Mud!

[eiger]

Anyone out there ride the Macc trial on Saturday evening?
It was windy on the ridge but sheltered on the sections which were slippy and one or two cut up a bit more than expected, as did the route between sections. But despite the awful weather recently and the sweat inducing course, the rain stayed off and those that took part went home tired, muddy but happy.
The butty van run by the husband and wife partnership was most welcome too, the husband left his other half to supply the grub while he took his Beamish Suzuki round the white route in only his second trial.
A testing event but great fun and nowt stupid either, bloody tasty butties too!
On another (sadder) note, some of you will have seen a letter last week from Alan Nixon in the TMX (Alan is the sec for the North Derbyshire Youth club) expressing his dismay at the attitude of a parent towards an observer at the recent C and D class National run by Alan and his team at Victory Quarry.
In this weeks issue you can see a reply from someone else defending the parent (it may be the parent himself) but it smacks of sour grapes and a lack of understanding to say the least.
The observer was a regular macc stalwart who helped set out, organise, plan, prepare, coach, observe and when he got chance, he sometimes competed.
It would appear that we have now lost an important member of the club thanks to the rants of some bully who needs a lesson in manners.
Food for thought.
Eiger

[Man17]

Eiger,

I was at the NDY C&D trial you mentioned, and whilst I didn't personally witness the verbal attack on the observer in question, I was appalled by the behaviour of some of the parents who attended.

YES, they spend a lot of time and effort and money, ferrying their budding Dougie Lampkin up and down the country to attend these rounds, BUT somewhere along the road some of them lost the key ingredient to any kid thriving and continuing in a sport once they get old enough to make their own minds up, "ENJOYMENT!".

SOME of the kids looked like they would look forward to root-canal surgery more than riding the next section, as their Sergeant-Major style fathers marched up and down the section bellowing instructions to their little ones, and questioned why they had the audacity to ride a different line than they had been instructed to!

Now, as usual, 80% of the parent were impeccable in their behaviour, encouraging their little ones through the sections, and congratulating their efforts whether they fived or cleaned it, BUT the other 20% made many (most?) of us there, seriously consider whether we would want to get involved in a similar event again.

Will NDY which is run with much dedication & effort by Alan Nixon, (who I am sure he wont mind me saying, is not in the best of health), and his wife Ruth, bother to apply next year? I don't know, BUT I know if they do, that unfortunately they will probably struggle getting the same team of observers who were there this time round? That is no reflection on the club, but the parents in question!

The parents need to remember that an unpaid volunteer who has given up his/her day to help run/observe at an event and has sometimes travelled a reasonable distance themselves(again at their own expense) doesn't need the abuse, questioning and near on physical intimidation that some experienced!

[sagsag]

Yeah, considering that it was round 3 of the SUMMER series, it was very wet and muddy but i don't think the sections were over the top. Were they? despite me having an shocking ride!!

On the topic of the recent National trial at Victory Quarry. This kind of behaviour has been present within the trials community for many years now. It is one of the reasons why I "retired" from the sport, aged 16. I have always ridden trials for enjoyment and to meet people and if I have a good ride, then thats a bonus. I totally agree that many parents will spend a small fortune traveling the country (as mine did over the years!!) but that is definatley no excuse for that kind of behaviour to the observers/officials or even their own kids!!

I think it is about time that such outbursts are highlighted and the ACU are made aware. Yes, it probably won't change the attitiudes of some parents but something needs to be done. After all, these lads riding the Nationals are the future of our sport and I believe they should get all the help and assistance they need, if the want to succeed but unfortunately while certain people still act like cave men, is it going to happen???

Anyway on a lighter note, it hasn't raing here for nearly 2 days!!! Does that mean summer if finally here?

[eiger]

Sagsag, thought the sections were spot-on pal, nothing dangerous and everyone said they enjoyed it.
Man17, yes its a sad situation when those hard working volunteers within the sport start to wonder whether its really worth the hassle. I've also witnessed a decline in the number of riders in a trial who actually take the time to thank the observers for spending their valuable time and helping out, sign of the times perhaps?
I've sent a letter to Mannix Devlin at the Trials and Motocross News this week giving my opinion for what its worth and here is a copy:
After having read the letter in TMX dated 11thJuly from Alan Nixon regarding an allegedly abusive parent at the C and D National run by the excellent North Derbyshire Youth club and then the reply in last weeks edition by a parent (?) I felt compelled to reply.
First of all, the observer in question is an experienced, dedicated and hardworking bloke who I have spent many hours with both at meetings to organise trials, coaching classes, competing in trials, route marking, course marking etc etc and for anyone to suggest he is or has made a mountain out of a molehill is totally unjust.
He has devoted his precious time through a love of the sport and the camaraderie that exists within clubs and continues to promote healthy competition and that element of participation I once called fun!
It is worthy of note that an independant parent phoned Alan to state that he was ashamed to have witnessed the incident, also the fact that the ACU steward on the day - Penny Ludgate - had also informed the ACU of the incident carries credance.
As a family we have been involved in trials for over thirty years but my wife will no longer volunteer to observe at trials where there is a C or D class because of the pressure put on her by what she refers to as the 'brat pack parents' questioning her judgement.
Most observers are prepared to spend their time stood in mostly awful weather conditions, watching competitors ride the same section for hours on end but they are always the same crew. Just like brat pack Mum or Dad are the same who run round after their offspring shouting and bawling but never volunteering to help.
Observers differ in their viewpoint, but it is not an exact science and there are fair and balanced systems in place to challenge decisions in a proper manner.
If the 'observer in question' leaves our trials family it will be a very sad loss and I hope the perpetrator has the integrity to put himself forward as a replacement, a fact I doubt his CV would even get close to meeting.
Iappreciate most parents of the younger riders are decent people who are out to make sure the whole family enjoy themselves and to encourage your child to ride well and improve is undoubtedly natural. But clubs should not hesitate to ban any parent from their trials if their behaviour becomes unacceptable.
Rant over!! ;D

[sagsag]

Well said Eiger, agree totally !!!!

[Man17]

'ere 'ere!!

[sandmseccy]

Having just attended a meeting tonite planning the Charity Trial at Heaton House Farm on August Bank Holiday Monday, I've been made aware of the problem at the C&D National recently. I fully endorse all the comments already made by the other contributors, even though I wasn't there at the time!
The point I want to make is that we can all chunter on about this till the cows come home but I suspect that the guilty parties in this aren't even aware of this forum, let alone look at it. (No reflection on the forum). The letter sent in to Mannix Devlin is the best hope of getting the message home where required.
To the "injured party" in all of this, I would say - please don't let the actions of a mindless few affect your obvious enjoyment of this sport of ours, the vast majority of people respect and appreciate all the effort you put in. I suspect that a good few of the people who read these items would like to get their hands round the necks of these morons - me for one!

[eiger]

Thanks for the replies folks, and yes sandmsecccy totally agree, although I could not condone the strangulation of those who give the observers mither!! Unless it was prolonged and extremely painful and included other forms of torture!
Spent this weekend trialsing, rode the Man17 trial at Hawks Nest on Saturday then observed at the Man17 Dead Easy on Sunday and really enjoyed the weekend.
Most trials enthusiasts are decent people and after a bit of fun and volunteers should be encouraged not discouraged.
Eiger