The future of trials might be clubs using their ground for more arranged open practice days. Charge around a tenner, come and go as you please, ride whatever rules you want..., set your own severity, saves the club a lot of hassle e.g finding observers, setting out etc. Maybe set a few sections out for the kids/beginners so that new starters have people to ride with and learn from. This format might also be less daunting for a newcomer to the sport.

Everyone enjoys and appreciates riding a decent trial but on a week-by-week basis the flexibilty offered by a practice day will appeal to many.

Now i'm NOT being negative to this post OK. Makes a lot of sense however do any of you guys out there ever give a thought to the 28 day rule???? The above scenario could easily lead to the loss of that land for competitive trials or at least severely reduce the number of competitive trials allowed that year. Do you also realise that when you set out on a Saturday that is also taken from the 28 days as is if you set out Friday and Saturday run the trial Sunday thats 3 days taken off the 28. Those are the rules now if a local authourity choose not to apply them then let sleeping dogs lie however sensitive sites attract the local NIMBYS who believe me have and do heavily petition local councils in an attempt to use any means to get access either refused or severely restricted.

As i said i am NOT trying to be negative as the post has a lot going for it. A local training day had 60 people turn up and they couldnt get them all in so shows how it could work.

We run 6 training days a year at several venues with approved coaches, insurance, permit, bike hire etc.

Entry is

Makes you sometimes wonder whether people just want to have something for nothing and ride unofficially/illegally rather than support efforts by clubs/centres to introduce/improve/encourage riders.

Think there are a lot, too many in fact, of those and there are a fair few who contribute on here reading past postings.

So logic dictates that the rider from the current crop who was oldest at his first major championship has more chance than the others? Don't see that.

No- logic dictates that sheppard hasnt had a go on the big line yet, the others have and I don't think will improve enough to do it- shephard may not even make it to the big line- who knows?