The trials photographic ‘Maestro’ Eric Kitchen will be the special guest at this years’ Scottish Six Days Trial next month (7-12 May).
Eric who has taken photographs at the SSDT for forty-seven years and was the first photographer engaged to cover the annual event for the Trials & Motocross News in 1978 will present the prizes at the Nevis Centre, An Aird on Saturday 12 May at 21.00.
Kitchen who is probably the best known trials photographer of all time, has photographed all over the world and the octogenarian shows no signs of giving up. His images are highly sought after in the world of trials and he is held in high regard within the sport and by fellow sporting photographers.
He has set plans already to attend the Highland Classic 2 Day Trial (9-10 June) at Alvie Estate, an event that has grown in stature over the past few years. He will accompany Mike Rapley for the trip north.
Eric will of course be covering the SSDT with his brace of Nikon cameras and has even penned an article for the recently released SSDT Official programme which is now on sale at £4.00 from stockists in the Fort William and surrounding areas. Postal copies are available from secretary Mieke de Vos through the official website ssdt.org – contact SSDT.
Extract from Jeff Smith – Trials Expert, Motocross Maestro (Copyright Motorsport Publications)
The Birmingham Small Arms Company developed a unit construction single cylinder model to be universally known as the C15, which went into production in September 1958.
Having acquired Triumph in 1951 , the C15 was derived from the smaller capacity 199cc Triumph Tiger Cub, BSA was quick to capitalise on the UK trials market by having a C15’T’ model for sale to competition riders for the 1959 season and also a C15’S’ model for scrambling.
The 249cc C15T was supplied with a chromed and painted blue steel fuel tank, full width wheel hubs and lighting kit. Later, many riders fitted Triumph Cub wheels and brakes to reduce weight and a ‘Lyta’ aluminium alloy fuel tank made by Hitchisson of Vauxhall Bridge, London.
The 1959 ‘Golden Jubilee’ Scottish Six Days Trial had a number of the new C15T models entered in the highland classic, but it was not all to be plain sailing as all the factory entered machines were to expire during the week. All save for one, the privately entered C15T of Fort William man Ron Thomson, whose machine was supplied by Duncan’s Motorcycles of Brechin, Angus, near Dundee. It was registered JTS139 and it survived the rigours of the SSDT whereas the factory bikes of Jeff Smith et al did not!
Ron Thomson in the 1964 SSDT at Achintee Farm on his 500cc BSA Gold Star – PFS916, Ron’s nick-name for this bike was the ‘stone-crusher’. Photo Courtesy Mrs Ron Thomson, Fort William.
“unprecedented humiliation”
Chris Smith, daughter of Jeff Smith has allowed us to quote directly from the most excellent biography written by Ian Berry: ‘Jeff Smith – Trials Master, Motocross Maestro’: “In the meantime BSA who had decided to field a team of four riders all mounted on C15T machines, suffered unprecedented humiliation in the Scottish Six Days Trial in early May. Poor John Draper did not even make it to the first section before his bike seized and Jeff, Tom Ellis and Arthur Lampkin soon followed suit, all eliminated by failure of the distributor drive. So with three days gone, all four of the factories entries were out of the trial.” (Copyright Motorsport Publications)
Ron gets his 250cc BSA C15T examined and security marked at Gorgie Market in May 1959. On Ron’s left is Davie Miller, one of the course markers of the SSDT and the man in the middle is former Scottish Trials Champion, A.M.L. ‘Lawrie’ MacLean. Photo courtesy of Mrs. Helen Thomson.
Thomson was by 1959 a veteran of the SSDT having ridden on Matchless, BSA, Triumph and an H.J.H, a Welsh built two-stroke. He was originally from St. Andrews in Fife and he is featured in our Great Scots series.
Ron Thomson with the only C15 BSA to finish in the 1959 SSDT. All the works bikes retired that year. Photo taken at Gorgie Market, Edinburgh. Photo Courtesy of Mrs. Helen Thomson
Thomson didn’t enter the following year and when he did ride the SSDT again, he reverted to use the BSA Gold Star in both 350 (PSR54) and 500 (PFS916) variations.
