Calendar of Events 2019

> POSTED: 16/08/19 13:34

It's the BIG ONE next weekend – The 2019 Supertrial

The North Berks Supertrial is our biggest event of the year, we have the countries top riders joining us again this year and they will be tested to the limit on the technical rock sections of Seymours Arena. More rocks have been brought in, The Waterfall has been tweaked and the woodyard has been refreshed with new timber.

There is FREE on-site camping available on the Friday and Saturday night, the camping field is situated directly behind the Arena, there is plenty of room to pitch a tent or set up in your motorhome for the weekend. The Club is celebrating 90 years this year and we will be having a Pig Roast on the Supertrial Saturday evening from 8pm. We’ll have a marquee with seating for you to take cover from the evening sunshine or rain (whichever we get dealt with). Stay over, bring your own drinks. We hope all members new and old will join us to help celebrate the Clubs achievements over the years.

As usual there will be Burger and Ice Cream Vans in attendance over the weekend. There will be trade stands from GasGas UK, TRS UK, Acklams Beta and BVM Moto, they will have new bikes on show so make sure you have a good look round. There will be plenty of toilets on-site for your convenience.

Saturday morning kicks off at 10.00 sharp with the country’s top women riders. Emma Bristow will be looking to retain her grasp on the title. Donna Fox, Jess Bown, Hannah Styles, Louise Alford, Gabby Whitham, Alice Minta, Jazz Hammond, Chloe Baker and our own Alicia Robinson will be making every effort to get alongside Emma on the podium. The B route is well supported with six top class British lady riders together with Leire Rodriguez joining us from Spain.

The Youth competition will follow hot on the heels of the ladies on the Saturday. We have nine of the UK’s top young stars and Pau Martinez from Spain who all compete in top level national and international trials throughout the year and will certainly be up for the challenge.

Yet again we have all of the country’s top men riders joining us on Sunday, headed by James Dabill who took the win again in 2018. James will be pushed all the way by Jack Price, Toby Martyn, 2016 winner Iwan Roberts, Billy Green, Andy Chilton, Jack Sheppard, Sam Haslam, Hugo Jervis, Oliver Smith and Charlie Smith. We also have Alexander Neiderer coming over from the US to see how he gets on with the Arena sections. Pau Martinez will be making his trip from Spain worthwhile by riding as a Guest Rider on the Sunday against the men on his Vertigo 125 machine, it will be interesting to see how he gets on. The trial gets underway at 10.30 on Sunday morning so make sure you’re here to see the action as it unfolds.

A huge thank you to our section sponsors: Acklams Beta, Andrews Building Company (ABC), Bicester Tyre and Exhaust, BVM Moto, GasGas UK, Ice Valley Water, Jitsie, MRS Sherco, Oset, Rock Oil and SXS TRS.

It’s going to be an awesome weekend of top class trials so make sure you’re at the Arena on the 24th and 25th August. We look forward to seeing you.

> POSTED: 07/08/19 06:40

Alicia takes a superb 3rd at Leamington Victory

Alicia had a brilliant ride at Round 5 of the Belle Trailers Ladies and Girls British Trials Championship last weekend. Alicia came away with another 3rd place behind Jess Bown and Donna Fox.

On to France today (Wednesday) for the next round of the European Championship. Good luck out there Lici.

> POSTED: 18/07/19 09:56

Round 5 – Evening Club Trial

We held the penultimate round of the Club Championship last night at Seymours Arena, not a massive turnout, but it's always tricky for some to get back from work to make it in time. Everyone that made it seemed to have a good time, looking at the results the technical rocky sections took a fair few marks off many.

Thanks as always to the observers, marking out crew and Sue for getting all signed on and results out sharpish.

We hope you all enjoyed it, the next club event is the Big One – The Supertrial on the weekend of 24th & 25th August, we will be having a Hog Roast on the Saturday evening, so bring the family and to stay over, it'll be a great weekend as always.

