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Richard Maddern was best outfit on a very muddy day.
Vince Feeney captures Bike winner John Reeves peering through the gloom on Ski Slope
This years Exmoor Clouds turned out to be a tough trial. Perhaps a little tougher than Paul Merson and his team had intended, as rain before the event made the long, steep, forest sections muddier than expected.
After picking up points on the first two hills John Reeves scored a run of cleans, punctuated by an eight on Vinegar Hill, to be best solo. Vinegar Hill was cleanable though, as demonstrated by Richard Sparks in B2 and Leon Youlton and Mark Bowden in B1.
Car winner Jon Moores restarting his CMR Ford on Vinegar Hill (Captured from a Norton Selwood Video)
In the cars Jon Moores put in a dominant performance in his CMR Ford, getting to the two on Periton Hill, which has yet to be climbed on four wheels. Dave Haizelden, having a run in Class Eight with the Deere Special, also got to the two but had picked up quite a few marks earlier in the trial.
The Suzuki engine in John Early’s Leige is now behaving itself after a long development period, and John was 2nd overall and best in Class 7.
The leading car positions were well spread among the classes. Matt Facey was 3rd in his family crewed BMW E30 in Class 3, Jack Selwood 4th in his 1300 Beetle and Ian Facey 5th in Class Five.
ACTC Motorcycle Coordinator Andy Beveridge on Water Run, the only D1 outfit, meaning the chair can be detached from the bike (Photo by Vince Feeney)
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Nigel Thompson was best motorcycle on a very dry event with a lot of grip.
Sam Lindsay gets to work bouncing as Julian Lack calmly blasts his DP Wasp up Watergate 2 on his way to winning the Yorkshire Dales Trial. Photo by Dave Cook. Click here for more of Daves work
After a spell under the care of the Airedale and Pennine Motor Club the Yorkshire Dales was back in the hands of the Ilkley Club for 2025. Retaining the picturesque Pateley Bridge start the event attracted a fair entry of championship contenders from south of the Trent to do battle with the locals.
There was ample parking on the Pateley Bridge showground and a nice atmosphere for the efficient scrutineering and sign-on under glorious sunshine that lasted throughout the day. The downside was that the sections were very dry with a lot of grip, so a lot of tight turns were the order of the day, and unfortunately, a couple of them weren’t clearly marked.
The sun shines on the Pateley Bridge Showground as the last motorcycles leave for the 65 mile route through the Yorkshire Dales
Watergate
These familiar sections were only a few miles from the start. Watergate 1 starts with a drop into a stream that has caused problems in recent times but had been smoothed out for this year. There were few failures here, a notable exception being Charlie Knifton, who had issues with the restarts on both 1 and 2.
Dry Gill
There were two sections at Dry Gill. The first was for the bikes and Class 8. It was steep, with a restart but it wasn’t a problem. That wasn’t the case for the second section, attempted by the bikes together with cars other than in class 8. Marked out by poles on rough ground the eight gate was way off to the right, off the beaten track. Most of the entry missed it which had a significant affect on the car results as class eight didn’t attempt the section so none picked up a penalty.
Strid Wood
“Don’t hit the rock” Stephen Lancaster captures Myke Pocock making the tight turn onto the track on Strid Wood 2Brian Colman raises the dust as he blasts his way towards the restart in the “Yeller Dutton” on Strid Wood 4. The Phaeton suffered from overheating issues after the Hawpike sections when the fan failed but Brian nursed the car round the remaining sections to finish.
The four sections at Strid Wood started with the infamous gulley, approached by a hump which tested ground clearance although the soft material further up wasn’t too problematical.
Strid Wood 2 took a number of scalps. The ninety right onto the track is very sharp with a big rock on the outside to catch the unwary.
Failures here included Edinburgh trial powerhouse Mark Gregg in his Reliant powered Austin Seven, Former Northern Trial organiser Myke Pocock and Dave Sergeants immaculate Beetle.
The other two sections at Strid were marked out on rough ground and there were few failures but these did include Michael Leete’s Dellow who fluffed one of the 6, 7 and 8 restarts.
Hawpike
The two sections were very familiar to trial regulars and the only problem was the drop into the stream just after the start of Hawpike 2 which caught out Chris Sievers in his Ford Special and Sam Oddy in the Suzuki Ignis.