Ron Thomson on the BSA C15T, JTS139 in the 1959 Scottish on Glenogle section on May 4th. One of the first day hills as he made his way homeward to Fort William from the Edinburgh start. Photo: Mrs. Peggy Davies.
Ron sold the little BSA to Dundee trials man, Alfred C. Ingram who was a bit of a character and he rode the C15 more than a half a dozen times. Alf also had the distinction of literally driving around the globe in an 875cc Hillman Imp car with a very novel way of overcoming mechanical failures along the way!
Alf carefully wrapped up components in grease-proof paper and labeled each one, making a note of the contents on a list which he took with him. When he suffered a mechanical failure he sent a telegram to his mother who would go to his stock of parts with the required reference number and mail the item to him wherever he was in the world. Now that is one way of having your own spares system, globally!
Under the watchful eyes of retiree, Jeff Smith in duffle-coat. His C15T gave up the ghost, leaving Ron Thomson the only finisher riding a BSA C15T in the 1959 Scottish – Photo courtesy of Mrs Helen Thomson, Fort William
Ingram rode the BSA C15T in a number of SSDT events, and at every one, his machine was marked with dabs of special paint with the riding number inscribed before the paint dried fully by machine examiners at Gorgie Market on the Sunday before the event started. Alf never removed these markings and the machine collected a fresh mark every year he rode. The machine created its own history book of itself.
The specially fabricated oil tank when in Alfie Ingram’s ownership shows off the SSDT markings – Photo: Steve Owen
By 2009 the BSA had entered the ownership of Dundee car dealer Bruce Johnston who knew about the machines history. Bruce purchased the machine from a former editor of the Dundee Courier newspaper, Gordon Small who was a motorcyclist and collected older trials machines and road machines. Gordon was also editor in chief of the Classic Legends magazine, produced by D.C. Thomson. Small had bought JTS139 from his friend Alfie Ingram in the 1980s. The bike was displayed in the car park of the SSDT by Bruce Johnston for a couple of years and advertised as being for sale. However, the price was not to everyone’s taste and the machine didn’t sell initially. Johnston then did what a ‘purist’ would perhaps describe as a ‘despicable act’, he removed the original registration number and put it on retention, the DVLA then issued a replacement age-related mark from the 1959 era. The machine’s records then held the replacement registration mark and not JTS139.
The BSA which, going by the frame number was the 42nd C15T built at Small Heath, had remained intact since 1959 apart form the usual modifications such as Cub wheels and a Lyta tank had effectively lost it’s original identity and a bit of it’s history in the process.
The machine was eventually sold without the original index number JTS139 which was then used on a Nissan car.
The Lyta fuel tank showing the multitude of SSDT markings on the nearside front – Photo: Steve Owen
Then a strange twist of fate emerged, the new owner had an idea to put the motor from the BSA into a Drayton frame kit, would this be the end of the C15T?
The steering head area shows the original swan-neck design and the five SSDT machine examiner’s paint dabs covering different events. The lower fork yoke has been drilled to save weight by owner Ingram – Photo: Steve Owen
No it wasn’t, far from it in fact, Steve Owen became the new owner and rescued the BSA from it’s DNA forming a virtually new machine and the identity would be further defiled.
Steve then made contact with Trials Guru’s John Moffat via the website’s contact facility asking if any of the BSA’s history was known. Steve made reference to the abundance of SSDT markings and Moffat was immediately intreagued and remembered the bike ridden by Thomson and Ingram as he knew the bike quite well. He was of course slightly confused when he asked Owen for the registration number stating that he expected the number to be JTS139, but of course it had been!
Due to Ingram’s forsight, he did not remove any of the paint dabs from the BSA which still carries all the old SSDT markings on the frame, fuel tank, oil tan, front forks and rear dampers. Bruce Johnston had the wheels rebuilt with alloy rims, due to the decay of the originals, which would also have come under the machine examiners markings back in the day. The motor was out of the frame and Steve Owen plans to have the bike back in one piece very shortly.
