telecat Posted February 12, 2006 Report Share Posted February 12, 2006 Look, with over 100 riders There should have been 12 observers. Instead The organisers get some pretty serious flak becuase 4 sections have to be pulled because only 8 volunteer! If you want to ride be prepared for this sort of situation. It's no good complaining to the organisers of the event if you have nobody prepared to observe. I do it because I am VERY involved in my son's hobby and am prepared to stand and observe on a pretty crap day to get a Trial run. All credit to the observers at the Horsforth trial who turn out every weekend to do so. To those who gave Barry and the Horsforth Crew who set out the Trial considerable grief about not having 12 observers and decided to "head Home", get real! This is a volunteer sport! Understand the problem and get on board! Personally I'd like to thank Barry and all at the Horsforth club and all the officials who helped and GET OFF THEIR BACKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I volunteer my servies to Yeadon-Guiseley as Treasurer and if I am at a Trial where NYL does not need me to follw him around I am more than willing to observe to get the trial underway. Barry does a fantastic job at Horsforth and must be feeling pretty undervalued after the last couple of trials. We all know when they are on and when Chris(NYL) enters I always volunteer my serivces. GET BEHIND THE CLUBS IN YOUR AREA. Not only ENTER BUT SUPPORT THEM. To all those that did good on you, to those that wandered around get in there and support YOUR SPORT. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Posted February 12, 2006 Report Share Posted February 12, 2006 I looked at the title and thought "That's a bit strong" then read the post and agree with every word you say. Do feel free to name and shame. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atomant Posted February 12, 2006 Report Share Posted February 12, 2006 Look with over 100 riders There should have been 12 observers. Instead The organisers get some pretty serious flak becuase 4 sections have to be pulled because only 8 volunteer! <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Thats a real shame having to pull sections when someone has had to put the effort in marking them out Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
telecat Posted February 12, 2006 Author Report Share Posted February 12, 2006 I have contacted the Horsforth Web site and invited comment. I did offer my support to Barrie and will be contacting him and the centre to further this as any rider who gives a club flak should understand the problems we all face. I feel I was pretty lucky when I marshalled a trial to get the required number of observers. I was grateful to all of them and many of them were due to the contacts I and Chris(NYL) made as we came up thru the "Small-wheel" ranks. They are tireless in their efforts to make sure their kids get every chance TO RIDE and will observe whenever they can to ensure that, and thats RIDE not necessarily WIN. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
totalshell Posted February 13, 2006 Report Share Posted February 13, 2006 I ve ridden in a couple of horsforths modern trials on my cub and they were a good do i was made to feel welcome at signing on by the organisers even though i did nt have the latest model bike! with over 100 riders and as many walking round how about a bit of our mx cousins type of arm bending... we dont start till all sections are manned , if you bring an observer you get your entry fee back, pay the observers like some clubs are, after all we pay x for the bike y to up keep it z to enter why not a bit more for the guy / girl who has to stand rooted to the spot for 3 or 4 hours.. there's never a valid reason to call anyone who gives up thier time so you can have a good time Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
howard wallace Posted February 13, 2006 Report Share Posted February 13, 2006 (edited) Short of observers ????? Stick the top grades in a hat, draw three names out per section that needs observing.After each lap, riders change and share the duty. They also get to watch lower grades, and give assistance. Edited February 13, 2006 by Howard Wallace Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kehin Posted February 13, 2006 Report Share Posted February 13, 2006 I've got to agree with you, we get the same problems down south, having to beg for observers before the trial can take place, but what really p***'s me off is when your observing, a Marty Lampkin wannabe arrives to inspect the section with their young protege & moans about the section (to hard, to easy, badly set out), well mate, one way to have it to your likeing, get out there the day before & help set out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bdmc Posted February 13, 2006 Report Share Posted February 13, 2006 But we still continue to mark out trials, advise the newbies what course to ride, take the money, pack everything away then go and observe a section. We then go home and do the results. Why??? because we love doing it. It is the same with all sports "Organisied by few, enjoyed by many" There is No answer to the observer situation. If you put conditions on the entry they will go and ride elsewere. Payment to observe makes no differance. Wanted 20 observers for this weekend in the heart of the dales to observe a 2 x lap 20 section Centre Championship trial. There will only be 80 competitors allowed to enter. (NO day entries) Want to help? contact Allison@bradfordtrials.co.uk. Will let the forum know how many we get on