> POSTED: 10/07/19 09:39

Sad passing of Ron Dobson

It is with regret that we announce the death of Ron Dobson at the age of 96.

Ron was another long serving club member who was heavily involved in the grass track days. He is fondly remembered sitting at the wheel of the tractor with the roller, post thumper and water bowser in tow. He spent many hours preparing the track in the weeks preceding the National and International events the club used to run.

We send our condolences to his family. The funeral will be held at St. James Church, Shop Lane, Leckhampstead, Newbury RG20 8QQ on Thursday 25 July at 1.30pm.

For further details call Pat Hemmings on: 01235 831462.

> POSTED: 24/06/19 09:56

Rounds 3 & 4 – Summer 2 Day Trial, Club Championship

North Berks held their annual two-day summer trial, with a change of venue at Standlake Arena Woods. The popular camping weekend is always great fun, and this year saw over 80 riders Saturday and Sunday.

The course was made up of technical and challenging sections all set out by Mark, Todd, Mick, Dereck and Stuart in the old disused gravel pits and large woods. It was the first time the club had used this piece of land, Oxford Ixion run some of their trials here, it really is a great venue and lots of potential. A massive thanks to the landowner James French for allowing us to use it.

Section 1 was a tricky opener both days, with only Tom Nicholas, Tom Plant and Alicia Robinson cleaning it on Saturday and Tom Plant, Finley Belcher and Alicia Robinson cleaning it on the Sunday. Saturday saw Tom Nicolas take the win in the Expert Class, followed by Tom Plant and Tom Hawthorne. This section also took the majority of marks in the Clubman 50/50 Route, with Calvin Hunt finishing first, followed by Ryan Tomkins and Lee Sullivan. Mark Elms and his good riding buddy, Reynard Norris, had a very close battle in the Clubman B Route, with Mark Elms taking the win by 2 marks from Reynard Norris. Ben Owen was not far behind in third. Clubman C was a large class consisting of 13 riders, and a clear victory was taken from Brian Tomkins, with Neil Harris and Dereck Fowler not far behind. Brett Harbud won Youth A on a mere 7 marks, and Max Agar took the Youth 50/50 win from Oscar Jones. Bailey Tidbury had a steady day taking Youth B victory, and young Nate Robinson, having a weekend off his pushbike, stormed ahead and took the win in Youth C from Aaron Watson and Edwyn James. Youngster Riley Middlehurst took the win in Youth D.

Now onto Sunday, with another healthy entry, the trial saw Tom Plant take the Expert Class win, only dropping 4 marks, with Finley Belcher and Alicia Robinson not far behind. Maria Longden, having a very good day, took the win in Clubman 50/50, from Ryan Tomkins and Lee Sullivan. In the Clubman B Route, Ben Owen wasn’t happy with third on Saturday, so took a very tight win on 14 marks, from Mark Elms and Stuart Belcher, both finishing on 15 marks. Clubman C was won again by Brian Tomkins, with Tom Nicholls and Neil Harris both finishing on the same marks to take second and third place. Leah Robinson winning the Clubman D, with young Ollie Grey winning the Youth A. Max Agar won the Youth 50/50 again, and Bailey Tidbury took Youth B victory on the Sunday. Young Nate Robinson took his second win of the weekend in Youth C from Max Gray, William Sparks and Edwyn James. Riley Middlehurst winning the Youth D again on Sunday.

Thank you all for turning up, we hope you enjoyed the weekend, thanks to all the usual people that helped out in any way and especially the observers who are probably all itching like crazy today, the mozzies were certainly enjoying the weekend.

Hope to see you at our evening club trial at Seymours on 17th July.

> POSTED: 05/06/19 11:09

Passing of Dave Welch

It is with regret that we announce the death of Dave Welch who passed away on 31st May, aged 77.

Dave was a top solo grass track rider in the 60s and 70s. He was also clerk of the course for many of the club's prestigious grass track meetings and a committee member for many years. We send our condolences to his family. His funeral will take place on Wednesday 19th June at 11.00 a.m. at Oxford Crematorium. It would be appreciated if as many who are able attend the funeral.

