With the run up to the 92^nd Scott Trial, the Clerk of the Course and his assistants have now fully assessed and plotted the route and sections. This year the route will run in reverse to normal, with the underfoot conditions being described as being ‘good to wet’.

The reverse route is necessary to adhere to the planning permission arrangements for this unique annual event.

If there is a bonus of a dry spell in the weather leading up to the Scott, then conditions would be perfect for this ‘trial of trials’.

With all this in mind, competitors are reminded to keep to the flagged route and not to deviate.

Spectators are similarly urged to abide by all warning and information signs and specific information given in the official souvenir programme priced at £5.00 with the proceeds going to the local ‘Scott Charities’ – and on the Richmond Motor Club website. This will ensure everyone has a good day trialling, one way or another.

Bruce Storr, a former Clerk of Course and the notable seeing eye, has penned his choices within his famous ‘spectator guide’ once again. This is an invaluable plan for those wishing to make good use of the day.

Storr continues to be a keystone in the event organisation, and his knowledge of the event is nothing short of legendary.

With yet another full entry of 200 riders, and the expectation of large crowds, it promises to be an exciting, event with the possibility that any one of the favourite riders can take home the Alfred Angas Scott Memorial Trophy.

The other prestigious award is for those riders aiming to set ‘Standard Time’, watch out for Sunderland’s Billy Bolt and local men, Jonathan Richardson, James Stones and John Sunter to name but a few who are all on a mission to succeed.

All that’s needed now is some fine October weather to make for a perfect Scott on Saturday, 21st ~ Bring it on!

In keeping with copyright, we direct you to the Richmond Motor Club official website for the current rider list.

HERE

Entries for the annual Scottish Six Days Open Reliability Trial, based at and around Fort William, Scottish Highlands, open on Wednesday 11th October and once again these will be online via the event’s website: www.ssdt.org

The entries close on Wednesday, 6th December at which time it is expected to be oversubscribed, given that the 2017 was run in wall to wall sunshine!

The organisers cannot guarantee the weather, but they can guarantee a test of rider and machine over six days which cover a fair mileage of Lochaber and surrounding counties.

The 2018 event will be run from Monday 7th until Saturday 12th May.

Clerk of the Course will be Jeff Horne and Event Secretary Mieke De Vos, both now veterans in their posts.

Full details of the event are best viewed on the official website.

Trials Guru’s countdown to the Scott Trial

With only three weeks to go until the annual Scott Trial, sponsored by local haulage company NDL, operated by Darlington trials rider, Trevor Willans, the Richmond Motor Club (Yorks) Ltd (RMC) have been engaged in a whirlwind of activity in Swaledale where the event takes place. It is a very unique event, being a time and observation trial.

The sheer scale and magnitude of the Scott Trial is a weighty task for any club to undertake, the RMC have organised it for the past twenty-six years and 2017 will be their twenty-seventh event. This is the 92nd Scott Trial held in the 103 years since it began in 1914.

Trial Secretary this year is local farmer, Ken Wallis, no stranger to the Scott, he has been a committee member for many years and the start-field at Feldom Lane is based on his ground.

Ken’s wife Chris was a previous Scott Trial secretary, stepping down in 2015 and their sons John and Richard have also ridden the event.

Diane Horner who carried on the task in 2016, but with Grand-parenting duties taking up a considerable amount of her time, she decided to step down at the last AGM.

Ken Wallis has been keen on the event since he was a small boy, so there is no lack of enthusiasm for the ‘Greatest Trial of them all’ in the Wallis household.

The event attracts 200 competitors from far afield and the trial secretary has just released details of the start numbers and times, so that competitors can make their arrangements in time for the big day. These details are available on the RMC website including a current list of riders along with important information and final instructions. Click HERE

The Scott Trial has an official souvenir programme which is sold at the price of £5.00 with the proceeds all going to local charities, known collectively as the ‘Scott Charities’. The programme is a ‘must have’ for the event as it gives full details of where to watch, where catering is available out on the course and other facilities. Packed full of interesting articles, it will be available to buy from Thursday 5th October onwards, either by post at the slightly higher price of £6.50 or by calling customers from local stockists from Saturday 9th October at the face price of £5.00, details of where to buy are also on the official website. Click HERE

The programme which has 92 pages, will also be available to buy at the start-field where the sales ladies will happily exchange your hard-earned £5 note for a copy on the day.