After the observed sections came the long trip across the moors, with wonderful views, to the Highfield Farm Special Test, a glorious windy thrash under the watchful eye of the landowner and his family.
After the straightforward Ellers section there was a very civilised lunch stop at Fewston Village Hall with great views and a chance to get out of the sun for those in open cars. There was some nice food on offer with generous cups of tea and it almost seemed a shame when it was time to leave and get on with the trial.
Sword Point
Both sections here were marked out in woodland so there were substantial trees to hit if competitors weren’t careful. The turn here were quite tight and proved a problem for some of the older cars with limited steering lock.
The 12 marker on the second section was right over to the right and not that obvious.
It was no surprise that quite a few were penalised for missing the 12, mostly bikes but also Ray Ferguson in his Liege.
Seans Wood
These were nice sections mostly on welcome well defined tracks. Both would have been challenging in the wet but with so much grip on the day there were only a handful of failures.
Simon Oates on Seans Wood 2. Last week Simon drove on the Flora, the sports southernmost event some 420 miles from Pateley Bridge, but rather nearer to his Cornish home! Simon was best car in Class 7 pipping John Earley and Dave Middleditch on test times, all three having failed to spot the diversion to the 8 marker on Dry Gill 2
Brimham Lodge
The grass is lush in the shadows under the trees as Class 2 winner David Golightly flexes the chassis of his Model T based board racer on Brimham Lodge. Photo by Dave Cook. Click here for more of Daves work
The grass under the trees would have been a real problem if Brimham Lodge had been tackled first thing in the morning, as the ground here can be very slippy when wet. However, by the time the trial arrived, the dew had dried out under the sun, and for most, it was just a simple blast to the top where Dave Cook was waiting with his camera. It was nice to see Dave out on a trial, as he’s not been too well recently.
Somerset Field Test
Paul Merson on the Somerset Field Test. With a clean sheet at this stage his time put him in the lead of the trial going to the final section
West Wood
Just a few miles from the finish there were separate sections for bikes and cars. For the four wheeled brigade it was to prove the toughest section of the day. It was twisty and towards the end there was a drop into a gully with deep ruts and a short, sharp climb out.
Paul Merson arrived at the section with the fastest test time among the clean sheets but dropped two pushing him back to sixth place with the consequent loss of Wheelspin points.
Amongst the lower classes David Golightly and Sebastian Welch (Austin Seven Chummy) were clean but it proved very tight for the more modern cars who couldn’t get the momentum to get up the final bank.
Back at the finish the opinion amongst competitors was that the club had done a good job considering the ground was so dry and grip so plentiful. No event is perfect and the vibe is the organisers have learned a few things to improve for next year.
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Tough Trial for Class Eight the best only managing 20th place overall. Richard Maddern was best Solo of the four bike clean sheets.
You don’t come to Devon in March for an easy Torbay Trial, especially in Class Eight, and Dave Haizelden and Keith Sanders certainly made things tough for the specials this year with some difficult restarts.
James Shallcross and Mike Greenwood on Penhale Climb. Photo by Vince Feeney
It’s a while since a Class One car scored an overall win so well done James Shallcross and Mike Greenwood in their Peugeot 205. The second car was also front wheel drive with Aaron Haizeldon piloting the Golf he passengered in when introduced to the sport as a very young man. Rob Holden was third in his BMW Estate.
The initial batch of sections were on private land and their restarts sorted out 7 and 8, only Roger Hancock emerging with a clean sheet.
Andy and Kayleigh Seward were best outfit. Pictured on Simms by Vince Feeney
Transiting over to the Ilsington area the action started with Tipley although later this had to be scrubbed during to some scoring issues.
Derek Hibbert was at Simms
This group of sections were mostly familiar although MCC types were in for a shock when they saw the deviation on Simms!
James Shallcross nearly left Ilsington Parish with a clean sheet but for the one he dropped on Birchanger Bank.
Duncan Stephens got some great video at Coomehead Creek
The event finished with the Coombehead sections where once again Class Eight had some difficult restarts.
Richard Maddern was best Solo on his Husqvarna. Photo on Penhale by Vince Feeney
It took the special tests to decide the best Solo; Richard Maddern (Husqvarna), Ian Thompson (Beta Alp 200), Ryan Eamer (Triumph T100) and Stephen Kingstone (Matchless G3L) all going clean. Andy and Kayleigh Seward had a one point win amongst the outfits over Steve Urell and Julie Williams.
