Wrexham Trial

[bikespace]

Surely turning up at 9.30 to help sign on, then ride the trial is an absolute minimum commitment.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

If that comment is refering to my above post then I didnt say it correctly and you have misunderstood me . I meant that we would get there and actually help Russ do the signing on or whatever for the other riders not just get there early to sign on ourselves.

Also, Congrats Flying Dab. You joined the site in June '04 and just made your first post is that a record??? ( or is the DB out of sync Andy? )

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

No didn't mean that mate, not really referring to your post at all. Just saying that if people can't commit to helping the day before or week before, then surely the minimum they could do was turn up an hour before the start to help out signing on.

And I believe if you commit to one club, there should be enough people around for such a minimal job that people like yourself (already heavily involved) don't have to put themselves out AGAIN and AGAIN.

If I wasn't involved with Llanfyllin, I probably would have stepped up to run/help Breidden Hills when it was in decline (probably still would have if suitable people hadn't stepped up to the mark, although preferred not to). If I hadn't been involved with either of those, then I live in Cheshire Centre, and Wrexham would have been the next sensible (nearest) choice (as Llangollen is thriving).

Most of the local organisers are the same. If they weren't involved where they are now, they'd be involved somewhere else. Some people avoid this involvement at all costs. Take, take, take - annoying!

[atomant]

Some people avoid this involvement at all costs. Take, take, take - annoying!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Good point Gaz Why do you think that people dont get involved? It can be very rewarding doing stuff for others enjoyment (when its appreciated that is )

[desperado]

Just picking up on a point there Gaz about riders commiting to one club. That I believe is the main problem with generating help because the majority of riders do not commit to one club, merely joining any club in whatever centre they happen to ride early in the year. Any ideas how to turn this around. As you know we at Breidden Hills are trying the odd open club night to generate a little enthusiasm and hopefully a little club spirit.

[flyingdab]

Nice to see people thought the sections were about right.

I think Gaz has highlighted the problem of people who help organise club trials, they are more than willing to help other clubs (thanks for the offer Atom, we may well take you up on this in the future).

The problem is, if the same few faces do the work for all the clubs, then there is no incentive for any one else to get involved. We all know that most people would just rather turn up, ride and go home. A lot have commitments outside of trials. There are just too many alternatives to trials for people's leisure time now, that doesn't involve the family standing out in a field in the cold and wet.

I personally don't know what the answer is and the situation will probably get worse, as there appears to be no involvement in organisation of trials events (in our centre at least) by the youth riders who are moving up to the adult ranks. These are the people who should be taking control of the clubs for the clubs future.

[bikespace]

Different problems for different areas. We (Llanfyllin) have a fairly healthy involvement from about the right number of people. As well as the people that help at other times, we tend to have the following people available for marking out.

Elwyn - CofC

Me - CofC

Alec Roberts - CofC

Inky - CofC

Phil Poli Always available to help out

Darren - (just out of youth) heavily involved - very capable of marking out full trial and I would be confident he'd hit the spot.

Eddie - If we can keep him from marking out world round sections his enthusiasm is second to none

Simon Evans (just out of youth)- Mr Mellow - great to mark out with. We just get the job done.

Rid - Available when we're stuck. Running a farm as well as college work keep him busy but he's available.

Mike Evans (Youth) - Out through injury - if we need him for marking out he's there, and an old head on young shoulders.

The great thing for me is if a couple of people are away, we can still get away with it. Last years 40 section trial I was in Canada for all of the build up and marking out - no effect whatsoever.

For our last trial, myself, Elwyn and Phil cleared out the new stream while the others marked the trial out.

To be honest, Elwyn has brought all this together. He's a born organiser. We need his inter-personal skills to get people involved. We've got a good group - nobody (I think) feels like their toes are trodden on, while at the same time we've got backup when we're away.

[speckled hen]

I've been following the posts about this trial this week and wanted to make a few comments regarding observers.

