enduro news
© Bob Mullins   

South Reading MCC

A lovely summer's morning greeted us and the riders for South Reading MCC's final visit to Ashdown Farm, Blewbury in Oxfordshire this year for the annual "Jack Stocker Trophy", A 6 mile loop consisting of 3 woods, 2 motocross tracks, and open fields.

Experts and Overall
Paul Armstrong got away hard and fast at the start and made the most of this to pull a very substantial lead early on from Chris Pratt, Gav Maggs , Mark (The Kerbinator) Kirby and Steve White, was not long before The Kerbinator got into second and got onto the tail of Paul and passed around the halfway mark which the spectators loved especially as Paul would not let go easy and clung on to The Kerbinator for as long as he could but eventually The Machine pulled away and left Paul being chased by 2 girls in the guise of Jane Daniels and Katie Walker, not sure what happened to Katie but she dropped back quite a bit in the closing stages, Jane seemed to be getting better as the event wore on and looked very focused and determined to catch Paul and The Kerbinator, Paul did his upmost to hold her at bay but Jane just got him by 20 seconds for runners up spot but no denying The Machine Mark Kirby on a faultless ride, 4th and getting some much deserved good results recently was London Fire Brigades Darren Lee, 5th and very much at home at Ashdown was the man in black Dan Brundell, 6th Ben Anstie who seems to be liking the Hare n Hounds/Enduro scene, all the top 6 completed 11 laps, 7th Pete Garrard, 8th Lee Brinkworth, 9th Graham Burton, 10th Arnaud Didey, 11th and the fastest lap of the day to Ash Williamson who sadly had a moment hitting his head on a low branch so took a breather for a while and it was then a case of playing catch up, 12th Gav Maggs, 13th Chris Pratt, 14th Jack Hooper who does have some bad luck and i am not sure when he last finished an event, so Hoops your goal is to get that bloody bike sorted and show us your true worth as you have talent but you need to finish to be a winner buddy, 15th Steve White had a secret moment with a tree that ended with a bent brand new bike but both bike and rider will be fine.

Clubman A
Very much on expert pace was winner Jack Liddiard who was only rider in class to complete 11 laps and very much the showman and with the fastest lap in the class it was a very good day for Jack, Lee Barthram will be happy with runners up spot as i think it was only his 2nd outing this year, 3rd another showman in the air was Brendan McDonagh who always does well here at Ashdown, 4th Graham Reid, 5th to a very new looking James Browning (Slim Jim) who has lost some considerable bodyweight and that has improved his riding and fitness no end, 6th Tim Metcalf, 7th to Red Bike John who so very nearly looped his bike in front of me and his good lady on the wooded motocross track, 8th Niles Reid who could not quite keep up with Dad Graham today, 9th Steven Cooper who seems to be liking the enduro scene and can see him climbing the ranks if he persists, 10th Katie Walker sadly not the result she deserved as running top 5 overall until the final stages, 11th David Luff who without doubt was the X Games star today with some outstanding skills and find it hard to believe he was this far down the results, 12th to my buddy Donovan Pearce who won my award for sexiest bike hands down and was shooting the breeze with confidence, 13th Tom Harbon, 14th Dom Wilson who had a bad first lap and seemed to be playing catch up but posted some very fast top 5 laps which will be a good consolation, Roger Newport 15th, 16th Noel James, 17th Manny Bernardez who looked a damn sight better that 17th and was very confident looking each time i saw him although his Mum was here to watch and as she not seen him ride for well over 12 mths he may have been over trying, (was great to see Mummy B though), 18th Chris Hillier who does not ride as often as he would like and as the event wore on his confidence grew and that was visible in his riding although he was probably still sulking after being told off like a naughty schoolboy at scrutineering which at one point i thought that they may be needing another scrutineer after Chris had kicked him all round the paddock :, Dean Southernwood 19th and another rider who seemed to be going well consistently lap after lap and result does an injustice, Chris O'Grady finishing off the top 20, other notables, Adam Playford completed 9 laps and doesn't he like to nose dive, Anton Bell on the green meanie also 9 laps, Gary Woods also 9 laps and looked very happy in the air but lost time in the gnarly woods, Aaron Boot 8 laps completed along with Jake Dormer, Stuart Davy was feeling happy out there so had early bath and lives to fight another day, Jamie Backhouse was having fun as he always does but never takes it too seriously and was seen propping up the burger van after the 2 hour mark lol, Alex Taylor was having first ride back after back injury and realised halfway through a dry hard Ashdown is not the best place for backs so pulled in to stop any further damage, Daniel Cooper flew for a lap and that was the last i saw him so i presume the MX rider had bike problem.

