www.hrc1.org

FEBRUARY NUMBER 121
NEWS AND COMMENT

AGM NOTICE
The 2005 Annual General Meeting of Horsham Riders will be at Broadbridge Heath Village Hall club on Wednesday 9th March 8.30 pm.  All welcome.
This is not as formal as it sounds, we elect the committee and get a report from the Treasurer and Secretary, drink a few beers and discuss club matters - the hard bit is soon over!  HR committee in 2004 were :

Mike Husband - Chairman
Fiona Husband - Secretary
Jean Husband - Treasurer
Richard Shoe smith - Trials Team Secretary
Dick Husband - Newsletter
General Committee - Pete Brooker, Benge, Nick Herridge, Kevin Brooker, Tim, Duncan Archer and Dave Blackman.

As far as I know they are all willing for another stint unless you chuck ‘em out - come and meet the team!

WORKING PARTIES
The last couple of years we’ve had these and they’ve been a bit of fun for those who have helped.  You need to bring a tool or two like spade, saw, sickle or jungle busting equipment.  Basically the items targeted for this year are Northlands -clear the sides of the big hill and the tops and route on other hills.  Improve the slippery bridge and install one or two more.  Clear the top of the bank by cow field.  Rome  - it’s the streams that are getting attention.  John Richmond says he’ll bring his digger so we’ll be able to make new entries especially for yellow riders.  New bridges and general clearing are on the list.  Dates are Saturday March 26th Northlands - Saturday April 23rd Rome.  Both scheduled to start at 9.30 am but you’re welcome any time.
 

PRACTICE/TRAINING TRIAL - Saturday February 19th at Rome - 12 noon
Forgot to mention this in the last issue.  For new members info on these days we lay out 6 or 7 sections for R, Y and B riders.  Starting at noon ride them as often as you like till hooter then do them in reverse.  There’s no scoring involved and you can ride any route you want to to try and improve your riding.  We have been lucky in the past to have some expert advisors come to help out and we’ll be delighted if Father Christmas comes on this occasion!  Entries £5 Adult, £3 Schoolboy.  Sign on at 12 noon.  Help wanted for setting out in the morning - arrive about 9.30 am.  Everyone can help clear up when the final hooter goes.

WITH THIS ISSUE (which only comes if you’ve renewed your membership for 2005)

Teams List - to which some names have been tacked on - we hope all the rest are rejoining.  If, as a name not on a team, you would like to help, just phone the team leader or turn up on the Saturday - believe me you’ll be welcome.
Dates List - and venues for 2005 for HR, Group and Practice sessions.  These are provisional so always check your Newsletter.
HR site locations - do’s and don’ts for new members and some guidance notes for marking out teams.  And note help is always wanted clearing up after an event whether you’re in a team or not.
2004 Ladder - again - as we left off the 04 placings and it got not very well presented in format - also a did not qualify list which shows where riders occasionally rode other routes.  If you study the years performances there’s not much change at the top. Duncan slipped a couple of places on whites, Ian Mac went from 2nd to 9th on blue, Rob Lavender was down 3 and Richard Shoesmith went up two rungs.  It’s all a bit of fun but interesting nevertheless.

DEAR BEER, GOOD GRUB AND BIG BALLS
We needed 30 to make it viable, arm twisting was involved but last minute dot.com filled us to the 60 maximum for the Beer & Skittles night at Ewhurst.  I’m sure when we do this again we’ll be oversubscribed - the evening was an undoubted success even though rolling balls from 7 - 11.30pm was possibly the longest single skittles game in history.  Plenty of tension too near the end as Benge was sure it was his night and Clint who’d being going well said it was more tense than a trial - then he got knocked out too.  The ladies were shining, Tiggy L, Pat S and Liz Hyden staying in for hours.  Tiggy and Pat kept giving Tim a full house to aim at.  At the end it was Gary Medhurst followed by Liz then Rob Hyden who took the prizes home.  Then Will and Katie Fitz with Kate and Sam H collected the chocs for helping out, and thanks to Pauline and Barry for their help too.  Gold star for Katie who was all evening at the control monitor.  Drug addicts who needed to top up with a puff or two during the evening gathered in the bar where others enjoyed too much of the liquid drug - Mike put his sweatshirt on back to front, broke his glasses, fell in the van - and out!  Must have been a good night.  Final comment by Tim as he lifted Gary’s jumper to reveal a written T Shirt - “Look, it says CRAWLEY BOWLING CLUB!”