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Richard Hayward best car and Phil Sanders best bike on a different championship event.
Richard Hayward was best car on this years March Hare Trial. Photo by Mike Jones
Having said that Falcons first ACTC round was different let’s start by explaining why. First the start, at Porky’s Diner near Evesham, was 40 miles from the finish on the outskirts of Nailsworth where trailer parking was provided.
Restarts were in a box, and on the March Hare competitors were required to stop with their rear wheels between the lines. Awards were MCC-style Gold, Silver, and Bronze Medals. Finally, the all important tie-deciding special tests were downhill, out-of-gear, and rolling affairs.
Karen Warren and Kelly Thomas in the queue for scruitiny at Porky’s Diner. Frys Quarry wasn’t very kind to them and they finished second in Class 6, behind Matt Wills and MCC NOTW editor Joe Wills. Photo by Julian Robinson
So the mix of locals, first-timers, and championship contenders gathered at Porky’s Diner for their good value pre-trial breakfast to discuss what was to come. Clerk of the Course Dave Middleditch had promised a trial suitable for beginners with some sections to sort out the championship hopefuls.
Before talking about this years trial let’s answer the question of why Falcon, a Herts and Beds based club, was running an event in the Cotswolds.
It dates back to 1954 when the club decided to move their Guy Fawkes Trial from the Home Counties to The Cotswolds where it ran for nearly 20 years before finishing in 1971. You can read about those events by clicking this link.
Thirty years later Falcon again ran a road classic, the March Hare, returning to home roads in Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire from 200o to 2016 as a non-championship event suitable for beginners.
Three years ago, Dave Middleditch proposed organising a road classic in The Cotswolds to commemorate Falcons 75th anniversary. This idea has since evolved into today’s March Hare, which the ACTC accepted into its championship.
Saintbury, the first section was only a mile up the road from the start. It was quite long and a queue soon built up. While waiting Dave Malin found the petrol pump on his late father’s Ford Popular was producing more pressure than the valves in the float chambers could cope with. Fortunately he was able to resolve the issue and went on to finish the event.
At least Dave was able to make the start. Ed Wells had the misfortune to have his diff cry enough about half a mile before Porky’s.
New Kineton
Mike Jones captures Mark Hobbs on New Kineton. Mark was the only Class Eight to go clean on the event and was third overall. The section was first used in 1935 at which time it was possible to drive out the top. Building work necessitates a reverse back down these days.
After Saintbury, the entry split into two. The bikes, seven and eight, went to the historic New Kineton. The sections history was described in the road book, along with the other sections by Andrew Brown. The other cars went on a loop of four sections, coming back to New Kineton after the first group had gone. This was because of the time each competitor would be on the section, as there was no exit at the top.
Despite nearly half of the entry dropping points here everything went smoothly with Pete Hart and his team from Bristol Motor Club in charge.
Delay at Postlip
The sections after New Kineton were relatively benign, and few points were lost. There was a delay at Postlip, though, as a walker raised what should have been an open barrier on the exit track. Fortunately, this was resolved by the section marshals after a few phone calls.
After Postlip came Humblebee. The section wasn’t very challenging but the entry track was.
The right-hand rut on the approach to Humblebee was very deep, and cars slipping into it were in real danger of toppling over if they couldn’t straddle it. Fortunately, there was 4×4 rescue on hand, and their team was directing cars where to go. The number of rescue vehicles and marshals at the event was a testament to the hard work put in by the Dave Middleditch led organising team.
Five Sections in Frys Quarry
Julian Robinson pictures Duncan Stephens adjusting his tyre pressures for the final section in the Quarry while Stuart Bartlett guides Paul Merson back down after grounding out on the bump on the deviation which went to the right of the marshal in the top left hand corner.
The organisers were relying on the sections in Frys Quarry to give them a result. The first one, known as Frys Quarry 5!, was only for bikes, seven and eight. This was a rough affair going up, down, and up again with some very sharp, tight hairpin bends. Four of the bikes managed it, about half the class eights and a couple of Class sevens. Whatever you thought of it, this section was out of character for a Classic Trial.
The final section in the quarry was controversial.