Clubman B
Guy Breeze very made this class his own and would have won Clubman A with his 11 laps and fastest lap in class by some margin, the ever youthful John Austin who very much loves Ashdown rode his ass off for runners up spot and 10 laps, 3rd and another great result for London Fire Brigade rider John Gilbertson who when finishes seems to finish well, Big George Leyland i thought would struggle in the heat and certain parts of the loop but how wrong was i and was surprised at his lap consistency over the 3 hours and a very much deserved 4th spot, 5th to Chris Welch who was without any of his partners in crime and maybe that helped his concentration at Top 5 in this company is a great result, Ben Green was very lively over the 3 hours and was very much the showman of the class got 6th, 7th to Brett Hohls who rode the best i have personally seen and rode well for the 3 hours and to me looked fitter on the bike, 8th Robert Atkins, 9th Ian Mace who kept consistent lap times throughout and as usual never looked out of shape, Finishing off the Top 10 went to the astronaut of Ashdown Liam Gorvin who simply wants to fly not ride lol, Other Notables, Jon Casey 14th with 9 laps, Fiona Newport 15th, Ashley Jones 16th, Tim Lunn 17th who had a great day and very much enjoyed the loop, 18th Matthew Seare, 19th Jonathan Canning, 22nd Alex Mace who would have been considerably higher if he had not crashed towards the end and a very battered and bruised Alex this week, Top road racer and former racing rival of mine Mark Lister who looked like he was having fun away from the hard core competitiveness of road racing and managed 7 laps, Danny Burgess 7 laps on a mini bike or he has been on steroids, London Fire Brigade's Ben Young 7 laps who looked lively for the first 90 mins but looked a bit jaded after that, Kev Miller who tried to run me over or at least land on me struggled in the latter stages and ended up dehydrated which tarnished his day and to make matters worse Terry Carter beat him, Greg Scanlon completed 7 laps, Andy (What Belly) Marriner was flying and very much on for a top 10 but the way he beasts that little Husky it was not surprising when it broke but some great riding from Andy, Keirren Genge just managed to beat his buddy Ashley Smith but Ashley got the fastest lap of the pair so it looks like in the words of Harry Hill "FIGHT", Alan James snapped his chain on the first lap and did not get going till gone the halfway mark so a credible 5 completed laps, Robert Knight was riding well and looked well in contention but pulled out early with horrendous palm blisters that looked very sore and painful, my good buddy Justin Spalding pulled out early as did not like the loop and in his words "If i am not enjoying, what's the point of carrying on" .