The rear end of the BSA shows that the rear mudguard loop has been removed to save weight, note the blue paint dab on the rear damper a sure sign that this machine has been ridden in the Scottish Six Days Trial – Photo: Steve Owen
Steve Owen told Trials Guru: “I was delighted to learn more about my bike, I guessed it would have a have an SSDT history going by the markings and John Moffat confirmed that by researching from his archive of SSDT programmes, matching the dabs of paint with the years they referred to. It’s a pity that Bruce Johnston decided to part the bike from its number, research indicates that the number is for sale at £3,000 a hefty amount for a number plate”.
“John Moffat knew Ron Thomson, the first owner, very well as his father rode trials in the 1950s with him, he also knows Bruce Johnston through Scottish trials, so I suppose I went to exactly the right place to research the machines history”.
Bruce Johnston told Trials Guru: “I’m not sure I can add much to the story other than that I bought the BSA from Gordon Small who was a journalist with D.C. Thomson newspapers in Dundee. Gordon was a good friend of Alfie Ingram and had bought the C15 from him years earlier. Alfie was a keen mountain man and was part of a mountain rescue organisation at one time.”
As luck would have it, Trials Guru’s John Moffat was friendly with the late Gordon Small who introduced Moffat to world racing champion Bill Lomas.
Bill Lomas – Factory James 197cc – Newcastle Motor Club, Alston. 1951 – Photo courtesy of Tommy Reynolds, Ashington
Moffat: “I knew Gordon Small very well indeed as he had been editor of ‘Classic Motorcycling Legends’ magazine in the early 1980s and our paths crossed many times over the years. Gordon’s nom-de-piume was ‘Gordon Cadzow’ taken from his house name in Newport On Tay and he used this when he edited the magazine. Small also edited ‘The Biker’ column in the Dundee Courier for many years. Gordon arrived at my house in the latter part of the 1990s with former world champion Bill Lomas, who was also a very good trials rider, to look over my ex-works Matchless a machine Lomas had been given by the factory in the winter of 1955.”
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The late Bill Lomas (former World Motorcycle Racing Champion) with John Moffat and the ex-factory Matchless OLH722 which was owned by Moffat’s father – Photo: Gordon Small
Moffat added: “I was delighted to check over JTS139 when Bruce Johnston owned it around 2009, he had it on a stand in the parc ferme area of the SSDT. I was very much taken with the bike and I had a mind to buy it from Bruce, but I thought the price tag was a bit too steep at the time and I didn’t make a firm offer. We chatted about it’s history and I was quite interested in buying the BSA at the time. I knew Ron Thomson very well and I had been given the details of the bike from Ron when he was still alive, it was he who told me about the factory bikes pulling out of the 1959 SSDT leaving him as the sole finisher on a BSA C15 that year.”
Steve Owen takes up the story:
“My friend who has worked with me for nearly twenty years and is a big trials bike fan has an older brother Bill Fitzsimons now 86 years young. He first saw the bike for sale on the Yeomans of Bromsgrove stand at the Stafford show and he noticed all the Scottish markings and thought it looked very interesting. The stand was selling it on a commission so didn’t know much about the BSA.
As interesting as it was he didn’t buy it then and there, but took details home with him after a bit of thinking time he gave them a call and they still had it so a deal was done. The previous owner had already had new rims and tyres fitted but otherwise it was unrestored and running, all be it with a lot of smoke. Bill stripped the engine down and fitted new rings , exhaust valve guide and a main bearing and started to put it together but before getting very far he decided to sell it to me having talked to his brother Mike.
I’m getting around to replacing the engine in the frame to get the little BSA running again. It certainly has a lot of character, although it is a real pity it hasn’t retained it’s original registration to complete the history.”
That isn’t the end of the story, we are trying to locate photos of Alf Ingram riding the bike in the SSDT and are conducting a thorough analysis of the years he rode the BSA – so as they say, watch this space!
JTS139 – Its SSDT history:
1959 – R.S. Thomson – number 74
1963 – A.C. Ingram – number 150
1964 – A.C. Ingram – number 129
1966 – A.C. Ingram – number 126
1967 – A.C. Ingram – number 97
1968 – A.C. Ingram – number 192
1969 – A.C. Ingram – number 90
Who is?