BEEZA GOLD STAR                TRIAL MANNINGS HEATH FEB 6TH

I seem to recall Team Beeza director bemoaning team problems last year (James had a bad toe!), this year Derek got me to announce his concerns of staff shortage and ended with an army even rejecting other volunteers.  So it was the Heads, the Lavenders, Duncan and John Major who gave us a good event that overnight rain made a bit hard on the White, Blue and Red.  Big problem with numbers again making parking and especially exiting difficult or impossible for an hour or two!  The 86 entry caused queues and course cutting spoiling a good event.  Some SB red riders found the course too hard so just rode around tracks anywhere - one bashing Tim’s car in the process.  No doubt the bent rules will get straightened!  (That’s enough grumpy for this issue).
Come-backs signing on Richard Darlison after a year of back trouble still on a Scorpa entered Y route and DNF.  Colin Harwood has had a few months idling, rode Blue and wished it had been Y - have they got harder?  Tony Flegg got talked into entering the white route - no further comment - see result!  Paul Barnes on Brian’s old Mont now the old man has gone for the new 4 stroke - he nearly won Yellows too.  Other news, Jesse B reported Pete was home after having throat cut and is OK.  Kevin B had tennis elbow so mended Clint’s computer in the car park.  And we won’t see schoolboys Dominic and Ben Philpot after the next trial, their Dad says they’re moving to Devon and thanked the club for the help they’d had.

A quick tour around found difficulties started at section 3 for Blues where the top of the first climb crossed a ridge and a route, Steve Wells and Kevin T had no problem, Phil Walker did.  Section 4 Benge followed Colin H’s line and improved on his previous 5 till the engine stalled and he got another (5 not engine).   It was section 5 where the real fun started, that’s why Steve Hook was there with camera - after a steep drop that John Pocklington told me he didn’t like the look of, came the slippery climb where most disembarked including Dave B, not-riding his new Beta for the first time - it was a big push out.  Jesse screamed it up in 4th for a 3 - gets that from Benge.  Blues were definitely harder than whites on the banks of section 7, with its hard slippery camber and roots.  Alan L, who’d set it out stood by pulling one after another out when their back wheels spun down the slope.  There were some good rides, Jesse got away with a 3 again, Tim only dropped 1 or 2 and Adrian Brown was clean.  The other ‘good to see’ section was the big climb at No. 8.  Again onlookers reckoned the ever deepening hole behind the roots made the Blue harder than the twisty white route.  Clint on trusty twin shock cleaned after a spectator, who, John Penfold said, had made him dab, moved back 3 feet.  Mike H and Mick Husk belted their way up unclean but fiving away down the bottom was our Tony F.  Good rides though for Ken R, Katie H and Brian B all on the yellow route which didn’t have the mountain to climb but a very tight turn between trees halfway down from the summit.