Sportsman
Daniel Dicker wins class and gets fastest lap and would have been top 6 in Clubman B with 10 laps to his credit, no longer a Sportsman now, 2nd Neal Wailing who rode well throughout the event and had a great level of consistency a very much deserved podium, final podium went to 15yr old Paul Jones who to be honest looks about 6 (Only kidding Paul) but what a great result for the Rugby Union fanatic from Gloucester on the wee 85 KTM, Lee Boulden 4th, 5th to "The Hood" otherwise known as Matt Casey who had a great ride, 6th and another finish for Nick Summers who will be a different man when he sells that bike, i promise, 7th for Lee Blackburn and another good result and is now on Clubman B pace which shows great improvement over the months, John Tarr 8th, James Cross 9th, and Steve Tull finished off the Top 10, Other Notables, John Brown 11th and a victory over son Josh 25th whom i believe had bike problems, 12th and a good ride out for Jeremy Leamy who looked good throughout, Catherine Smith completed 7 laps and as usual consistent and ever smiling and what cool graphics she has, George Miles is big enough as it is without him totally dwarfing some mini bike but i do know he was having fun with Danny out there, Anne Cherry had a sterling ride and didn't quite beat her mate Wayne Smith but matched him for laps with 7 completed each, Roy Williams 18th which i am surprised as i had him top 10 so maybe a problem late on but was riding well even without his sparring partner Wayne, Nick Rumble just sneaked into the top 20 and was great to see him back on a bike after injury and a few other teething problems, Stefan Bennett on his comeback ride and ride with style he did and did not look rusty at all and 6 laps completed and hopefully we will see more of him, Mark Jones who is still a newbie to this enduro lark and at times looks like he has ridden forever and looks the dogs and then next time you see this bike gingerly come over the brow so very much a game of two halves for Mark who is gaining confidence that's for sure, Jake Dormer started lively and looked like he was up for race but it all went wrong after 3 laps.

Its a good life for Jack
SRMCC, Wally Searl H&H, Ashdown Farm - 25 May 2013

We arrived at Ashdown Farm on a bright warm Saturday morning for the Wally Searl annual hare and hounds trophy. 6 mile loop which encountered woods, open fields, and the full motorcross track. Due to previous days rain the motorcross track had a very tacky slippery surface which made the going very tricky for the first couple of laps.

Expert
Top West Country rider Nick Life took the early lead from Teamsnapper rider Jack Turner and kept a constant 15-25 second lead but as conditions dried Jack seemed the happier of the 2 and took the lead in the closing stages and reading Jacks body language he wasn't going to let it go easily and upped the pace to take victory and the only rider to complete 15 laps, and also the fastest lap of the day. Nick Life runner up. Premier Marquees rider Paul Pops Armstrong rode probably the fastest / consistent since his change to the orange brand and very much deserved the final podium place but had to work hard to keep Teamsnappers Dan Lawry down in 4th who had a very distracted day due to being an official of the hosting club and had plenty of problem solving prior to the start. 5th was SMD Offroad rider Darren Lee who really showed some speed and skill today as his lap times show but needs to be a little bit quicker in the early laps as not to make himself such a mountain to climb. Teamsnappers Chris Stanger lighteningly fast as usual and posted 2nd fastest lap of the day but true to form Chris can get bored and treats as a fun day but still managed 8th place. 9th was Teamsnappers Steve (Birdy) Bird who looked a tad tired after an all nighter with Sam. Making the top 10 on the Nick Robinson GasGas was Tristan Robinson who looked far better than his finishing position showed. 11th was the very quick and stylish George Hayes who was running top 3 until he got intimate with a marshall although rumours say the relationship did not last long.

Clubman A
A great battle between Jim Browning and Wayne Tame which came down to the closing stages and on this occasion the husaberg mounted Jim took the win but both posted 14 laps. 3rd and the best i have personally seen him ride was John (Redbike) Muizelaar who seems to have improved massively from 12 months ago. A bit of panic early on when there were riders coming into their time check reporting an out of control Dalmatian dog on the loose, it wasn't until Stewart Liming came in and the panic was over as Stewart had been to a fancy dress the night before and couldn't be bothered to change. Teenager Barney Thurgood continues his recent success with another top 10 in 8th place. Early leader in this class was Josh Kirby until a misunderstanding lost him a lot of time. Chris Ginn on the Husaberg showed some great consistency for 11th. 13th and unlucky for some was Paul Duffy who was quite happy chasing the spotted dog round lap after lap until his bike played up, also with a bike problem was Stephen Head who still posted 11 laps and 14th place looked very much more comfortable and faster on his new stead. Someone else getting used to a not only a new stead but also a more modern machine was Marc Morris coming 15th. James French was having a lazy ride around shadowing his teenage Son Jack on his first enduro. Manny Bernardez must make that massive decision to set fire to his bike as it let him down again which happens time and time again. James Pittaway pulled out.

