For those who don’t know, The Scott Trial 2015 Charity Auction, to be held on the evening of the trial on Saturday 17th October at Richmondshire Cricket Club prior to the results and awards presentation.
The 2015 Scott Trial Programme features James Dabill who won the Centenary Scott in 2014 – Photo credit Joe Burn.
Here is a very special preview of the much awaited 2015 Scott Trial Programme, which this year, is again a full colour edition.
Programme Editor, Julia Robinson would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has helped in any way over the last five years, as she retires from the Scott Trial Programme Editor Role.
Programmes will be available from the usual outlets from the 3rd of October – Richmond Petrol Stations; Richmond Garage Services; The Food Weighhouse; Cross Lanes Stores; Smith and Allan in Darlington; Piercebridge Farm Shop and the usual Reeth outlets for £5.
You can also order now by emailing Julia at: scotttrial100@gmail.com (£6.50 including postage).
Julia Robinson enjoys a nice glass of wine after completing her fifth Scott Trial programme. Photo: Laura Robinson, Richmond.
Trials Guru met up with Julia Robinson, the editor of the Scott Trial programme for the past five years.
Trials Guru: OK Julia, how did you first get involved with the Scott Trial, who asked you and how did you find the time to do it?
“My husband Paul, a trials rider joined the Scott Trial Committee in 2010 and duly went to his first meeting, when he came home he looked a little sheepish “what have you volunteered for?” I asked. “Nothing” comes his reply “I have volunteered YOU to do the programme, don’t worry, you can still observe and really there’s nothing to it!”
I didn’t think that after my first two full days of trying to make the all the wording fit round Eric Kitchen’s perfect photograph of James Dabill, that front cover was definitely the hardest of all.
That first year in 2011 was definitely tough work, Bernadette Tennant and Barbara Walker, my predecessors, helped me stay afloat with advice and encouragement, it’s always good to have the experience of others, they give you the confidence and knowledge to succeed.
I’ve said many times in my five programmes that it was and remains an honour to be involved in the Scott Trial, with its huge band of volunteers and the Scott trial Committee who work tirelessly to put on the event. As a family it fills us with pride as my late father-in-law would have been so proud of us all, The Scott is like a good glass of ‘prosecco’, you always want a bit more!
I have been honoured to share some great stories with our bright future riders, world champions and Past stalwarts of the sport of trials, its such a buzz when your Inbox has names like Sammy Miller and Dougie Lampkin popping up. Letting everyone read their experiences, pain and endurance is the icing on the cake. Also working with some of the best photographers, not just the traditional names but others who have just shown a natural talent for taking trial photographs like John and Sylvia at Digital Swaledale and Joe Burn whose fantastic photograph is on the front cover.
Working with all these riders, photographers and also those that advertise is just so rewarding, you are always thinking about those who have collected the Scott programme from the year dot, you want each years to be fresh but still traditional, it is a hard but fulfilling task.
The time I have spent has always been fun (except the last two weeks to deadline). But when you see that final proof and share it with those who are Scott specialists, it just fills you with pride.
Unfortunately though it is now just a time thing, I have a new day job that is very busy and is mainly thanks to The Scott as it is in charity work, which is also rewarding but demanding. It is just the right time to hand over the reins and give someone else the chance to taste and share Scott History!
Trials Guru: Many thanks to you Julia for taking time out to talk to us and we all wish you all the best in your new day job and thanks for the effort you have put in over the last five years to the famous Scott Trial programme, a publication that is always sold out and highly sought after by trials enthusiasts the world over.
Trials Guru will be at the Scott again. Here John Moffat has a quick chat with Emma Bristow at the 2014 event at the start field at Marske, near Richmond, North Yorks. Firts man away at 09:00 riders leave at 20 second intervals. – Photo: Trial Magazine.
Remember that the famous Scott Trial takes place on Saturday, 17th October.
Scott Trial Souvenir Programmes will be available at all the usual outlets from the 3rd of October onwards:
Richmond Petrol Station, Richmond Garage Services, The Food Weigh-house, Cross Lanes Stores, Smith and Allan in Darlington, Piercebridge Farm Shop, AG Bikes at Low Row, priced at £5. You can also order now by emailing Julia Robinson, programme co-ordinator at scotttrial100@gmail.com (£6.50 including postage).
All surpluses as usual will go to The Scott Charities.
Councillor John Blackie, leader of Richmondshire District Council is an enthusiastic supporter of the Scott Trial. Photo copyright: The Westmorland Gazette.
Last year the Scott Trial celebrated its’ centenary and the event was started by local councillor and leader of Richmondshire District Council, Mr John Blackie from Hawes. Cllr. Blackie is a very enthusiastic supporter of the Scott Trial and has been official start flag man for some years now. Cllr Blackie is always made welcome to the Scott Trial start field, which is just off the Reeth to Marske road.
The Scott is a fantastic event, where fastest rider sets standard time, so if you have little to do on Saturday 17th October, the Scott Trial is the event to be at!
See you there!
Information provided by Julia Robinson, Scott Trial Programme Co-Ordinator/Editor.