Monday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scorpa3 Posted February 13, 2006 Report Share Posted February 13, 2006 (edited) I must say the problem of finding observers is by far the worst thing about putting on a trial. We do give riders who supply an observer a free entry at our club trials. It is well worth giving up Edited February 13, 2006 by scorpa3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neonsurge Posted February 13, 2006 Report Share Posted February 13, 2006 There ARE other positive aspects of observing other than "putting something back" and/or giving the usual suspects a day off: About a year ago I was unable to ride a club trial due to an injury so I went up and offered my services as an observer. In addition to enjoying the casual chats with spectators and (usually) good-humoured banter with competitors, I found that I was actually learning something by watching lots of different riders takle the same section in different ways, noticing what worked and what didn't and how the experts managed to get out of trouble for the minimum loss of marks if they got off-line. The section in question incorporated a nasty step which I'd previously struggled with when practising but the following week, using the knowlege I'd gained from observing I was able to clean it pretty easily. It's obviously a cumulative thing - the more you observe and the more different types of sections you see, the more information you get. Now I can understand that if you're fighting for a championship or something you're unlikely to want to drop a round to observe and to be honest, if you're at that level it's unlikely that you'd learn as much as someone like... me for example, who was never in any danger of worrying the class leaders Having said that, our club has literally all abilities of riders from complete beginners to a world championship round winner (hopefully champ this year!) and there's not many people who could honestly say they've got nothing to learn from anyone given that spread of expertise and experience. I now try to ride one trial and observe the next (and so on) and I honestly believe that I'm a better rider because of it. I hope I don't sound pious or anything because nothing could be further from the truth. I'm just trying to show that observing doesn't have to be a chore to be avoided and can actually be of longer term benefit. Worked for me, anyway Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baldie Posted February 13, 2006 Report Share Posted February 13, 2006 We have the same problem at times tried all things some work some don't depending on the weather!!! One of worst tomes we had a problem finding observers was at a centre touth championship round. We had over 80 riders & about the same watching the trial but not one would pick up any of the three boards left on the sections. I had to give up my ride to observe. What bugged me the most was that I'd set out the day before, taken all the entries, answered all the questions that was asked about what rulees etc, collected all the sections in & when i got home did the results. All i got was a few phone calls from parents complaining about something or other. I felt like giving the job up there & then. I think sometimes riders should be made to observe or get involed with a club to see how effort goes into organising an event, especilly a national. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timp Posted February 13, 2006 Report Share Posted February 13, 2006 Sometimes I think it would be better to ask people to observe for say 2 laps then swop with another pre arranged person for the next 2 laps rather than observe the full trial. I personally don't mind in club trials if the boards are put out on the sections and the riders observe for a bit then give the board to someone else to do a few riders. Its better than dropping sections. Mark T Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
perce Posted February 13, 2006 Report Share Posted February 13, 2006 Sometimes I think it would be better to ask people to observe for say 2 laps then swop with another pre arranged person for the next 2 laps rather than observe the full trial. I personally don't mind in club trials if the boards are put out on the sections and the riders observe for a bit then give the board to someone else to do a few riders. Its better than dropping sections. Mark T <{POST_SNAPBACK}> This is what do on the odd occasion that we're short, usually find that someone who's been watching will pick up the board anyway. We've also found that spending a couple of hours ringing round know observers in the days before can get us very near to the required number. Makes for one less thing to do on Trials day itself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andy_290 Posted February 13, 2006 Report Share Posted February 13, 2006 We usually have a couple of self-markers, obviously you can't mark yourself, but one of the riders will pick up the clipboard and mark a few through then someone else will come along and do a few more, and so on. Nice for a break sometimes too, as long as everyone who rides is prepared to lend a hand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nutty Posted February 13, 2006 Report Share Posted February 13, 2006 I observ most weeks, Last sunday I road inthe wet it was good to see the clubs top riders Observing, Did I get my leg pulled iam 6ft2" now well done lads. I rode the beginers rute for fun. 1 happy old man in the sily hat. Thanks to kingy ,ross,bary,mathu,ron,cath, martin,& all the others Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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