Clubman B
The biggest class of the day was won by a very much improved Brendan McDonagh who took the victory with 13 laps in a class that was the closest of the event. Super fast John Austin took runner up spot and fastest lap of class and if only he had been slightly more consistent he would of taken the class victory. Teamsnapper favourite Rob Smith took the final podium position but didn't quite look his usual aggressive self. Jamie Backhouse does get bored at some of these events but today he looked happier and appeared to be enjoying himself and brought home a finish of 5th place. Kirk (Giler) Giles had a whale of a time and it was so evident by his body language and finished 7th in class. Adam Smith looked a lot happier in these conditions than the last time we saw him in 3ft of mud and finished 8th. Teamsnapper friend Rick Gardner whom has not ridden in a long time showed some great skills and pace for 10th place. LFB rider John Gilbertson who always looks better and faster than his finishing position dictates posted 12 completed laps as did husaberg mounted Chris Welch. Bruiser Bruno Studley posted 12 laps but still managed a smile after beating his good friend Nick Summers who yet again had bike troubles and its about time he saw the light and left the orange brand. Teamsnapper 'old boy' Alan James didn't look as happy as he usually does at Ashdown or maybe it's just that he is becoming a grumpy old sod in his latter years, nether less he completed 12 laps. A much improved Teamsnappers Stewart Churchyard who proves the more you ride the more consistent you get also posted 12 laps. Liam (11 laps) and Sean (8 laps) Gorvin both looked super stylish and happier on the motorcross circuit than they do the enduro loop but I am sure the more enduro events they do the better they will become. Fort Knox Securities Justin Denn is getting in a lot of events for his preparation for the Romaniacs and is so noticeably a much improved rider from this time 12 months ago. Father and Son Jon and Matt Casey both completed 11 laps with Jon winning the battle on the bikes but Matt winning the battle of hair styles. Teamsnappers Pete Reynolds was very much at home on the Ashdown track and completed 11 laps. Regular Ashdown rider Simon Gatehouse was one of the more consistent riders out there lap after lap and completed 10 laps. Kevin Miller quite simply looks great in yellow. Martin Biles looked happy and contented early on but stopped for a chat and said he was not happy with his riding and couldn't get into a grove but posted 8 laps. With 7 laps completed for Darren Giggs which I personally think is quite a lot considering how many pit stops and kit changes he did during the day. Niles Reid did not have a good day at the office and pulled in early.

Sportsman
What a great day for the Browns with young Josh Brown beating Dad John with Josh posting 1 more lap than his Dad with 12 completed. Josh also posted fastest lap in class. Teamsnappers Super Steve Dyke posted 11 laps and is very much improving as I predicted and very very much a clubman class rider now. David Sharpe's 6th position with 10 laps and looked a lot fitter / bike fit than the last time I saw him. 8th place and very much deserved Catherine Smith with 9 laps who does seem to enjoy the Ashdown layout. Neal Wailing was riding well until he hit a tree and suffered concussion. Greg Keyse was another early retirement but am unsure why but his lap times would of made him top 5. Mark Jones posted 5 laps despite arguments with bushes and show boating with his front ended wheelies. Would like to mention teenager Jack French who on his first enduro posted a finish with 5 laps.

Nick Life wins South Reading MCC Hare n Hounds
SRMCC - Ashdown Farm 30-03-13

Have been waiting for this event for a long time as so like the South Reading Motorcycle Club and the venue as made to feel so welcome by the club and the family that own the farm. A full entry and a 6.5 mile loop of woodland, open fields, naggery copses, MX track, jumps and obstacles and conditions were chilly but sunshine as it did all day.

