RICHMOND Motor Club’s Beginners and Easy Trial series broke records last year in terms of events and competitor numbers.

Club treasurer Stuart Lowther and his organising team of Nick Hunt, Chris “Basher” Dale, Ted Harston, Steve Watling and Alan Richardson provided valuable assistance. The team ran seven trials and attracted a total of 790 competitors.

The final event at Applegarth on December 8 raised the entry bar to 154, Stuart thanks all his team members, and Ken Wallis for hosting the final event at Applegarth.

He said: “We have organised seven trials aimed at newcomers and youngsters. The entry numbers just emphasise the value of the series. Richmond Motor Club will continue their policy of promoting grassroots trials this year for newcomers.”

  • RICHMOND’S Gavin Lowther joined the AGB Sherco ranks on Saturday and collected a new 300cc model from Andrew Brown’s Low Row headquarters.

Very much a front runner in Yorkshire trials, Gavin is expert ranked. He has ridden Gas Gas for 13 years, two seasons on Beta and a short spell on a Montesa 4RT.

He said: “I hope to get a ride in the Scottish Six Days Trial this year. The Sherco suits my riding style.”

  • IT’S not often that anyone puts one over Richmond MC’s stalwart Barry Watson but 25 close friends managed the impossible last Sunday at the Richmond Cricket Pavilion restaurant.

After a hectic couple of months that involved a triple heart bypass, Barry had planned a quiet meal with close friends to mark his 67th birthday.

When he entered the pavilion he was greeted by his close friends as well as all Richmond MC members. His wife, Vera, made a birthday cake for the old sidecar trials warrior and managed to keep it under wraps. Amazing!

The big names were present, The Peacock, Stones, Brown, Lowther and Wallis families were in attendance.

Nick Hunt, Paul Terry, Brendan Suffell, Richard Sadler and Simon Williamson were also present to ensure the shocked “guest” did not bolt.

Barry will be taking his exworks Andrew Nadin restored 350 Italjet to Alan Wright’s Telford Show next month. He is also acting as consultant on old sidecar trial negatives naming names so that they can see the light of day within Trials+ Motocross news columns. That is a ploy to keep him amused and happy.

PORT Mulgrave’s Jack Howell secured a convincing win over strong opposition at Scarborough DMC’s trial on Sunday.

Held at Low North Park, overnight frost made it tricky going, for the entry of 115 riders, but Howell’s two mark loss on the slippery rocks of section five could not be matched and assured him of the victory.

Richmond’s Rob Waite finished runner-up, just five marks down on Howell and Beta works rider, Ian Austermuhle finished third, showing his caring side, and advising fiance Beth Ridley on the best line through sections, to gain a creditable finish in her very first trial.

Paul Wheatley grabbed third in Clubman A with a solid ride, but the Guisborough lad just couldn’t match the experience of winner Barry Darrell, from Thornton- le- Dale.

Darrell’s one mark loss on the rocks of section five proved best of the day, only Thirsk’s Nigel Todd and Youth C winner, Scarborough’s Zac Collinson got close with a loss of two. But Darrell almost blew it with a maximum on the steep tree root climb of 12. Scarborough’s Alan Carr finished second as Wheatley dropped back with a maximum on the third. Ian Hopley and Nikita Smith, from Fryup, finished third and fourth.

THE first major trial in Yorkshire scheduled for Bayliss Gap Farm, Bewerley last Sunday was cancelled due to adverse venue conditions.

The Pateley Bridge trials course hosted the 1993 world championship, which was organised by the Wetherby Motor Club 21 years ago.

A waterlogged car park area and the extreme conditions in the woodland dictated that clerk of course Patrick Darbyshire had no option but to cancel what would have been the second West Yorkshire Championship trial of this year. The club have not yet considered applying for another date for the event.