Ron Thomson – Trials Guru has already written about the late Ron Thomson, a man who was very well known in trials by not only his fellow Scots but also Peter Fletcher, Gordon Balkeway and others of that era who got to know Ron through riding in the SSDT over the years. His story can be found here: Ron Thomson.
Alf Ingram: A trials enthusiast from Dundee in Scotland who was a member of the now disbanded Dundee & Angus MCC and was a keen mountain climber in his day.
What are?
The paint dabs on machines that competed in the Scottish Six Days Trial – It was a method used for many years by the event organisers to stop competitors replacing components on their machines. They were marked by machine examiners during the Sunday ‘weigh-in’ by painting a square of paint about 15mm x 10mm on the component with a special paint which was mixed by Edinburgh paint manufacturer, Craig & Rose. It was believed that this paint ‘flouresced’ when examined under a UV light. The examiner would scribe the riding number of the machine into the centre of the paint dab with a pencil shaped wooden ‘scribe’ so that riders could not swap compenents from another machine during the event. Every year the paint shade changed slightly from a blue to green colour.
News on JTS139 – May 2018
Having heard of the article, Bruce Johnston met with Trials Guru’s John Moffat at the 2018 Scottish Six Days and explained that the number, JTS139 was indeed for sale and asked that the current owner, Steve Owen make contact with Johnston to discuss the number. This was achieved on 10th May and a deal was done and the original number would see it back on the BSA C15T. Indeed a happy ending brokered by Trials Guru and the little trials machine had its original identity restored.
All’s well that ends well!
Dundonian car and trials bike dealer, Bruce Johnston (right) when he owned the 250 BSA C15T – JTS139 in 2010 – Photo: Andy Thomson, Fort William
Each year the SSDT has sole use of the Highland Council’s West End Car Park at Fort William. It is transformed into a ‘parc ferme’ and trade village as well as a service area for the riders, thanks to the importers and factories who provide essential back-up facilities throughout the week.
Weigh-In Sunday with Sandra Gomez – Photo: John Hulme/Trial Magazine UK
Here is Trials Guru’s tribute to those of the SSDT village community, courtesy of John Hulme/Trial Magazine UK and Nigel Pearson of Trials UK Media who have provided the images along with our own Trials Guru shots taken at the 2017 event.
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Nevis Radio – Photo: John Hulme/Trial Magazine UK
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The film crew charted Ross Noble’s first attempt at the 2017 SSDT – In the background are Nevis Radio’s John Weller and Trials Guru’s John Moffat (on microphone) before one of the daily runs. – Photo courtesy of Trials UK Media
Flash-back to the 2015 Bob MacGregor Memorial Run with Trials Guru representative John Moffat enjoying a run on his late father’s 1951 AJS 16MC machine with the riding number carried in the 1953 SSDT and 2013 Pre’65 Scottish.
The annual Bob MacGregor Memorial Road Run is all set for Tuesday 1st May which sees the start of the usual excitement in the run up to the Scottish Six days Trial.
Organised by the Westmorland Motor Club (founded 1910) and led by it’s enthusiastic member, Peter Remington from Kendal, it consists of a 130 mile excursion into Perthshire. It starts at the McLaren hall in Killin and takes in some old SSDT scenery from the 1940s and 1950s. On the return leg it passes the 1970s section Edramucky on the slopes of Ben Lawers which was an opening day ‘terror’ section back in the days when the SSDT started and finished in Edinburgh.
With a mixture of old and modern motorcycles, it is surely a day to go watch and take in the scenery.
Jack Austin has put together a very smart tribute bike for this year’s Scottish Six Days Trial (May 7-12) paying homage to a former SSDT observer (SSDT Observer No.1 in fact) Micky ‘Munch’ Gallacher, who ran MSport in Stevenage up until his untimely death in 2016 aged 56 years.
Jack takes up the story:
“I am pleased to have been accepted to ride in this year’s Scottish Six-Day Trials event.