Experts
A superb field of top experts of which some had travelled many miles as did the overall winner Nick Life (Husaberg) whom did look a tad wild on the first lap but then settled to his usual standard of excellence, Runners up spot went to Teamsnapper rider Jack Turner (KTM) whom was the most consistent lap after lap and made light work of any hazards/obstacles and did enough to keep another much travelled rider Derek Bawn (KTM) at bay, the brightly coloured Welshman rode well but kept getting caught in the wrong places behind slower riders and the frustration showed but nether less kept me entertained to get 3rd place, 4th and a stonking result from Teamsnapper rider George Hayes who has not been at his best over the last few months although down to new job, new bike and of course a wild teenager that has a driving licence has its toll but today he kept the wheels on the ground, head up and throttle pinned, i could see his Dad Mark grinning from the other end of the track, 5th was a surprise for me as i have done nothing but slay Teamsnapper rider Paul Armstrong since he went orange as to me he went backwards with results and looked as comfortable as a Muslim eating a pork chop.... well the bonding has been done and Paul and the colour orange are a match made in heaven and it gave me great pleasure to see him back on the pipe (No not the Hash smoking one), Paul was equally happy to have beaten fellow Teamsnapper rider Chris Stanger who has of late been showing Paul the way round, 6th Alastair Bramwell, 7th Teamsnapper rider Elliot Davies (KTM) who like most teenagers has moments of brilliance then moments of dare i say madness as he can look so stylish and skilful and the next like he is riding a whore with spurs on his boots, 8th to my good friend and top geyser Gary McCoy (KTM)whom i thought had placed a tad higher but as always Gary entertained all with his skills and antics, Stan Watt (KTM) came home 9th, 10th Teamsnapper Blouse Brad Armstrong who just needs to man up a bit and stop being a girl albeit a big girl, Brad was Mr Enduro, always riding at every opportunity and posting every minute of every day on the various forums talking Enduro etc and moaning when his Dad Paul had weekend off... well haven’t the roles reversed Brenda ... oops sorry Brad, Dad is keen as mustard and your more interested in that girlie activity of Green Laning and probably on the TRF forums daily... come on Brad look at your result today which is good looking at the names above but let’s get back to Enduro and leave your dress at home, Marcus Barnes 11th, Matt Willis 12th, Rob Carey 13th, Aaron Fudge (KTM) who looked happy enough out there 14th, 15th to Teamsnapper Steve Bird who as usual rides lap after lap so consistent i use him as clock and is pretty much text book riding..... Long live the Birdy, 16th to the young but very talented Dylan Baynton (Wincanton Print KTM)(Watch This Space), 17th to LFB rider and part time Basketball stand in the very tall Darren Lee, 18th to the very angry Euan Harrison(Husaberg) whom is the angriest Teamsnapper rider of all time and since his anger has increased his results have deteriorated, so here is my advice Euan... Hug a Pole today.. not a tall upright thing but a man from Poland who is working here in England, embrace him, love him and befriend him and let all your anguish out... there there isn’t that better, 19th Chris Pratt, 20th to the very stylish Ash Williamson who rode with my lucky number 13 and i very much enjoy the style of his riding and look forward to seeing again soon as i had him a lot further up the board, Chris Stanger was not quite himself today but was happy to be riding, The very aerial flamboyant Sean Holdaway (KTM) was spectacular as ever, Michael Caddick (KTM) rode well and looked comfortable, Tom Moore (Husaberg) although down the order looked fast and happy and am sure he was happy with his riding, Wayne Player (KTM) just did not seem to happy and not his usual committed aggressive style, Teamsnapper rider Dan Brundell (KTM) looked great but had bike problems which hampered his day and progress, Jack Hooper has great style and bags of talent but somehow finishes down the order, Rich Warner (Yamaha) was strangling the shit out of that poor 125 but damned he was trying so hard to keep in the top 5 until a problem ended his day, Mark Kirby had a big fast crash into a tree and was visibly shaken but okay to fight another day, Teamsnapper rider Dan Lawry.... Not sure if he was actually here, did anyone see him ??.