The first rider leaves the start field at 09:00:00 on Saturday 21st October and the first rider home is usually back at the finish field around 15:00 hours, this is an estimated time, and the actual finish time is dependent on a variety of factors not least the weather and the condition of the course.

The fastest rider sets standard time and as to the winner, well that is always kept under wraps until the presentation of awards that evening around 22:00 at the Richmondshire Cricket Club in Richmond. Entry is free and the awards are preceeded by the Scott Charity Auction which starts around 20:15. Proceeds of the auction again go to the local Scott Charities.

For more information on the Scott Trial: Click HERE

As usual with Autumn settling into the Yorkshire Dales, this can only mean one thing, apart from the falling leaves. The trials world knows that ‘Scott Trial’ fever is in the air.

The annual pilgrimage to the North Yorkshire Dales for the Saturday 21st October begins, and it begins early.

The Scott is a very special event, one that is run for the last twenty-six years by the Richmond Motor Club (Yorkshire) Ltd under it’s Scott Trial committee. The first rider leaves the start field at 09.00 hours prompt.

Each rider, of which there is a maximum of 200, leave at twenty second intervals thereafter.

For spectators there is much to see, a must buy is the event official programme, this is on sale from local outlets two weeks prior to the trial and on the start field on the morning of the event. The price is £5.00 and the sale proceeds of which go to local charities.

If you are not able to be in the area of the start field then you can buy one on line and this is available on the club’s website. HERE

The organisers spend a lot of time obtaining permission and because of this they ask that all spectators respect the fact that they are guests on private property.

The official programme has full details of where you can see all the action, where to park, where to eat at the events’ caterers mobile units and just as important, where not to go.

A complete riders list is included at the rear of the programme so that you can find it quickly to identify the riders. This is no normal trial as on occassion more than one rider is in the section at the same time.

The sections are staffed not only by observers, but also ‘checkers’ whose job is to simply note each riders’ number as they enter a section. This acts as a double check to make sure no rider is missed going through. This means that more than the usual compliment of officials is required.

Please adhere to the organiser’s warnings and instructions, this will ensure the future of this very unique event.

Not all of the course is open to the public. There are specific areas where spectators should avoid as permission is given only for competitors and event marshals only by the landowners. There is good reasons for this as much of the land is protected.

If you have not experienced the Scott Trial, then you don’t know what you have been missing. So get to Richmond on 21st October and watch the Greatest one-day trial of them all.

For SATNAV users, the start field postcode is set as DL11 7LS.

Photographs Copyright and with permission of:

Barry Robinson, Ilkely

John Hulme/Trial Magazine

Charlie Watson, Hull

*The Scott Trial 2017 official programme is the intellectual property of the Richmond Motor Club (Yorks) Ltd.

The 2017 Scott Trial Official Souvenir Programme, in full colour, will be on sale from October 7^th, runs to 92 pages. It is packed with all the information you will need to spectate at the annual classic on Saturday, 21st October including a full rider list, course map and guide to places to watch. As well as being liberally enhanced with historical Scott photos and some features on the event landowners, past and present, there are points of interest which you can read up about when you are waiting for the first riders to arrive!

The programmes will be available at the start-field on the day and from the usual local outlets prior to the event. These include: Richmond Petrol Stations; Cross Lanes Store, Richmond; CJ Tennant & Estate Cafe, Richmond; Neeps & Tatties, Richmond; Smith and Allan, Darlington; Piercebridge Farm Shop; AG Bikes, Low Row etc. plus all the usual Reeth outlets. Priced at £5, all profits made from the sales, as usual, will go directly to The Scott Charities.

Not going to be at the start-field or in these towns? Why not pre-order your copy by post now, the cost is £6.50 including the postage and packing.   This can be done by e-mailing your request to: scotttrial100@gmail.com  Please make the subject line of your e-mail: ‘Scott Trial 2017 Programme Order’ – payment details will be made available by e-mail reply.

We are always looking for something unusual in the world of trials, but here we have discovered a couple of videos from the 2017 SSDT, one of the warmest on record for many years.

If you were there, see if you are on them.

Thanks to (YouTube) Nevis Radio in Fort William and Jitsie.com

Trials Guru – no ordinary trials media – Dedicated to the Sport!

To view, click on the link (opens in a new tab)

Jitsie video: The Adventures of Milky & Jan

Nevis Radio LIVE