RESULTS

White  Blue   Yellow 
Paul Barnes    E    32            Adrian Brown    O40    15          John Yardley    O50    6
Clint Leggett  E    38            Russ Holland    O40    30          Brian Barnes    O50    9
Mick Huskinson I    55            Steve Wells    O40    31           Rob Reid    C    10
George Durrant I    55            Kevin Thompson    O40    31        Graham Knight    C    16
Duncan Archer  I    69            Kevin O'Riordan    O40    39       Michael Hyden    SBC    20
Nick Watts     I    76            Tim Husband    O40    49           Dom Jarrett    SBC    21
John Penfold   I    82            Keith Edwards    N    49           Kevin McDavitt    C    23
Mike Husband   I    88            Jamie Brown    SBB    62           Peter Chile    C    24
Tim Carter     E    105           Martin Penrice    N    64          Lee Hoather    C    26
Sam Aldrich    I    125           James Reid    N    64              Ken Rickets    O50    26
Tony Flegg     I    127           Steve Barrow    N    65            John Pocklington    C    36
                                  Stacey Howland    N    66          Dom Philpot    SBC    38
                                  Ryan Geere    N    68              Gary Stewart    C    38
Red                               James Ray    SBB    68             James Wilcox    SBC    41
Alex Chile    SB    25            Sam Foster    SBB    68            Spence    C    44
Ben Philpot    SB    43           Dave Dale    O40    74             Mark Johnson     C    49
Ben mercer    SB    54            Phil Walker    N    76             Rob Wisbey    C    60
Sophie Siddiavi    W    80        Jesse Brooker    SBB    76         Nick Herridge    C    65
Sam Husband    SB    82           Paul Reynolds    N    77           Sam Hoather    C    72
                                  Jez Sang    N    85                Ben Barford    C    78
dnf Jamie Mercer, Joe Streeter    Louise Cannon    SBB    86         Martin Carter    SBC    81
Londi Trask, Ryan Cutbush         Paul Pidgeon    N    96            Dave Alder    O50    83
Chris Snellock                    Elim Lillywhite    SBB    103      Paul Hill    C    84
                                  Colin Harwood    N    103          Katie Husband    SBC    88
                                  Dave Blackman    N    104          Rob Hyden    C    90
                                                                     Jack Northover    SBC    93
                          DNF Mark Cutbush, Benge, Glen Jarvis       Steve Mitchell    C    105

Analysis    % Entry Entered DNF % Fin                           dnf N Spreadbury, C Page, R Darlison, 
White       13        11    0    100                            S. Trask, K Hoather, H Stainton, R Broughton 
Blue        33        28    3    90                             C Ronalds, P Humber, B Humber 
Yellow      43        37    10   72 
Red         11        10    5    50 

Total %    100        86    18   80 
 

The big indoor trial at Sheffield was attended by MIKE and BARRY F.  We hope for a report.  Apparently the new 4 stroke Monts didn’t do so well but they could start them - unlike the one belonging to TEABAG which neither of the Husbands could get to go at Dave’s practice session - “Put that in the News” he says.  I’d gone there to give it some publicity, it didn’t need any as so many had arrived.  BARRY J soon stopped  “too many out there”.  Things will improve now Andy M has bought some flags to mark out some sections.  BENGE has a new bike ex Mr. S. FOORD and a 290cc to boot - that’s be a handful.  IAN J had just rebuilt the Cub engine, it wouldn’t start till the kill switch was taken off.  Mr. ALDER had had a skinful the night before so sat there scoffing beans and bangers and KEVIN J made me a cuppa so that was a good day.  They say there’s normally only 10 or 12 there so don’t be put off by my comments!  PETE BROOKER who has been suffering with neck and shoulder agony for months goes in the workshop for repairs at the end of January - they’re working on a disc at the back of his neck and going in from the front with a Black and Decker - says Pete - good luck anyway.  Wanting to get 1 more trial in before the disc is skimmed and trued Pete rode in the Novice class at Worthing last week and finished (hush!)

CLUB NIGHT VENUE                    WEDNESDAY APRIL 6TH
Since the Dog and Bacon has shrunk it’s not exactly easy to squeeze in the vast number that attend these convivial evenings.  (I think it was 7 last time!)  We’ve been looking for another pub and in APRIL will try the Shelley Arms at Broadbridge Heath.  There’s a big car park, it’s just off the A24 and inside there appears to be more room, if you come along you can give your opinion on this and many other topics!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY HORSHAM RIDERS
Our tenth anniversary trial is this month (first trial was February 26th 1995).  The editor promised a potted history of the club and asked for recollections - the ed hasn’t done his bit yet and non of you lot recollected doing anything.  Furthermore Fiona has enough on her plate at membership time and needs no more typing but sometime this year, the story will come, so it’s not too late for all you old riders to send a paragraph to help out!