CLUBMAN A
What a result for Kevin Sylvain to take the class win... no doubting Kevin can ride a bike but today his confidence grew with every lap and he was lap after lap my favourite rider to photograph, well done Kevin, 2nd Husaberg mounted James Browning who matched Kevin for laps, 3rd big Graham Reid on the KTM who was also one of the brightest riders out there and i don’t mean brains, 4th to my good friend Teamsnapper rider Phil Davies (KTM) who excels in these conditions on these faster tracks, 5th and a step up in class to the very talented Ady Matthews (KTM) who without doubt was smiling all day long, another rider whom i enjoyed watching and snapping was Matty Joyce on his Honda 6th, Adrian Francis (Gas Gas) whom i don’t know but great skills 7th, 8th to Teamsnapper Rider on the Team Dibby KTM Aaron Dibnah whom i was not expecting to place as high as not know for his speed but today we saw a very fast Dibs and body language was clear that he was having fun, 9th Chris Ginn on the Husaberg, and finishing off the top 10 the very stylish text book style riding rider Paul Duffy (KTM), Other Notables, Mark Clutterbuck 12th on his Honda whom i only met in the morning but was very impressed with his skills as does not ride that often going by his 1980’s riding kit colours (Only kidding Mark), 13th and still smiling John (JB) Brown who was just happy to be riding without rain or seat high in mud ..Happy Days JB, 17th to Stuart Smith (Yamaha) who was the only rider that was covered from head to toe in mud, 18th to big Graham Widdicombe who looked a lost soul without Becky (Cough Cough) only joking, 19th to Adam Burt (KTM), 21st to my ex road race rival Simon Gates (KTM) who looked quick early on but maybe a tad lacking bike fitness slowed him down later on but very skillfull rider, 22nd to Donovan Pearce (KTM)who made me smile with his show boating, 23rd to RAF rider Ben Skinner (KTM) who did not look his usual confident self, 24th Stephen Head Teamsnapper rider who looked happy in the higher class, Matt Hubbard looked out of sorts if i was to be honest and sometimes i feel with Matt is that he rides too often as today looked jaded, 28th Lee Smith (Honda) who rode a lot better than his results depict, 29th Wayne Tame (Gas Gas) who to be fair was not going to ride due to Man Flu but gave it a go and sort of enjoyed and was good for me to meet him and his very supportive Dad Trevor, Brad Hutchins (Honda) was up to his usual stylish riding over the jumps as was Stephen Moxon and Jamie Backhouse, Teamsnapper rider Liam Thomas (KTM) had a high speed get off and was shaken a bit but bike was too damaged to continue, Chris O’Grady had an early bath but not sure why.

