The 2023 Beta Trials bikes are in the UK - this is one of the very dedicated Trials dealers showing off the new models - Red beauty’s - Get your order in TODAY with Outlaw if you want one.
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A great shot of the new 2022 World Enduro-cross Champion - Jonny Walker (Beta)Â from the UK - Yes another former Trials rider. ( Sorry if the pic is a bit Squished - still cant figure out how to downsize them)
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We have posted quite a bit about the Two day Costa Brava Trial in Spain, which appears to be bigger and attracting more riders every year. - This at a time when the sport is struggling World wide to attract more than 40-50 riders at most events. - except of course for the Scottish !!! So what is it that makes some events more popular than others? - ( Perhaps a Scottish without rain?)
.After mulling this over for quite some time - it is my opinion that Location has a lot to do with this and perhaps the nice weather, making it a happy time for family and camping. - Imagine being in the UK on a rainy day and saying to your wife ” Fancy a weekend in Spain”?
Having said that - in my many years of promoting Trials - I can tell you this - I have put on events in the worst ever, and the best possible conditions, in both Alberta and BC - plus I have attended the Scottish Six Days as a spectator, three times. - This Trial is in my opinion THE best in the World. ( In spite of the fact that I got cold and wet most days.
Although I’m obviously a bit biased - I think the best Trials have been in Summerland on the long weekend every year - ( Location - Location) we always had over 60-70 riders ( sometimes around 90) and perhaps it was because of all the things I mentioned above - people came back year after year. - I believe they also liked the long loops we put on as well as the camping and the traditional Saturday night around the camp fire - lots of story telling in those days. We always kept the sections “Traditional” with the odd “Biggy” to test the top Experts.
I remember reading once an article by somebody who said there should be just “ONE” section on the loop that only the winning Expert  makes it through!! ( Not sure I agree with that)
.Now we are attracting more riders to our Shuswap events - because they are FUN and people can camp out and enjoy the social aspect with a Saturday night bonfire - the kids enjoy this as well. Remember Trials has ALWAYS been a family thing.
- We certainly appreciate all the efforts Ross, Judy, Martin and Julie do to help our sport.
One final point I would make is that a good trial is not laid out on a Saturday afternoon before the Sunday start !! - In my day I would often change the line on some sections 2-3 times after thinking about the various lines by the riders we expected. In other words it takes a LOT of thought to get things right.
Another misconception is that you need a bunch of people to set up a Trial at least in Canada - better to have one or two helpers who can hang the ribbons and clear obstacles, than a bunch of “Free riders” - who just want to learn the route and maybe come back out to practice when nobody is around ! Yes we have seen it all.  ( Naturally large events such as the World Round we did in 1975 required a lot of help - as I recall we had around 80 checkers - try getting those numbers these days)
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If I posted this as a quiz - nobody would get it - the rider is David Tye a BSA Factory rider competing in the Scott Trial in 1954 - He was better known as a Scrambles rider and was a regular at our local events run by the Oswestry Club - His younger brother Jonathan was an RAF Pilot flying Vulcan bombers.
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The Edmonton Newspaper recently did an article on 78 year old Steen Hanson - the former Husvarna Importer - we knew Steen fairly well back in the day - but seeing his name come up on FB - reminded me of a funny story - we were in a Alberta Cross Country race ( can’t remember which one likely a Moose Mountain event) - I was crossing a Muskeg “Meadow” and came up behind Steen on one of the narrow tracks - suddenly he veered off to the left, to take a short cut into the trees up ahead, - then just as quickly he vanished as he dropped into one of the narrow but very deep creeks that were so overgrown, you couldn’t see them. I have to admit that I laughed as I stayed on the well used line - I never did find out how long it took Steen to extract himself. - As a Moto-Cross guy he had not learned just how deceptive some of the terrain is in the Mountains of Alberta.
A couple of things I learned about racing Cross Country - The race isn’t won in the first 20 miles - beware of light green muskeg - trees don’t bend and taking a couple of seconds to check out a river crossing, can save you a lot of time and frustration.
Did you know that I sold Husky for Steen a short time while a partner in Kelowna Yamaha !! I think all of the first batch of bikes needed the side cases replaced because of the wrong anti-freeze eating through behind the water pump. ( Similar to the 92 Beta Zero with magnesium cases) - I did get to ride the Automatic Husky, the model which was ridden to much success in the States by Terry Cunningham - that was a fun bike.
Below is a pic of me that just popped up on FB - I’m just coming into the pits after day #1 of the Moose Mountain two day 200 mile Cross Country. - I’m riding the new 1976 Yamaha Canada IT 400. - I was surprised to grab 3rd Open and 6th overall in a Star studded field that included former World MX Champion Jeff Smith. ( Pic by Babsy) - check out my “Iron Jaw” - I never could get used to a full face helmet.
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Nice shot of one of the English gals getting some practice in on her Beta - ( I see she has an S3 header pipe or maybe Mitani ? -Â so could be a 125 model)
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Big dump of snow overnight - HUMBUG.
UPDATE !! Answer to yesterday’s quiz Town Hall Brae - in Fort William. - an easy one for all our regular readers!! Pete Varey was first at 6.30 am followed by John from the UK at 6.31am !!!
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