The riders are praising the observers for sticking to their posts for so long in freezing conditions-what an understatement! I observe regularly in the same centre but also ride the occasional trial. I observed at this same trial last year, also in freezing conditions, and was ready at my section at 10.45 but the first riders did not appear until well over an hour later and riders were still going through at 5.15-to make matters worse, some riders numbers had been duplicated so the observers had to improvise a doubled up number and write names against them if they knew them. On the last lap, 50% of the riders thanked us for observing the rest just went home long before we could. Some riders stopped halfway through the trial, went to the butty bar had a cup of tea, had a natter etc all meaning the poor observers are delayed at their posts even longer. So we would have learned from that experience for this year, wouldn't we? Not at all.

It is totally irresponsible of the organisers not to start the trial at the published time especially in view of the high number of entries. Let those who have bothered to get there early get going with the stragglers starting & finishing whenever. The observers were all in place before 11.00am so no reason for a delay apart from the rider briefing. Those who persistently show up late are generally the same people so why give them special treatment?

Next point is briefing of observers-it never happens in our centre anyway-just get handed a board & pencil & directed to a section. One observer on Sunday asked me if he should be marking a 1 or 2 for a static dab? Only people who observe regularly seem to understand the correct rules interperations.

Third point is shortage of observers-some clubs in our centre offer incentives, Frodsham half-price entry for rider with observer, Oswestry have an observers draw for a rear tyre every trial, others give out Mars bars etc as a small token of appreciation. However, the most outstanding is Denbigh & Mold where 5 committee members never ride their own trials but observe so only have to find 5 others-others take note please.

Some of the observers on Sunday are retired in their late 60's & early 70's and made special trips to observe-and then have to spend 6 hours standing in below zero conditions-totally unreasonable, irresponsible & unnecessary-come on organisers, get your act together and put the observers first before pandering to the riders .

[desperado]

Very valid points speckled hen. Comments like yours bring it home and remind us how important observers are at a trial. Many, like Ann Sagar, travel especially to observe. It is not fair on these stalwarts to be out for longer than necessary in the freezing cold.

I think we can all learn from this experience. I know we at Breidden Hills are looking very hard at ways of trying to look after observers as well as streamlining signing on and ways to avoid lenghty waits at sections. A lot of trials seem to be getting very healthy numbers at the moment and I think it only right that we as orgainsers put a lot of thought into our own events.

Come on over to Nantmawr Quarry near Oswestry on Sunday 5th March and see if we have made any difference. We hope too !

[atomant]

I try to think of running a trial like running a business. The riders are customers and they pay a fee to ride a trial. Make it a good experience for them and you have happy customers who want to come back.

The observers are like work colleagues. Treat them as you would want to treated yourself.

The rest is just a load of hard work but damn its good fun when it goes well and is appreciated.

[marky g]

Very valid points there SH, The South Shrops club local to me always look after there observers with goody bags of food and some local riders (myself included) will get on and finish the trial early take over from an observer and finish the day off.

I think alot of people are afriad to speak out when a trial isn't so good for fear of being slagged off, we all know organisers put alot of effort into the sport but lets face it we all are asked to pay up to

Edited February 3, 2006 by Marky G

[flyingdab]

Just picking up on some of SH points.

We as a club have offered incentives to observers in the past, free entries, tyre raffle, etc. and still struggle for observers. Due to the weather at this trial, we gave each observer a voucher to spend at the butty van. It was unfortunate that some were unable to use it due to the lateness of some riders finishing and also the van running low on stocks.

In future we will start at the advertised time, whether or not the signing on has finished. I agree some riders just turn up as the trial is starting and that they will do this at most trials they attend. The only way to sort this would be to close the signing on at the time stated in the regs and turn riders away. Unless all clubs were to do this, just one club making a stance would lose those riders in the future.

One of the main problems we as a club have is the lack of depth in resources and I don't think we are the only club to experience this. Maybe we should go along the AMCA motox route. When an event is held by your home club, unless you can provide a helper you must give up your ride and help, other sports have similar rules (for each horse riding club my wife wishes to join, she must put her name down at the beginning of the year for 2 duty days, otherwise she will not be able to join that club the following year). This way more people will actually see what it takes to organise an event. As a lot of people who have added comments in this topic will know, it's not just a case of throwing a few markers in the ground, there are a significant number of items that happen before and after a trial.

We did make errors of judgement on the day and we will endeavour to rectify these in the future. Please approach me with any ideas, areas of concern or most importantly offers of help, not only at our events but any that you see me at, or email me.