CLUBMAN B
A very competitive class with the top 13 being all close but Mark Bartlett (KTM) deserved the victory and also posted fastest lap of class, Robert Atkins (Honda) kept him very honest and impressed me as Robert was riding a very old XR Honda and was riding it like it was a lightweight 125 a great podium Robert, 3rd went to Steve Taylor on the Wincanton Print KTM who looked happy in the dry fast conditions, 4th went to the short but fast Brendan McDonagh (KTM), 5th to Teamsnapper rider Kirk Giles (KTM) who had a great day as his whole family did and will be happy with result as rode well, 6th to Josh Kirby (KTM) who rode the best i have seen for a long time and seems to like the open fast type tracks although still needs a haircut, 7th Ashdown Regular John Austin (KTM) always looks happy and comfortable whenever i see him and always rides with that effortless style that makes it look all too easy, Good friend from deepest Dorset KTM mounted Dave Sawtell 8th, 9th Chris Welch (Husaberg) who has very quickly established himself as a top Clubman B rider, finishing the top 10 was another Dorset rider Graham Eke (KTM), Other Notables, 11th Lennie Tidd (KTM) who seems to have an allergy to the ground as spends more time in the air than on the ground and i know was running top 5 at some stage but maybe had problem later on, 13th to teenager Niles Reid who looked happier on the fast bits as struggled through some of the naggery tight bits, 14th to the man in black Gary Hanson (KTM), 16th Seb Chilvers who was another happy soul to have a ride in the sunshine and not knee deep in mud, 17th and welcome back Bruno Studley (Yamaha) who looked far better than his placing, 18th Teamsnapper rider Vic Martin on the always well presented Gas Gas whom loves this place and it shows in his body language, 19th Richard Shaw who is sulking due to Gary Hanson beating him, 20th LFB Rider John Gilbertson, 21st to Teamsnapper rider Tony Wilde (TM) who has not ridden in ages had a great ride on the sexiest bike in the field (Am so jealous), Jack Claridge (KTM) whom we do not see alot of had a fun day and came home 26th and 9 laps completed, Andy Taylor from Wales had a long journey but looked like he was enjoying his ride in the sunshine, Teamsnapper Teenager Ben Green rode well and look committed as his confidence grew but lacks a wee bit of aggression getting past slower riders and waits to long and patiently but that will come i am sure, if you did not notice Ben he was the one dressed like a trifle (Only Kidding Ben), Another Teamsnapper rider who battled on the clock with Ben was Nathan Baggott whom is fast but needs to be more consistent as no doubting his ability and eagerness, Ian Robinson(KTM) had a good ride and liked his matching helmet and gloves, Sam Hooper completed 9 laps on his Yamaha as did Barney Thurgood (KTM), Tim Lunn (KTM) was definitely smiling and had a good day, Sean and Liam Gorvin showed some fine skills and am puzzled why they finished so low in the results, Cole Nother (Husqvarna) rode well with 8 laps completed and beat Dad Tony which is the main objective (Sorry Tony lol), Nick Summers (KTM) not only started an event but finished as well and lets hope the new bike stays reliable now, Not only a Teamsnapper rider but Darren Giggs (KTM) is also the shortest Teamsnapper rider and one of the most comical which is lucky as his riding is a joke (Did that hurt little man ), Justin Spalding (Bling KTM) was riding well in the top 10 but i believe a mechanical problem occurred, Brett Hohls took an early bath as well i believe, LFB rider Ben Young shook hands with a tree than ended his day early, Dean Southernwood (Suzuki) put a couple of quick laps in and then disappeared.

SPORTSMAN
A great much deserved victory and only Sportsman to complete 9 laps was Husaberg mounted Robert Montrose, Teamsnapper Rider Steve Dyke (Husqvarna) 2nd and what a massive improvement Steve has made and has done some training days and very committed on becoming as competent Off road rider as he is on the Road Race circuits, 3rd to Rob Keogh on his brand new KTM, 4th to Big Hugo Kirkwood (KTM) who i thought would call it a day after his first lap exploits over a fast jump which sort of went very badly wrong and very much a change of underwear moment although Hugo says he laughed it off which makes me worry about the mental health of Hugo, 5th to KTM mounted and newcomer to the adult class teenager Josh Brown who showed some talent, 6th Paul Gedsyk (Husaberg), 7th Ian Jones (Honda), 8th Karl Bowling (Gas Gas) despite having a few mechanical gremlins, 9th Husaberg mounted Lance Carey who was on his first ever Enduro and very much impressed me although talented on the Road Race circuits i am sure he will make leaps and bounds if he continues on the Enduro circuit, 10th Ashley Pitman (Ktm), 11th went another rider on his Enduro Debut and was a tad anxious before the event was Steve Hallworth Cook (KTM) who enjoyed his day and will be back for more, The Queen of Enduro Anne Cherry (KTM) giggled when she went over the jump i was snapping at which had me in fits of laughter and was impressed the way she rides that heavy KTM 400 and completed 5 laps, well done Anne and don’t forget to look after me next week at The Corinium.