The lower classes had a straight run at the last section in the quarry, and all of them went clear. The bikes, seven and eight, had a very rough deviation with a vicious bump where most of the cars grounded out. It was possible though, as Mark Hobbs proved in his Troll, despite there being a restart for Class Eight.
In Class 7, the non-restarting Paul Price (Liege) and Phil Aubrey (Dutton Melos) managed to get over the hump for a clear. Paul would go on to win Class 7. John Wheeler nearly made it over the hump but sadly damaged his Dellow Mk2 getting out of the section. Nevertheless, he continued to finish second in Class 7.
Mud Bath at Bagendon Downs
The bikes, seven and eight had to deviate off the main track into a sea of mud. In Class 7 only John Wheeler was able to get out without a tow.
This section was very easy for the lower classes, but Bikes, Seven and Eight had to divert off the track into a very muddy hollow before turning up a bank to regain the track.
It was very tricky for the motorcyclists to stay feet up and only Phil Sanders (Beta Enduro) managed it and was to finish as best solo.
John Wheeler was to prove the section was cleanable for Class Seven, but the rest of the Class floundered in the mud and needed rescuing by the experienced Falcon marshals and their efficient rescue 4×4.
It was a different story in Class Eight with six cleans and only two fails.
Matthew Harris took on the challenge of there March Hare in his Morris Minor, reflecting the diverse entry.
Gentle Juniper was a sting in the tail for some
After the final rolling down hill special test and the Jacks Hill section came Gentle Juniper, a Dave Middleditch discovery being used for the first time. It was stony and a bit rough in places with a restart for all but Class 1 and 2.
There was plenty of grip but you had to position your rear wheels correctly inside the restart box under the eagle eye of past March Hare winner Murray Macdonald.
Most succeeded but there were a couple of notable failures in the shape of Dean Partington and Paul Bartleman. In Pauls case this cost him a Cotswold Stone, the Falcon equivalent of an MCC Triple. Other failures were long time Cannon owner Brian Partridge, in his recently acquired Reliant Scimitar SS and Matt Wills who had MCC News of the Week editor Joe Wills in the passenger seat, Joe normally favouring two wheels.
The Finish
The shadows are lengthening in the late winter sunshine but an early finish gave competitors the chance to relax and chat. Photo Dave Middleditch
The sun had shone all day, and competitors enjoyed an early finish at The Amberley Inn to discuss their day. With the exception of a couple of sections in the quarry for the higher classes, Falcon achieved their objective of a trial suitable for beginners. However, it’s difficult to combine that with an event to challenge the experienced championship contenders, and some were left wanting a bit more.
There were seven clean sheets in classes 1 to 6, one in Class 8 and none amongst the bikes.
The club should be congratulated on such a good turnout of marshals and rescue vehicles and with the minor exception of Postlip Lane the event ran smoothly. It will be interesting to see how the March Hare evolves in the future.
InCar with Michael Leete and Mike HaywardMarch Hare Trial Route from Honeybourne to Nailsworth
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This years Exmoor trial proved a little easier than Clerk of the Course Chris Barham would have liked although the two sections in the Holdridge woodland proved too much for all but a few.
The car entry was dominated by Class Eight and a particularly strong Beetle entry spread across classes Four and Six.
Competitive sections kicked off at Porte Farm with three sections. The second of these proved particularly challenging. Most of the solos and all the outfits went clean, but it was a different story when the cars came along.
Outside of Class Eight 0nly Keith Sanders (Reliant Scimitar SS), Ray Ferguson and John Early (Lieges) and Brian Hampson in his X90 emerged from the complex with clean sheets.
The second section at Porte Farm shattered the dream of a clean sheet for most competitors. (VidCap from Steven Price)
The middle part of the trial was mostly smooth sailing, but then came High Bray, the usual highlight of the Exmoor Trial.
Steven Price on the resurfaced High Bray (Photo by Peter Browne)Vince Feeney captured Andy Beveridge on High Bray. Most of the outfits were based on Enduro chassis in Class D2. Andy was in D1 meaning the chair can be detached.
There was a solo bike-only section called Walscott just before High Bray, which stopped all of the smaller-engined Class B bikes. Then came the famous hill itself. The section looked very different this year. The local authority had resurfaced it as part of a byway improvement program. It still stopped a few bikes, but all the cars sailed up.
There were two sections in the Holdridge woodland, and these were to prove decisive for the cars. Only Duncan Stephens, Paul Merson, and Arnie Martin emerged clean, all in rear-engined Class Eights.