Don Morley riding his ex-works 250cc Greeves Anglian in the 1995 Pre’65 Scottish Trial. Photo Copyright: Iain Lawrie, Kinlochleven, Scotland. When Don Morley was made aware of this very image, he was keen to obtain a copy and willing to pay for it. Iain Lawrie immediately provided Don with a copy with his compliments!
Words: Trials Guru
Photos: Don Morley; Iain Lawrie & John Knight
Trials Guru recognises the talents of a man from Redhill, Reigate in Surrey who has brought literally thousands of wonderful and exciting colour sporting images into magazines, periodicals and books the world over. His name is Don Morleyand what’s more he’s a trials rider! Well actually, Don is a frustrated road racer at heart as he didn’t have the funds available to race when he was a young man, so took up trials riding instead, being the less expensive motorcycle sport option!
Don Morley aboard his 1949 ex-factory Royal Enfield (HWP731) – Morley is an acknowledged expert on the marque. (Photo supplied by Don Morley for this article from his personal collection)
Described as the ‘Godfather’ of sports photography by Fast Bikes Magazinein the article they ran on Don in their September 2010 edition, Morley is respected the world over by riders, athletes and team managers because of his uncanny ability to press the button just at the right moment.
Raised in Derby, Don started taking photographs for a living in the 1950’s when it was all glass negatives, progressing to processed roll film. He began his motorcycle photography as a staff photographer with Motor Cycle News in 1957.
Morley is a 100% professional sports photographer, joining forces with Tony Duffy’s “All-Sport International Photographic Agency/Don Morley” in the 1970’s, his images of sporting events and competitors are highly sought after around the globe.
Puiblished by Osprey, Don Morley’s book on Classic British Two-Stroke Trials Bikes is a much sought after publication. Truly a collectors item now.
Don is also an accomplished author, writing several books which include: Classic British Trials Bikes& Classic British Two-Stroke Trials Bikes; Spanish Trials Bikesand Trials: – A Riders Guide, to name but four!
Published by Osprey in 1984, Don Morley’s Classic British Trials Bikes book was a top seller. Original copies fetch high prices to this day.“TT – In Camera”, One of the many titles written by Don Morley over the years, with foreword by Geoff Duke.
Morley has photographed many events, not just sporting events, witnessed the Munich Olympic Games terrorism atrocity to name but one major international incident and much, much more. He has had a varied and interesting life as a sports photographer.
Don has owned several ex-factory trials machines in his time as a rider, including the Johnny Brittain Royal Enfield 500 Bullet HNP331 and another ex-factory Enfield, LUY86. He appeared in the BBC TV series, ‘Perpetual Motion’ in an edition which covered the Royal Enfield and Enfield of India story in 1992. Morley is an acknowledged expert on the Royal Enfield marque. He built a few special trials machines including a BSA B40 and also wrote a series of articles on the development of four-stroke trials machines for the ‘Classic Motor Cycle’.
Don Morley (right) recieves his chain of office from Chairman, Ken Brady – Photo: John Knight (former British Trophy team member ISDT)
Don was one of the first to take up Pre’65 trials competition back in the early 1980’s on an ex-Brian ‘Tiger’ Payne AJS.
The one thing you notice about Don is his serious nature, he is a professional after all, he took photographs to make a living, but he does have a good sense of humour as well.
Trials Guru’s John Moffat met Don Morley many years ago at the Pre’65 Scottish at Kinlochleven, initially it was a frosty meeting as ‘The Guru’ intimated that Don had made a “slight mistake with a factory registration number” in one of his books! After a good frank chat, it was all ended very amicably, as this was merely an amateur enthusiast correcting a professional. Let’s face it EVERYONE can make a mistake. Happily, from that day on ‘Trials Guru’ and Don Morley have been good friends, their paths crossing occasionally and they are always happy to meet each other.
Don saw the funny side of the argument and said jokingly: “John, that’s OK, as long as you don’t want Osprey to reprint my book to make a correction!”
Morley once took a photo of ‘The Guru’ on his G3C Matchless with the great Gordon Jackson standing alongside, at Kinlochleven, the machine which was loaned to Jackson for the 2000 parade at the Scottish Six Days. The image has been a prized possession of ‘The Guru’ ever since.
Photo copyright: Don Morley (All Rights Reserved)
So, the next time you see a photo credit as “All-Sport/Don Morley” under an image of a racing bike at speed, you can say that this image was taken by a true enthusiast and … a trials rider!
Don Morley, Reigate, Surrey, England. – Trials Gurusalutes you, because you are an enthusiast as well as a photographic professional. – Thank you also for the kind permission to use one of your wonderful photographs on this website.
Beyond the call of duty! – Don Morley was lying on his side taking this shot of racer Dennis Ireland on his RG500 Suzuki. Unfortunately the throttles stuck wide open, the machine went out of control just a split second after Morley clicked the button. Don suffered a broken leg, Ireland more serious injuries, spending five months in hospital, having eleven operations on leg, ankle foot and tendons. A truly evocative image taken by a true professional. – Photo: strictly not for reproduction without permission of Don Morley – All Rights Reserved. Worldwide copyright.