The bike I will be riding will be a 260 Montesa 4RT which was purchased new from Micky Gallagher at MSport Trials Specialists – Micky being a long-time friend of my Father, Dave Austin and our family.
Sadly when Micky passed away in March 2016, Micky had never seen me ride in the Scottish, albeit he and my Father “Big Dave” were always encouraging me to enter, once eligible. Therefore, I’ve decided to dedicate my First 2018 Scottish SSDT ride as a tribute, in memory of Micky, as he was a long-time SSDT Observer & Enthusiast of the event, as is my Father still today.
Also, I have – in true MSport Trials tradition – modified the standard bike to what it is today:
I have changed the wheels, modified the brakes, changed the plastics, designed my own graphics and upgraded many of the smaller components on the bike.
I would like to thank all my Sponsors in this years event:
– Theresa, Ross & Gemma Gallagher
– Lings Motorcycles, Harleston
– WM Engineering Services Ltd
– Grandparents: Phyllis & Sid Austin (sadly no longer with us)
– My Parents & Family: David, Amanda & Brother George
– Austin Uncles: Stuart & Clive – who are my ‘2018 SSDT Pit-Crew’ – “Team Big-Dave”.
“The most successful Scottish Trials rider of all time.”
Words: John Moffat & Gary Macdonald
Photos: Iain Lawrie, Kinlochleven; Kim Ferguson/Kimages; Gary Macdonald personal collection; Barry Robinson Estate, Ilkley; Iain Ferguson/The Write Image, Fort William.
“Gary Macdonald just kept re-writing the history books.”
For many years Gary Macdonald, from Kinlochleven, Argyll, Scotland dominated the Scottish Trials scene, winning twelve Scottish Premier Trials titles, this in itself makes him the most successful Scottish-born trials rider of all time.
But he had gone that one step further, by winning the British Expert A Trials championship in 2010 riding a 300 Gas Gas, this made Macdonald the first Scotsman to take a British trials title.
Born on the fifteenth day of November 1983, son of a trials riding joinery contractor, Arthur H. Macdonald a local to Kinlochleven. Younger brother of David Macdonald who also rode trials in his younger years.
With elder brother David (left) a young Gary Macdonald attempts to climb aboard the family TY80 Yamaha on Christmas Day – Photo: Gary Macdonald Collection
Gary began riding at nine years of age on a TY80 Yamaha, many noticed that he had a natural ability. He had other interests such as shinty, in which he played for the Kinlochleven High School team, taking the Highland cup.
Gary Macdonald aboard his Yamaha TY80 – Photo: Gary Macdonald Collection
The TY80 Yamaha was his first trials motorcycle, but it was given as a ‘shared’ Christmas present by his parents, Arthur and Sandra to both Gary and his older brother, David.
Fording a river near his home at Kinlochleven on the 80cc Fantic – Photo: Gary Macdonald Collection
The Scottish ACU Trials Championship began officially in 1955; the first winner of the ‘Trials Trophy’ was the late A.M. ‘Laurie’ MacLean from Haddington, East Lothian who won it three times on the trot. Macdonald would lift this trophy eleven times, the first occassion being 2001 followed by ten times in succession, 2006 – 2015.
Other multi-winners include Leslie Winthrop from Humbie, Midlothian (nine times) and Gavin Johnston, Inverness (eight times), Macdonald aspired to win and he did so, rarely surrendering even a round to his rivals, such was his dominance of the Scottish scene.
Gary with his Fantic 80 Mono-shock – Photo: Gary Macdonald Collection
Inspired by his Dad and his Uncle James, a motor engineer from nearby Ballachulish, both trials riders in the Lochaber & District club, young Macdonald used to stick a coke can between the frame and rear tyre to make his push-bike sound like a motorised trials bike.
Receiving an award from Graham Jarvis in 2000 when the name Bultaco was dropped in favour of the Sherco brand – Photo copyright: Barry Robinson Estate.