Ray Ferguson dominated Class 7, dropping only four marks and finishing fourth overall, passengered on this occasion by experienced trailer and fellow Liege owner Trevor Wood. Photo by Vince Feeney on Floyds Bank
Floyds Bank was the penultimate section and proved as competitive as ever, providing entertainment for the usual spectators. It didn’t stop the three leading Class Eights, and they were to finish the event with clean sheets. That meant the overall results would be decided by the time of the only special test. Dean Partington had been fastest there, but he had dropped points on the observed sections. That meant the win went to Duncan Stephens, followed by Paul Merson and Arnie Martin.
Neil O’Connor was fastest of the two Solos on zero marks. Steve Urell and Julie Williams were the best of a well supported class of outfits.
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Dean Vowden was second in his special and Richard Hayward third in his Class 3 Escort proving there’s still life in old Fords.
Overall winner Ian Moss lifts the front wheels of his Imp engined Lypiatt Special as her restarts on the historic Nailsworth Ladder. Photo by Calvin Samuel. Click here for more of Calvins work.
This years event was organised by a new young team who provided a mix of traditional hills and muddy wooded sections, some new to the event. It wasn’t considered a particularly rough trial but there were more than a dozen retirements amongst the 77 starters.
Nick Badger captured the action on the traditional Ham Mill section
Ian Moss was master of the conditions in his lightweight Lypiatt Special, only picking up three in the woods on Bryans, three on Ricks Revenge and eight on the impossible Ryans Revolution which concluded the trial.
Dean Vowden put up a formidable challenge but dropped three on there deeply rutted Sandras Sink at the beginning of the trial where Ian was the only car to clean the section.
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Dean Partington, Paul Merson and Ian Facey had clean sheets. As did John Reeves and Hayden Edmonds on two wheels.
Clive Green captures Motorcycle winner John Reeves as he negotiates the early morning gloom of Harton Wood on his KTM Freeride
This was a well planned and executed event with every class having a chance of an overall win. Classes two, five and eight all featured in the top four and this was achieved with the only one restart each for classes 5, 6 and 7.
It was unusual for Class 8 not to have any restarts, but with a couple of exclusive sections they did not have an easy trial, unless you had a DP machine, of course. The Falcon in Dean’s hands and the two Wasps of Paul Merson and Julian Lack filling the first three places in the class!
They were challenged by Ian Facey in his familiar BMW Z3, who finished third overall with a clean sheet, and David Golightly in his delightful Ford Model T-based Morton and Brett board racer, who dropped one to finish fourth overall.
John Reeves was best solo motorcycle.
The Ford 1172 side valve Class 2 cars of Andrew Isherwood (Dellow Mk1) and Roger Ashby (Coats Orthoptera) about to start on the South West Loop. The Class Eight cars behind will set out on the loop to the North East. Photo by The Squirrel
There were some significant route changes compared to the last few years with no Abdon Liberty or Hungerford Steps, where there was too much work required to scrape the crown between the deep ruts.
These were replaced by sections in two complexes on private land, and the return of the Clee’s infamous figure-of-eight loops. The changes worked, and without the inevitable delays at Hungerford and sending the entry out on different loops, even the later numbers finished on time.
New Forest Complex near The Goggin
The Owen Motoring Club ran the three new sectionsPeter Ashford and Tom Jones on High Cullis in Peters recently acquired Dellow Mk2. As permitted on the Clee they shared the drive on the private land sections and finished second in a well supported Classs Two. Photo by the Owen Motoring Club
While the bikes and higher car classes set out north on the A49, the lower car classes went to the nearby Forest Complex. These muddy sections proved challenging, and only David Golightly in his Class 2 Model T-based board racer, Sam Holmes in his Class 4 Beetle, and Ian Facey with the BMW Z3 emerged without penalty.
Harton Wood and Heywood Common
Stuart Holton grappling with the mud on Harton Wood. Photo by Clive GreenBraving the cold without a hat David Golightly exits Heywood Common in his Model T based Board Racer. David finished fourth overall. Photo by Andy Brady
Coats Farm Test
Simon Oates on the Special Test. Simon finished second in Class 7
Although the event had a long way to go, this test was to decide the trial for both two and four wheels. Pouncey League champion John Reeves pipped Hayden Edmonds by a second and a half. They were to finish with clean sheets, and John’s time would give him the bike win. They weren’t the fastest, though; that honour went to Ali Haigh on his Honda 4Ride, but he was to pick up five points at Meadowley Wood.
