LEYBURN father and son Paul and Richard Sadler dominated the tough Northallerton and District MC Chequers Trial to win the expert and clubman B classes last Sunday.

Clerk of course Nigel Rooksby used the natural terrain high above Osmotherley to full advantage for a two-lap, 18-section course for a strong entry of experts. Observers, the true backbone of the sport, deserved medals on a bitterly cold day.

Richard Sadler began well, the only rider to remain clean on the first section, with Tom Affleck, Matt Maynard and John Crinson on one.

Sadler cleaned the next two, as did Affleck and Chilton, but the full-blooded climb of the fourth caught Chilton on lap one and took three off second-placed man Dan Peace. There were also good rides here for Olly Kendra and Jack Stones, both on one lost, while Peace the elder proved the master here with a clean sheet.

At the last, observer Keith Ellis was secreted away in the deep rocky gully, which Sadler failed on lap two.

Chris Barnfather topped the intermediates again with a solid ride as Ian Hopley and John Benton fought for the runner-up spot, Hopley shading it by one mark after Benton lost six marks on the seventh hazard.

Paul Sadler finished well clear in clubman B, Mark Summer and Dave Wardell having a rare old battle for the runner-up berth.

Andy Keel showed Fantics still grip well, cleaning the awkward, greasy rut of the first on each lap to win the twin shock class, his score matching the modern machinery of the third and fourth place men in the B class. It was tight for second place as Richard Jackson kept his nose in front of the battling Steve Currey, aboard the little Moto Gori that sometimes appeared not to have enough guts to ever lose grip.

DOUBLE Welsh trials champion Iwan Roberts won the Yorkshire Centre Championship Cobb and Jagger Trophy Trial at muddy Keighley Gate from Dan Thorpe and Chris Pearson in what was the second day of riding for the teenage Ffestiniog heavy plant engineer.

Thorpe was back in action after laser eye treatment had meant a three-week absence. The JST Gas Gas ace appeared totally on top form.

Along with Truro ace Toby Martyn and Salop's Tom Minta, Roberts spent a hard day practicing on Bracken Rocks on Saturday, then spent the evening at the Wetherby Motor Club annual dinner and awards night near Harrogate. Stroud's Tom Culliford was also a member of the visiting party.

A total of 115 contested the main course, while a further 22 small wheelers assembled at the bridge to ride a compact six-section course featuring the stream and surrounding banks, which became slippery after four laps.

Oliver Sharp just eased to the inter class victory over Skelding teenager Sam Johnson.

The clubman A route was hardly easy and, significantly, the top three finishers were the elder statesmen of Yorkshire trialling. West Leeds veteran Nigel Crowther put his Vertigo at the top of the results ahead of decorator Graham Tales and electrician James Noble, who rode a Montesa 4rt in the trial and not his Ariel machine.

Beth Waite and Gabby Whitham elected to ride class A youth, leaving Charlie Mosley to rule class B.

Of note in the small wheels was the close debits on the hard and beginners' courses. Myles Hutchinson and Scorton girl Imogen Laws headed their classes, but Ryan Shepherd dominated the middle course class, where Ravensworth brothers Monte and Conrad Andrew were placed third and fifth respectively.

Results

Northallerton & DMC Chequers Trial, Osmotherley. – Experts: 1 Richard Sadler (Beta) 9; 2 Dan Peace (Gas Gas) 18; 3 Tom Affleck (Sherco) 21.

Intermediates: 1 Chris Barnfather (Gas Gas) 53; 2 Ian Hopley (Gas Gas) 70; 3 John Benton (Gas Gas) 71.

Clubman A: 1 Philip Alderson (Gas Gas) 6; 2 Roger Williams (Yamaha) 11; 3 Richard Fawcett (Sherco) 20.

Clubman B: 1 Paul Sadler (Beta) 19; 2 Mark Summer (Beta) 32; 3 Dave Wardell (Beta) 34.

Twin Shock: 1 Andy Keel (Fantic) 36; 2 Richard Jackson (Fantic) 52; 3 Steve Currey (Moto Gori) 55.

Yeadon-Guiseley MC Cobb & Jagger Trophy Trial, Keighley Gate. – Championship course, Experts: 1 Iwan Roberts (Beta) 4; 2 Dan Thorpe (Gas Gas) 11; 3 Chris Pearson (Sherco) 12.

Inters: 1 Oliver Sharp (Sherco) 46; 2 Sam Johnson (Beta) 50; 3 Tom Rushton (Montesa) 69.

Novices: 1 Tom Middleton (Beta) 64; 2 Ben Ludgate (Gas Gas) 81; 3 Louis Haley (Montesa) 82.

Clubman A: 1 Nigel Crowther (Vertigo) 9; 2 Graham Tales (Montesa) 14; 3 James Noble (Montesa) 15.

Youth A (out of class): 1 Beth Waite (Beta) 100; 2 Gabby Whitham (Jotagas) 103.

Clubman B: 1 Darren Mitchell (Beta) 6; 2 Mark Chippendale (Gas Gas) 12; 3 Ian Haigh (Montesa) 15.

Clubman B class C course: 1 Jacob Smith 61; 2 Elliott Laws 65; 3 Henry Stephenson 78 (all Beta).

Middle course: 1 Ryan Shepherd 2; 2 Morgan Shepherd 11; 3 Monte Andrew 11 (all Beta).

Beginners' course: 1 Imogen Laws (Beta) 25; 2 Poppy Fletcher (Beta) 27; 3 Summer Brooksbank (Oset) 28.

Fixtures

Sunday. – Bradford DMC Timperley Cup Trial, Yarnbury, Grassington, 10.30am; Guisborough & DMC East Yorks Centre youth trial, Charltons, Guisborough, 10.30am; South Shields MC trial.