shock: 1 Steve Watling (SWM) 38, 2 Shaun Clennell (Honda) 72, 3 John Alderson (Honda) 79.

Youth Class B: 1Tim Weatherill (Sherco) 16, 2 Ollie Rickaby (Gas Gas) 18, 3 Andrew Reynolds (Beta) 23.

Youth Class C:1 Callum Fowler 34, 2 Harry Mugridge (52, 3 Monte Andrew 58.

(All Beta).

Youth Class BE: 1 Sam Armstrong 41, 2 Will Storrow 43, 3 Edward Storrow 51.

(All Beta).

Youth Class DE: 1 Conrad Andrew (Beta) 14, 2 Harry Parkin (Gas Gas) 43.

Conducted course.

Class ED: 1 Charlie Astwood (Beta) 27, 2 Rory Wilkinson (Sherco) 34, 3 Lily -Ann Thwaite (Oset) 41.

Class EB: 1 Oliver Wright (Gas Gas) 39, 2 Laurie Blades (Beta) 63, 2 Joel Thwaite (Beta) 65.

Class E: 1 Daisy Cannell 87, 2 Alfie Astwood (94. (All Oset).

Weekend Fixture List

Saturday.

Ripon Motor Club, 1st Acklam championship trial, Hutton Conyers, Ripon, 2.00pm and 4.00 pm.

Guiseborough D.M.C. 1st Club championhip, Eller’s Farm, Fryup, 5.00 pm.

Sunday.

Hull Auto Club, Kennington Cup Trial, Farndale, 1030 am.

Darlington & D.M.C. All clases trial, Pen Hill, West Witton, 11.00 am.

Wetherby D.M.C. \Stelvio Trophy Trial, Cockhill Mines, 11.00 am.