Dean Partington was the fastest car which was important as it would give him the overall win on the trial.
Coats Wood
InCar on Coats Wood with Michael Leete and Christine Bird in their Class 7 Dellow Mk1
The section was different this year as Clerk of the Course Simon Woodall had not been able to obtain permission to exit through the wood so the section ended after turning through the gate towards the top of the slope. Only motorcycles and 6, 7, 8 attempted this section which was very muddy. The lighter bikes with small engines all went clean but it was a different story for the heavier machines.
Class Eight all used their power to weight to go clean, but all in class six, and the majority of class seven, either floundered in the mud at the start or spun out when it got very slippy towards the top.
Longville
Having been spared Coats Wood the lower car classes attempted Longville, with a restart for Class five. The section proved straightforward with only a couple of failures.
Easthope 1
Liam James and Becky Giles in the Ridge Cannon campaigned for so many years by Brian Partridge. Photo by Clive Green
There seemed to be a lot more grip on this familiar hill this year, but nevertheless it requires a full-blooded attack off the line and quite a few floundered in the mud at the bottom having failed to realise this. There was a surprise at the top as well, as the section ended by turning right instead of the more usual left.
Majors Leap/Ippikins Rock
Staying in the woodland, the bikes and Class Eight went off to Majors Leap. This proved a challenging section, and Mark Hobbs (Troll) and Ian Davis (VW Buggy) lost their clean sheets here.
The other cars tackled Ippikins Rock with its sharp right hand hairpin. This proved not to be Beetle friendly and quite a few of them were penalised.
Harley Bank 1 & 2
Harley Bank 1 was attempted by bikes and cars in 7 and 8. Like Easthope 1 it seemed to have a lot of grip this year and most stormed up the section although the deviation for bikes in B and cars in Class Eight was more of a problem.
Meadowley, one of the Clee’s feature hills, has been in use since 1948. Its tree roots and deep ruts are always challenging, but this year’s conditions were particularly difficult due to the local hunt disturbing the track a few days prior.
Classes 0, 1, 2 and 90 were allowed to give the section a miss. A handful of bikes got up OK but it was a different story for the saloon and sports cars. Only Ian Facey made it to the top. His BMW Z3 seemingly gliding over the rough bits so tuned was his suspension to the hill. Ian was to go clean on all the sections and finish third overall. The others all struggled and several of the Beetles suffered body damage when they scraped their wings against the bank.
Some of the class eights were successful as was John Early and Simon Oates in their Leiges in Class Seven.
Hillside
There were three Austin Sevens taking part. One each in Classes 2, 5 and 7. Clive Green was at Hillside to capture Mark Gregg, the man behind the Edinburgh Trial, in his Reliant engined Class Five car which still carries the side numbers from the Lands End
Ian Davis and Kevin Roberts on Hillside
There were two sections on private land at the Hillside complex. They were quite muddy, and the first one proved too much for almost all the lower car classes except for the Beetles of Dave Sargeant and class four winner Sam Holmes.
Fred Spaven gave up the battle against the Clees muddy sections here. His Royal Enfield Charging Bullet proving far too heavy for all the goo. Fred built the bike for the Lands End and the Clee was his first one day trial on the machine. He reckoned it could have made it round the 80 mile route but diverted for a precautionary charge at Much Wenlock.
Oak Dingle
The bikes and the specials in Class Eight had to follow a winding route through the trees. It wasn’t a problem for the bikes, but about half the Eights couldn’t quite make it out the top of their section and dropped two. Julian Lack was one to fail here in his ex-Mike Chatwin DP Wasp, losing his clean sheet and second overall.
All the other cars had a run up a straight rutted track which proved more difficult than it looked, stopping all in Classes six and seven who had to restart and half of those that didn’t. David Golightly couldn’t quite get to the top, dropping his solitary mark of the day in his Model T based Morton and Brett board racer. Neverless this was more than enough for fourth overall.
This was the last section for the lower car classes who had done the southern route first but the bikes and higher car classes had an 18 mile run for their sections in the new forest.