When Gary left Kinlochleven High School, he started work at his Uncle James’s Lochside Garage at Ballachulish as a mechanic, he attended college at Kilmarnock for two years. However during this time it occured to him that he was unable to hone his trials riding skills, so he quit and went to work for his father as a joiner which he does to this day. This gave Macdonald the opportunity to ride more often and practise his skills. He was also able to take a month off and travelled with Graham Jarvis, minding for him at the World Trials Championships.
British Championship action at Kinlochleven on the John Lampkin Imports Beta – Photo: Iain Lawrie, Kinlochleven
Macdonald: “Graham actually carried out minding duties for me at a European round in 2002.”
As a young boy, Gary used to watch many trials videos before and during when he first started out competing; his favourite being Steve Colley’s training videos. Later he studied Steve Saunders, ten times British Champion and Wayne Braybrook’s trials videos. Macdonald was also studying world round and Scottish Six Days videos to see how the professional and experts riders cleaned the hazards.
Wayne Braybrook is one of the top riders in the 1980s that Macdonald watched closely. Seen here in the 1997 SSDT on Ben Nevis – Photo: Iain Lawrie, Kinlochleven
Gary had the ability to then go out and imagine himself riding like the superstars of the day and that is how he learned his craft, almost self-taught. He effectively emulated his heroes and copied them.
Gary: “I watched the SSDT and Pre’65 trials when their routes were around my home in Kinlochleven, I would be about six or seven years old and that most definately inspired me to take up the sport. My favourite riders back then were Steve Colley and Rob Crawford at that time. I broke my leg when I fell off my TY80 near my house and Rob signed the cast, which I still have.”
Rob Crawford (Yamaha) tackles Leanachen in 1995, he signed young Gary Macdonald’s plaster cast – Photo: Iain Lawrie, Kinlochleven
Young Macdonald, tried hard and with it came the pain of the broken leg which was put in plaster, but he was also very fortunate to have areas of ground where he could legally practise within walking distance of his home.
Gary’s first ever event was an overnight success, he completed the event with a clean sheet on the Youth C-class route to take the win.
Macdonald: “It was a Dunfermline Trial, I was ten years old, it is my most treasured win of all!” said Gary who has never lost his schoolboy enthusiasm for the sport.
Being brought up in Kinlochleven, it was many miles to travel to compete in the Scottish national events and to this day Gary is eternally grateful for the time, effort, encouragement and financial help given by his parents, Arthur and Sandra.
Gary continued: “Many people provided help and support over the years, Malcolm and Rhoda Rathmell at Malcolm Rathmell Sport from 1999; John Lampkin of Beta UK, who signed me for the BETA GP team in 1999. John Shirt of GasGas UK supported me in the 2010-2011 seasons. It was an amazing time which saw me become ACU British Expert champion.”
Macdonald has led the Scottish Six Days on numerous occasions since his first attempt in 2002. – Photo copyright: Iain Ferguson, The Write Image, Fort William
He continued: “I had an enormous boost when Adrian and Mandy Lewis who ran the local trials business ‘Lewisport’ at Strontian. They supported me as a youth on a Gas Gas 125 and a Beta 125, they’ve since moved to the USA where they still run Lewisport to this day.”
World Trials action at Aonach Mor, Fort William on the Gas Gas, Gary Macdonald under the watchful eye of his ‘minder’ Ally Morrice – Photo: Iain Lawrie, Kinlochleven
Gary also obtained support from local tree-surgeon Ken Oliver. “Ken has been brilliant, he is a true gentleman and has been a massive help to me over a period of years. He did nice things like getting my helmets customised, one of which was the tiger skin Shoei. Also Mark McComisky helped me, he is the funny-man of trials, who also supported my efforts in the last few years”.
Being interviewed on the Sherco at the SSDT finish – Photo: Kim Ferguson/Kimages
Macdonald was also fortunate to have the services of local men, Ally Morrice and Peter Davidson to call upon as minder at British Championship and World rounds.
