Richmond Motor Club. Harold Graham Memorial Trial, Cogden Hall, Saturday.

RICHMOND Motor Club put the brakes on lambing time for local farmers who escaped the annual task for a day to ride the fine Cogden Hall acres east of Grinton.

The trial was scheduled for February but adverse weather put paid to that date.

Event secretary Sandra Fowler, and Paul Astwood plotted a 12-section three-lap course for the main classes with eight separate sections in the north meadow for the eight small wheels boys.

Farmer Laurence Allison also suspended his lambing duties to allow the trial to take place. The venue is special even after the ravages of 2019 and then Covid. World Enduro champion Billy Bolt was a pupil at the annual training school, as were Jack Stones and Rob Waite.

The main course featured some tricky rock-based sections and then up and into Cogden Wood then down to Cogden Gill. Some notables were competing in a shakedown for the Scottish Six Days Trial.

Askrigg garage owner Phil Alderson and Melmerby garage owner Stuart Blythe were the big-names readying for the challenges of Fort William in May. Healaugh's Mark Sunter makes up the trio heading Scotland. Predictably Leyburn joiner Richard Sadler won the hard expert class incurring a mere four penalties to head Rob Waite, while Arkengarthdale engineer Jack Stones was the top Inter grade contender.

Paul Sadler won Clubman A so that was yet another family double in the bag. His father Robert won Clubman B class and left his Pepper Hall Farm to allow his lambs to do their own thing for a few hours.

The Richmond Motor Club thank the landowner Laurence Allison, the observers and clerk of course and all the assistants, plus of course the competitors. The club will stage a trial on April 15, Good Friday, at Fremington commencing at 10.30am.

Results

Hard course. Experts: 1 Richard Sadler (Vertigo) 4, 2 Rob Waite (Beta) 10. Inters: 1 Jack Stones (Vertigo) 14, 2 Russell Rooksby (Beta) 20. Novices: 1 Tom Middleton (Vertigo) 31, 2 Mark Sunter (Gas Gas) 40, 3 Kirk Vitty (Gas Gas) 41. Youth Class A: 1 Harry Blackwell 53, 2 Josh McParland 56, 3 Callum Fowler 61. (All Beta). Clubman A. 1 Phillip Alderson (TRS) 8, 2 Darren Gill (Vertigo) 14, 3 Stuart Blythe (Vertigo) 15. Youths: 1 Francis Nicholson (Beta) 44, 2 Jack Vasey (Beta) 54, 3 George Hird (Sherco) 59. Clubman B: 1 Robert Stones (Montesa) 10, 2 Andy Kearton (Montesa) 16, 3 John Stubbs (Honda) 22. Over 40s: 1 Paul Sadler (Vertigo) 6, 2 Robin Luscombe (BSA) 9, 3 Adrian Harrison (TRS) 10. Twin Shock: 1 Paul Dennis (Triumph) 16y, 2 Duncan Macdonald (Triumph) 33, 3 Bryan Bayes (BSA) 52. Youth Class B: 1 Oliver Wright (Gas Gas) 27, 2 Charlie Astwood (Sherco) 29, 3 Jamie Walton (Beta) 39. Conducted Class C: 1 Matthew Hall 12, 2 Josh Dent 22, 3 Bailey Huntbach 26, (All Beta). Conducted Class D: Isaac Tiplady (Oset) 57.

Sunday fixtures

Wetherby & DMC, Tetley Trophy Trial, Kingston Farm, Fellbeck, 10.30am.

Darlington & DMC, Elizabeth Memorial Trial, Thirsk Motor Club Trial, Long Plain Farm, Sutton Bank, 10.30am.