Every five years, former riders, organisers, officials and enthusiasts of the famous Scott Trial decend upon the Yorkshire town of Ripon to celebrate the Greatest of All Trials with a celebratory dinner at the Ripon Spa Hotel.

2019 was the year once again with Master of Ceremonies, Alan Lampkin at the helm which saw many riders of yesteryear attend the gathering to celebrate the Scott Trial.

The quinquennial dinner was open to anyone who has had an association with the event, male or female and it was well supported by young and not so young Scott enthusiasts.

The number one table consisted of Alan & Arthur Lampkin, Ray Sayer, Arthur Browning and partner Gail, Nigel Birkett, Gordon McLaughlan, Peter & Derrick Edmondson and Mick Wilkinson.

Alan ‘Sid’ Lampkin has organised four of these wonderful events, taking over the task from the Late T.U. Ellis, the former BSA supported rider/dealer of Ripon.

The toast to the trial was proposed by former racing star, Nick Jefferies, a man who was quite capable of winning a Manx GP and then jumping on a trials bike to take honours in the Manx Two Day trial.

Jefferies is an excellent after dinner speaker and covered a lot of ground in his toast, touching on quite a few riders who are no longer with us and added a slice of humour in for good measure as well as giving a short history on the event itself. Nick’s father, Allan Jefferies was the last man to win the Scott Trial on a Scott machine in 1932.

The toast was responded to by Trials Guru’s John Moffat who wasn’t a Scott competitor, but has attended many Scott Trials since his first as a schoolboy to spectate in 1974. Moffat made a point of thanking not only the main speaker, N.W. Jefferies, but also Sid Lampkin for all the effort and hard work he put into organising the dinner. Lampkin of course being a former winner of the trial as were his two brothers, Arthur and the late Martin Lampkin who featured in the many photographs that adorned the dining room.

Alan Lampkin skillfully arranged a display of every Scott Trial programme since 1909, a collection that will be sold off for charity shortly. many of the items were supplied by David Wood, the son of former Scott Trial clerk of course, C.H. Wood.

The doyen of trials photographers, Eric Kitchen attended and brought with him many photos of Martin Lampkin in action that he had taken since 1970 when Lampkin rode the Suzuki 80 in trials.

The assembled diners stayed on after the most excellent dinner to look at the photos, programmes, old route maps and time cards and converse and enjoy the company of like-minded individuals. It was a true celebration of the Scott Trial and motorcycle comradeship which no doubt had been built up over many years.

Former Scott Trial winners present at the dinner were: Ian Austermuhle (2015); Nigel Birkett (1984); Alan Lampkin (1966); Arthur Lampkin (1960;61 &65); Rob Shepherd (1972) and Gerald Richardson (1983 & 85).

There were a good collection of younger riders attending and this bodes well for the future of this wonderful and unique five annual event.

Photos: Barry Watson; Eric Kitchen & Trials Guru