Cundalls Rise
Only attempted by the bikes and Classes Seven and Eight this short, sharp section was described as very steep initially then grass. The very steep bit defeated three of the bikes, the remainder came out the top.
Tom Hunt was the only Class Seven to go clean in his Leige. Most of the others floundered in the mud at the bottom or on the very steep bit for a 10 or eleven. The exception was John Early, who got to the eight, which was good enough for him to pip Simon Oates for the class win.
The Goggin and High Cullis followed. Both excellent sections requiring determined attempts but neither had a significant impact on the results.
The Finish
Everyone was back at the Squirrel before Four o’clock as there had been very few delays, probably helped by Hungerford Steps being left out. All in all a successful and popular trial with the only blemish being the body damage to some of the saloons on Meadowley.
Best Bike Overall – John Reeves (KTM Freeride) 0
Class Winners
A Joe Stollery (Indian Woodsman) 21 B1 Mark Wills (Beta Alp) 23 B2 Hayden Edmunds (Beta XTrainer) 0 B3 Ali Haigh (Honda 4Ride) 3 C John Kenny (13)
Best Car Overall – Dean Partington (DP Falcon) 0
Class Winners
1 Nigel Whiten (Ford Ka) 61 2 David Golightly (Ford T) 1 3 Simon Fairbanks (BMW 318is)54 4 Sam Holmes (VW Beetle) 5 5 Ian Facey (BMW Z3) 0 6 Karen Warren (VW Beetle) 23 7 John Early (Leige) 12 8 Paul Merson (DP Wasp) 0 90 David Slade (Suzuki X90) 18 0 Jonathan Ward (Morris Bullnose Oxford) 76
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Camel Vale had ACTC Championship status for the Car Classes in their second annual Bodmin Heights Trial.
Building on last years inaugural event the trial used some of the clubs single venue locations, adding some new sections. This involved clearing new routes, challenging the Simon Groves and Ben Tonkin led teams road building skills.
Last years event was for Cars and Outfits. This year Solos were added and Ross Hancock came out on top on the only Class C entry.
Richard Maddern on his way to win the well supported Outfit Class. Photo by Vince Feeney
Richard Maddern was best outfit in a well supported Class D2, only dropping 9 marks. Gareth Andrew had the same score on the hills, the win going to Richard on test times.
Duncan Stephens overcame the challenging muddy sections to win the appropriately named Mudlark Trophy in his Fugitive. It was definitely a day for rear engined Class Eights with ACTC Chair Dave Haizelden second in the family Deere Special and Dan Keat third.
Interestingly although Duncan has won many events in the various trials disciplines this was his first win on a Camel Vale event.
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There was a strong Class Eight Entry but Mark Seward and Patrick Keat had the lowest score of the day on their outfit.
ACTC Pouncey League Winner John Reeves negotiating the slippery leaves on Clinnick on his way to an emphatic Solo win Photo by Paul Jones
Camel Vale Motor Club had a full entry for their popular, season ending Camel Classic. In line with club tradition the Index of Performance is used to calculate the overall results. So it was Matt Facey in his familiar E30 BMW who went home with the Dave Keat Trophy as overall car winner.
ACTC points are awarded on total scores rather than Index and the lowest car score of the day was achieved by Keelan Hancock in the family Buggy, heading a field of 23 Class Eight specials.
In the motorcycle classes Mark Seward and Patrick Keat only dropped four marks all day on their outfit to win the Wadham Stringer Trophy.
Solo winner was John Reeves, the only motorcycle to clean the penultimate section, Hellings. This ensured his win over Mark Courtney who dropped ten here. This topped off a successful season for John, assuring him as winner of the ACTC Pouncey League for solo motorcycles.
This years Allen will be rememberd for the rain that fell all day and the many flooded roads.
No soon had competitors arrived at the start than it was time to put on the wet weather gear.
It started raining as competitors started to leave The Bull at Hinton start and it didn’t let up all day. This didn’t affect the results to much as the sections on private land which would have turned into a mud pit weren’t available this year.
Consequently it was a low scoring event with only Guys Hill having a significant number of failures.
With the weather being so bad there aren’t to many photos of this years even but Jonathan Layzell did manage to capture Simon Clenmow on Burledge. Jonathans photo shows the river running down the section. This was the case on most of the hills.Continue reading “Allen Trial 2024 A win for Paul Merson”
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