The intellectual property formerly of ‘All-Sport’ photograph agency is now owned by Getty Images UK.
Please remember, all Don Morley’s photographs and those of his company ‘All-Sport’ are world-wide copyright and must not be used without prior express permission.
The ACU Benevolent Fund, the only registered UK charity that provides for motorcycle riders, has just benefited by the tune of 200 GBP from initial sales of John Moffat’s book, Motorcycle Competition: Scotland 1975-2005.
Released for sale on 30th March, 2015, it covers the four main motorcycle sports organised in Scotland during that time frame and features many of the Scottish champions who went on to British, European and even World championship status.
The book’s forward was written by eight times TT winner, Jim Moodie and has 134 pages and over 200 photographs, many never seen before from photographers such as Eric Kitchen, Jan Burgers, Graham Milne, Jimmy Young, Iain Lawrie and Ronnie Weir plus many more.
Copies are still available online through Trial Magazine UK website: Here
The ACU are delighted at receiving the sum of money, every penny of which goes to rider benefit.
James Dabill gives Vertigo its first national championship win …
Dougie Lampkin celebrates with James Dabill (Centre) the Vertigo Combat first national championship. Photo copyright: Trial Magazine/Trials Media – 2015.
Dougie Lampkin won this years’ Scottish Six Days so now the Vertigo can claim to be SSDT winner and British Championship winners in the same year.
Dougie Lampkin will be the official UK importer when the machines are available for general sale later in the year.
Photo Courtesy and copyright of: Trial Magazine UK/Trials Media.
Trials Guru is always looking for something new or old, unseen or forgotten….
‘Kimages’ photographs are copyright: Kimages/Kim Ferguson, Fort William.
We have just added two new ‘selections’ on the front page which link into photo collections of ‘Kimages – Trials Photos‘ and ‘Heather Mead – SSDT Photos‘.
Both are female photographers who have built up a sizeable archive of trials photographs over the last couple of years, particularly at the Scottish Six Days as these are Scottish based photographers.
Kim has lived in the Fort William area most of her life and has a love for motorcycle sport and trials in particular having grown up with the SSDT passing her door-step. Her brother rode in trials too, so there are family connections.
Heather became involved taking photos at the Parc Ferme in Fort William, a place that is usually inaccessible to spectators, so we can see SSDT competitors preparing for their daily battle with the terrain and elements.
SSDT 2013 An official goes over the route card with rider 20, Ian Thompson – Photo Copyright: Heather Mead Photography, Dingwall.
Heather Mead and Kimages (Kim Ferguson) have recently given Trials Guru permission to display their handy-work. Please remember photographs are copywritten and are the property of the photographer, so please be respectful of that. There is no implied permission to post these images anywhere else unless by express permission of the copy-holder. This also applies to our other photographers, Jimmy Young, Armadale; Jeremy Whittet; Neil Sturgeon; John Hulme; Iain Lawrie, Kinlochleven or any other images on this website.
Trials Guru have used some individual photos, which are the property of Mortons Media, Hornchurch this was done with their prior and express permission, for legal reasons, these are not for onward publication.
TRS ONE – Launched by former World Trials Champion, Jordi Tarres. The official UK importer is 10 times consecutive British Champion, Steve Saunders.
TRS launches to hit the market strongly with the new TRSONE.
The new trial Brand announced its creation end 2013 and is now ready to
start the definitive arrival with the new trial model TRSONEin three
displacements, 300, 280 and 250 cc.
During these two years previous to the presentation of the bike, the TRS
engineers and technical crew, have used the support from all kind of
professionals contributing to assure the right and proper evolution, reliability
and quality of the model itself.
TRS will soon start its production at the industrial facilities that the brand has
in Sant Fruitós del Bages (Barcelona), where the company has the R & D
department and from where bikes and other related products will de supplied
to the domestic market and the rest of the world (North and South America,
Europe as a whole, Japan and Australia).
TRS has arrived precisely on a tumultuous situation concerning the world of
trial in general terms and some of its factories more concretely, with a full
business plan for both, the product and the sporting activity.
SOME WORDS FROM JORDI TARRES: “TRS was born thanks to our passion for
Trial and experience accumulated over more than 30 years.
Due to the size of the project, we decided to work with lot of care since its
conception, design and industrialization using always the best and most
advanced technologies.
We have achieved our goal, a compact and light motorcycle in terms of weight,
with the necessary reliability and robustness to fight against any kind of
obstacle.
We have managed to supply a new and different feeling when riding it, due to
its geometry and suspension, becoming a real attractive and easy adaptation
for al kind of riders regardless of their level.
65 kg. offers a real feeling of lightness without damaging stability and giving the
real possibility to climb up to the top.
The engine has been developed and designed specifically for the practice of
trial, taking into consideration each and every single part of it to ensure the
best performance and maximum power, and placing inside numerous technical
improvements that make it unique in the market.
We have brought the bike at the highest level of “stress” during the time of
development and testing, to ensure the best success when reaching the
market”.
Prices are yet to be released, the official UK importer is Steve Saunders who is confident that supplies of this new machine will be available in the UK by October, 2015.
TRIALS GURU - DEDICATED TO TRIAL 