The SSDT is the most important of events for Gary Macdonald, here he is pictured with Ripon enthusiasts, Keith & Judy Blythe from Melmerby – Photo: Gary Macdonald Collection
Gary also commented: “One man who is sadly no longer with us, John Davies from Dunfermline, himself a former Scottish Scrambles Champion, he believed in me and was a fan from day one and did the best for me and guided me whenever he could. John was chairman of the Scottish ACU trials committee and made sure that I went to Rugby to be trained at the ACU. This allowed me to coach riders for a few years. The SACU covered my travelling and accommodation costs for the course, but it was John that made it all happen.”
Gary hasn’t stopped trials riding completely, but his main sport now is cross country cycling at which he excels. Macdonald has applied his experience gained in trials sport to that of the push-bike. He trains physically even harder than he did when riding motorcycles.
In 2017 Gary decided to enter the Pre’65 Scottish Trial, he won at his first attempt and is the very first Scotsman ever to have won the Pre’65 event.
Gary: “I am indebted to Martin Murphy of Kinlochleven for his support during the 2017 and 2018 seasons by supplying me with a BSA Bantam on which I won the Pre’65 Scottish and the Drayton Triumph twin, both specially built by Drayton’s Jim Pickering. He also lent me a Honda TLR200 on which I won my class at the Highland Classic Two-Day at Alvie Estate“.
There is one piece of unfinished business that is always at the back of Macdonald’s mind, that of the Scottish Six Days Trial.
The last Scotsman to win the SSDT was Bob MacGregor of Killin who won it twice, first in 1932 when the event became a one winner event and then again in 1935, Rudge mounted both times.
Macdonald’s aim was of course to take the win and he came very, very close to achieving his goal, not just once but three times. A third place in 2003, when Joan Pons took the win, another third place in 2013 with Dougie Lampkin in first position and a runner-up spot in 2015, again Lampkin taking the win. This in itself makes Gary Macdonald the highest placed Scotsman ever in the history of the event, other than MacGregor’s two wins of course. The only Scotsman to be on the podium of the Scottish Six Days Trial other than Bob MacGregor is some achievement.
Gary: “The Scottish Six Days is worth more to me than the world championships, it’s the one thing I wanted to have and I was so close in getting what I wanted, that North British Rubber Company trophy in my hands. The first time I lost my grip on it was in 2003 on Pipers Burn, that will haunt me for life.”
Macdonald has competed against the best riders of his time, but who did he admire?
Macdonald: “Thinking about it I was really impressed by the achievements of a Scots rider, the late David Page from Edinburgh, although I never met him, I did hear about his achievements. David Page was the best we had in Scotland back in the late 1980s, he was an amazing rider who mixed it with the best of his time. He dominated the youth scene in Scotland and was unbeatable. The sad thing was he died of leukaemia at aged 18 and never got to realise his true potential. I am sure he could have been a British champion or even higher than that“.
And what does Gary Macdonald do now, after all he has achieved more than any other Scottish born trials rider?
Gary has more recently taken up cycle sport, particularly Cyclocross, like a steeplechase with road push bikes.
Gary began cycling in 2012 aged twenty-nine, initially just for messing about and general fitness, but within one year this led to racing cyclocross in 2013. Trials rider, Woody hole mentioned the Yorkshire Three Peaks cyclocross, it is the hardest cross-country cycle race in the world held at Helwith Bridge in North Yorkshire.
This event now means as much as the SSDT to Gary Macdonald. It started his obsession or love for cycling. By 2014 he had a great result of eighth place, now with five top fives with best being fourth place which is highest Scotsman in the history of this event. Gary has become one of the regulars and thought after in this huge event. Along with this, three elite senior Scottish cyclocross championships, multiple ‘Superquaich’ Cycle-Cross titles, a Veterans 40 Scottish Cycle-Cross championship, MTB Cross-Country racing, British masters Cross-Country champion 2018, plus three times V40 XC Scottish champion; ‘Ten under the Ben’, Ten Hour Cross-Country race; multiple solo winner Top 10 elite British marathon champs and V40 championships in 2025.
Gary managed all this while still competing at top level in trials and winning Scottish championships and top three results in the SSDT.
Gary and Jo made the big leap in 2023.
Gary met Jo Doeg-Smith in 2017 and are now happily married since 2023, with Jo going through cancer treatment in 2021 but very much here being Gary’s best supporter.
