Update 20/11/20
Despite the necessary cancellation of the trial a total of £1705 has been raised for charity the vast majority of which was from riders who donated their pre-paid entry fees, thanks to everyone who did so it is much appreciated. As these funds are already with the ACU, who support this event every year, it is appropriate the whole amount is donated to the ACU Benevolent Fund. In this year, for obvious reasons, the Ben Fund is likely to be in higher than usual demand for members who have fallen on hard times so it is great for those who can afford it to help out less fortunate members via the fund. Thanks and well done to all concerned from the Horsforth Club team.
Horsforth & DMC Ltd; Bob Owen Memorial Trial November 2020.
Saturday the 7thNovember 2020 should have seen the running of the 32ndBob Owen Memorial Trial at Parkwood Offroad Centre, who have allowed use of this venue since the inaugural event on 16thNovember 1988. Over these years Horsforth & DMC Ltd have overcome many problems to run this, their annual charity trial and in the process have donated over £70k. from the entry fees and donations.
However, Covid 19 is one problem we were unable to overcome. After attempts to run at a reduced level to deal with West Yorkshires tier 3 classification, the national lockdown and the blanket ban on ACU events from the 5thNovember saw the cancelation.
With an entry of over 90 well before they were due to close, West Yorkshire was put into tier 3. This meant that those entrants not in the area would not be able to attend. We contacted them and had a wonderful response with most donating all or part of entry fees. This left us with about 60 plus, but the lockdown and ACU announcement meant we had to contact the remainder. Again, response was fantastic and we will be donating these fees to the ACU Ben Fund.
Margaret Carter, Yorkshire Centre Ben Fund Officer and Treasurer and Trustee of the fund said “I am overwhelmed by the generosity of the riders and would particularly like to thank Graham Wilson and all the Officials from Horsforth & DMC Ltd for all their hard work. The ACU Benevolent Fund was set up in April 1950 and is the only Charity out there to help past and present members of the ACU and their dependents in times of financial hardship. In 2019 the Fund paid out just short of £84,000 to those who needed help and it relies totally upon donations. Sadly, like many Charities this year we have seen a considerable fall in donations. However, we are always grateful and appreciative to Horsforth & DMC for their continued support of the Benevolent Fund especially with their Bob Owen Memorial Trial and we wish everyone at the Club all the best for the coming year”.
The Club are ever grateful to the help and response we get and have had over the years from the riders, observers and officials, that has enabled us to have run this event successfully for so long, particularly this year, with the generosity of the entrants donating fees to the cause.
Horsforth & DMC Ltd
5th November 2020
Second Update on 1/11/20
Now that Boris has announced a nationwide lockdown from 5/11/20 the ACU have subsequently confirmed we can’t run the Bob Owen Charity Trial on the 7th. Some riders have already, very kindly, said for us to hang on to the entry fee to donate to charity. Further info on refunds etc to follow.
Update 30/10/20 – Now that West Yorkshire is in Covid tier 3 we have consulted with the ACU and they confirm we can still run the Bob Owen Trial as long as we only have riders and officials from the West Yorkshire area (and stick to the usual Covid rules). Non-eligible entrants will be contacted and refunded.
Covid19 rules require that we don’t have too many riders per section and as each section needs an observer the number of riders we can allow to enter is dependent on the number of observers we can get.
So to run a successful trial we need the necessary numbers of observers and we need to know this in advance, so riders please bring an observer if you can, let us know you are doing so on the online entry and those riders will get priority if the event is oversubscribed (which is likely if there are insufficient observers).
Regular observers from both Horsforth and other local clubs are of course always welcome and it will be helpful to know in advance if you can help (contact Graham W on 07772 724078). As this is our Annual Charity trial, observers provide their services free on this one occasion).
Event is ‘Open’ i.e. all ACU members are eligible to enter UPDATE 30/10/20 – Only riders from west yorkshire can attend
Please note, there must be no spectators and no dogs at this trial.
This trial will be run under Covid 19 restrictions, for example;
Online pre-entry and payment via ACU website, final entries Friday prior or when entries full, Go to ACU website and search out Online Event Entry, entries are open from 13/10
Limit on rider numbers NB RIDERS BRINGING AN OBSERVER WILL HAVE PRIORITY, (please advise us via online Entry),
after which on a first come first saved basis
Rider entry confirmation and riding number advised by email
Please do not leave litter
This is our Annual Charity Event which has raised £60k over the years
Stop Allowed rules, there will be 3 routes, severity is harder than a club series trial (so not suited to a beginner) but not as hard as a centre trial
There will be a separate Kids conducted course
More than the usual number of sections so please come and observe if you are not riding. As this is a charity trial, Observers funds are donated to charity.
Please don’t leave litter
Postcode BD4 0RR or What3Words Tones.Reef.Emerge
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