Many thanks, John Lightfoot.

> POSTED: 15/05/19 11:39

North Berks on tour again this year...

Yet again North Berks MCC have been invited to entertain the public at a few local events this year, always a popular spectacle and we are more than happy to promote the club and our sport.

Firstly it was Bradfield May Fayre on Mayday Bank Holiday, the riders put on two shows in the centre ring impressing the crowds, showing off their skills.

Last weekend it was time for Wallingford Vehicle Rally, the weather was glorious and brought out more people than ever before, the selection of cars was amazing. 350 vehicles took part in the parade and thousands of members of the public lined the streets of Wallingford making it the most successful event ever. The North Berks team were based at the far end of the Kinecroft and put on a continuous display throughout the day with a lot of interest being gained in the Club and what we do.

A big thank you to all of the riders who turned out to show what they are capable of, also thank you to the event organisers for inviting us along and Grundon for supplying the lorry and skips etc. to ride over at Wallingford.

Obviously a massive thank you to all the usual people who organise and attend the club events, you know who you are, awesome effort as usual.

Photos: Courtesy of Leah Robinson.

> POSTED: 10/04/19 9:43

The Pioneer Run – World’s Greatest Veteran Motor Cycle Run

Club President, Jerry Lane recently took part in the iconic ‘Pioneer Run’, which is organised by The Sunbeam Motor Cycle Club and was celebrating the 80th year of the run from London to Brighton. To take part in the Pioneer Run you have to have a motorcycle, tricycle, or bike and sidecar that 'left the factory' before 1st Jan 1915, and your claim to have one has to be verified by the Club experts, who will issue you with a registration certificate. More than 370 entrants take part in the event which runs in March each year.

This year Jerry entered on his 1913 Indian, V-Twin 1000cc machine, which he first clapped eyes on in Tasmania – here’s the story…

‘I’d heard that a fellow was looking for a part for a project he was working on, he got in touch with me and we spent a long time talking on the phone and I had exactly what he was looking for, we got on really well and I decided I would take the part to him, I found out he actually lived in Tasmania, so off I went with the frame over my shoulder' (who wouldn’t, right?!). When he got there they realised it wasn’t the right frame after all. Jerry was still glad he made the trip, he had a great time with the guy who obviously had the same passion for bikes as himself. They kept in touch and years later the man moved to Ireland and Jerry ended up buying the Indian, which he’d spotted on his trip, it was a half finished project at the time. Jerry told us that he has had 8 years of head scratching to get it going and looking like it does today.

This huge museum-for-a-day gives a fascinating insight into the very early history of the motorbike, as it evolved from the bicycle. It's very easy to see that transition, since some of these early specimens are little more than a bicycle with some sort of motor strapped on.

The bikes have a staggered start from Tattenham Corner, Epsom heading south through Surrey and into Sussex to finish at Madeira Drive in Brighton, Jerry said he only jumped two sets of lights en-route because he couldn’t stop the damn thing. Well done Jerry.

> POSTED: 24/03/19 19:11

Seymours bathed in sunshine for round 2 of the Club Championship

Round 2 of the Club Championship was held at Seymours this weekend which was really well supported across the classes, we had a fair few experts riding who stopped over on their way back from the British Trials Championship at Hookwoods on the Saturday.

A big thank you to all of the observers, although it was really pleasant standing out in the spring sunshine, we're still really grateful to you. Thanks to Sue for getting everyone signed on and the results out and up on Facebook sharpish as usual. We've got a rest now for a couple of months, the next Club Trial being the two-day summer one, which is held on the 22nd and 23rd June at Besselsleigh, so we hope to see you all there. The Practice evenings at Seymours are due to start in May, we'll put dates up on here and post on Facebook soon.

Thanks to Leah Robinson for the pictures, you will find more on her Facebook page. Gazza was also there so you will find his pictures on his Sliders Photography site, click the links below.