Gary and Jo Macdonald
Gary continues his day job as a joiner with his father Arthur’s business and the plan is to take over the reigns of Arthur Macdonald Joiners in 2026 when his father retires. As for trials, Gary still looks forward to doing two of his favourite ‘local’ events, that’s the Pre65 Scottish and the Highland Classic.
Gary Macdonald at one of his favourite trials, the annual Highland Classic at Alvie EState, Aviemore. Photo: Iain Lawrie
Article Copyright: John Moffat / Trials Guru 2024
Photographic Copyright: Various photographers, names in captions
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Nevis Radio’s John Weller will be joined by Guest Presenter, Trials Guru’s John Moffat for the Outside Broadcast of SSDT ’18 at Fort William – Photo: John Hulme/Trial Magazine UK
Nevis Radio, the station local to Fort William and Lochaber will once again be broadcasting live from the event’s parc ferme from Monday 7th May until Saturday 12th May.
The outside broadcast team this year will consist of John ‘Big John’ Weller; Simon Abberley and guest presenter, Trials Guru’s John Moffat. As well as radio broadcasting, the station will be ‘on air’ with live video streaming and additional recorded coverage during the day when ‘The Moffster’ will be out at sections with the Nevis Radio ‘roving mic’.
The daily broadcasts will commence at 07:00 – 11:00 on 96.6 102.3 & 102.4 MHz.
The sponsors of the programme this year will be once again Michelin Tyres and Trial Magazine UK.
Simon Abberley, Nevis Radio’s Business Development & Sustainability Manager said: “Nevis Radio would like to thank Michelin and Trial Magazine UK for their continued support after over seven years of sponsorship. As a registered charity, every penny we get counts towards our continued service and helps us broadcast across Lochaber.
In recent years we have expanded into the world of live video streaming on the internet. Without the support from Michelin and Trial Magazine UK we wouldn’t have had the funds available to offer this service.
Being mostly volunteer based with one staff member involved, it takes a great deal of resource to achieve our Scottish Six Days Trial coverage, but every year we are driven by the feedback we get and always try and push a little harder the next time round it’s a way of evolving and improving what we do to the best we can.”
The Edinburgh & District MC Ltd Community Fund was set up in 2011 to help local Lochaber good causes
The 2018 Scottish Six Days Trial (7-12 May) official programme has a fresh new look!
The front cover of the 2018 Official Programme of the SSDT – cover photo by Eric Kitchen
The programme will be available on sale from Tuesday 24th April from the following outlets:
BP – Road to the Isles Filling Station, North Road, Fort William, PH33 6TQ
Esso Filling Station, North Road, Fort William, PH33 6TQ
Gleaner Filling Stations, Fort William PH33 6SU & Invergarry PH35 4HL
WH Smith, The Parade, Fort William PH33 6EU
The Granite House, High Street, Fort William, PH33 6AD
Marshall & Pearson, 35 High Street, Fort William, PH33 6HD
Co-op, Ballachulish, PH49 4JS
Co-op, Kinlochleven, PH50 4RW
Co-op, Corpach, PH33 7JG
Claymore Filling Station, A82, Glencoe, PH49 4HP
Pre’65 Trial – Merchandise stall
Spar, Spean Bridge PH34 4EP
Trials UK shop in the Parc Ferme during the week
There will also be an opportunity to purchase from ‘The Hub’ area in the parc ferme area on Weigh In Sunday, 6th May.
The official programme price is £4.00, the proceeds of which support the Edinburgh & District Motor Club Ltd ‘Community Fund’, which contributes to local good causes in the Lochaber area.
This year the programme page numbers have been increased and it will continue to have the ‘pull-out’ additional competitor list, sponsored by Acklams Beta of Harrogate, which is handy for putting in a pocket when spectating out on the hill.
The 92 paged 2018 official programme gives all the daily routes with spectator suggestions and competitor’s early days, now located towards the back of the programme making this information easier to find. It also has more articles than before.
TRIALS GURU - DEDICATED TO TRIAL 