GROUP TRIAL 2005                                9TH JAN
The first round of the South Coast Group Trial was run by Eastbourne Club at Crowborough where slippery ins and outs of streams were the order of the day.  As usual HR experts (white) pop up in other classes as they downgrade for the harder event.  Steve Foord having sold the old bike to Benge, led the field of 14 experts losing 20, but the scores in the class topped the 100.  For the Inters on the same route the leader dropped 73 whilst HR’s Adam Bird and Pete Bowker had a hard time on 136 and 145 respectively.  Steve Farrall led the Over 40 on 20, Mick Huskinson and Mike H were 6th and 7th losing 53 and 65.  Yellows were led by Ben Northover on 11, Charlie H dropped 32 and Bob Collins 68.

FOR SALE - 3 bike trailer - good condition.  Spare Wheel.  £120 - Dave alder (Teabag) 0208 397 9660

HR EVENTS

FEBRUARY
SUN    13    CARSHALTON GROUP TRIAL - Phone Mike or see TMX for
        Venue
SAT    19    HR PRACTICE/TRAINING TRIAL - Rome Woods 12 noon
        Volunteers wanted to help set out - phone Dick
SUN    20    PRACTICE DAY AT HALNAKER

        MARCH
SAT    5    LAYOUT CLUB TRIAL AT NORTHLANDS TEAM HARLEYS
        Clint 01306 711038, Gary Medhurst 01403 251744, John Illingworth
        01444 230097, Graham Norton 01306 880091, Keith Edwards
        07717 477477
SUN    6    CLUB TRIAL NORTHLANDS - Start 10.30 pm
WED    9    HR AGM - Village Hall, Broadbridge heth (off A24) - In the club
        Office, not the bar!
SUN    13    EASTBOURNE GROUP TRIAL
SAT    19    PRACTICE DAY AT DON BARRATT’S 10 AM - 2 PM (0208 397 9660)
SUN    20    PRACTICE DAY AT HALNAKER
SAT   26    WORKING PARTY AT NORTHLANDS - 9.30 am onwards -see notes

APRIL
SAT    2    LAYOUT CLUB TRIAL AT ROME WOODS TEAM KWACKERS
        Tim Husband 01306 712317, Mick Dunstan 01403 711962,
        Tony Flegg 01293 419867, Phil Walker 01293 412905, Keith
        Tracey 01342 713337, John Mitchell 07775 794623
SUN    3    CLUB TRIAL ROME WOODS - Start 10.30 am
WED    6    CLUB NIGHT 8.30 PM - New Venue - Shelley Arms,
        Broadbridge Heath, off A24.  Big car park available.
SUN    10    BOGNOR GROUP TRIAL
SAT    16    PRACTICE DAY AT DON BARRATT’S 10 AM - 2 PM (0208 397 9660)
SUN    17    PRACTICE DAY AT HALNAKER
SAT    23    WORKING PARTY - Rome  9.30 am onwards - see notes

TRADE ADS(£5 per year for members businesses only - helps you and the club)

MERLIN MOTORCYCLES Gas Gas, Beta &  Scorpa UK dealers. Sherco & Montesa supplied. Trial, Enduro & Trail bikes sourced, both official & import. Spares, repairs, service &  tuning too. See extensive web site: www.motomerlin.co.uk
MERLIN BOOKS sell motorcycle books and videos, new and secondhand - free catalogue or Secondhand motorcycle books always wanted www.merlinbooks.com
Mike Husband 01403 257626
HEADLINE ENGINEERING For aluminium and stainless welding - helicoil thread repairs - cylinder head, brake discs/drums refining - all machining work - one off and prototypes.
Phone Derek head 01306 712565
CLUB CLOTHING We have a stock of riding shirts in stock available in M, L or XL at the highly competitive price of £25 each.  Quality is good, many members have found they wash and last well.  Why spend more on one covered in adverts when you can wear a shirt with the HR logo?  Phone Dick or Fiona for sales pressure. 
CLUB STICKERS  4 for £1 for car or bike

Back to HRC index

email Horsham Riders here