What a great event with no negatives and was so good to see so many people smiling at an event due to the sunshine, thanks to SRMCC for inviting us and to the Backhouse family for their hospitality and looking forward to Peter’s jokes next time ...or maybe not.

SRMCC ASHDOWN FARM BLEWBURY
JACK STOCKER HARE N HOUNDS

With events being cancelled all over the country due to weather conditions it is so refreshing knowing certain venues can run no matter what the weather throws at them and Ashdown Farm luckily is one of those venues. 5 mile lap that was slightly different from the normal configurations due to saplings/crop growing which made a nice twist for the regular riders of Ashdown Farm.
Experts
Rich Warner made a great start but the little 125 stoker was never going to match the bigger bikes over the very fast flat out fields and was not long before James Giddings took the lead and then stretched and stretched it and looked as happy as Larry out there and did 1 more lap than runner up Chris Pryce who just beat the legend Jack Twentyman who had a slight problem and lost a minute that let Chris through but Jack rode very controlled and precise which seems to work opposed to his sometimes manic flat out style that entertains but lacks finishes, Matt Willis 4th and Phil Wiffen 5th.
Clubman A
LFB rider Darren Lee looked relaxed pre race and looked as relaxed racing, the course just suited Darren's style and was a pleasure to watch and pretty much controlled the race as well as posting the fastest lap in the class, good battle between the other podium riders with Kevin Silvain just being that bit more consistent than 3rd placed Graham Reid, Simon Gates 4th and Stephen Moxon 5th who was also the astronaut of the day with space shuttle take offs up the big hill and was in a league of his own.
Clubman B
Having witnessed the winner of this class over the year racing in the BSEC championships i was not surprised with the win and would have finished top 3 in Clubman A, yes gents Katie Walker was this class winner and again the conditions and course suited her like a tailor made suit and what i noticed about Katie is when she overtakes she commits quite hard but very fair, Katie also posted fastest lap in course, Robert Atkins was her closest rival who had to keep his wits about him as 3rd placed Chris Stevens chased him all day but Robert upped his game to keep that 2nd place, 4th John Austin and 5th went to Simon Bailey. Also riding in this class was Ex Rugby Union/British Lion Flanker Mike Teague who has done a couple of events now and is truly hooked, his son Alex also rode in the Sportsman class.
Sportsman
More used to donuts, wheelies, stoppies etc but stunt rider Sybe Algar took to the rough stuff like a seasoned veteran and impressed me with very flamboyant style and urge him to enter some more events, Sybe posted 10 laps and fastest lap of class, teenager Niles Reid got 2nd, Just missing out on that second spot by a small margin was Neal Wailing, a slimmer Bruno Studley came home 4th with Mike Tape 5th.

Results Rich T (Teamsnapper) Photos

South Reading MCC Wally Searl H n H
Ashdown Farm Blewbury 26-05-12

The fantastic and popular track at Ashdown Farm was the venue for SRMCC's annual Hare n Hounds Wally Searl event and with scorching sunshine, big entry with big names and the smell of the burger van cooking produce from their farm what more could you want. As usual Richard Chandler and Peter Lawry were busy organising stuff while Dan Lawry was continually stuffing his face.... apparently fattening up for his wedding. I took a quick lap on the quad with Erika and liked the course very much as was a reversal of last event here with a few twists etc, had chat down on the farm with the very pleasant landowners (Backhouse Family) and can highly recommend their range of sausages/burgers etc which they produce at the farm and sell to us riders from the burger van in whatever quantity you want. The lap was just under 6 miles.

Experts
Arran Poolman (KTM) has not had much luck in the past 18 or so months and luck did not play a part in his win in the overall and expert win but his fitness, experience, skill and the want helped and a great battle he had with his close friend Tyson Maytom Jones (Husaberg), Rich Warner(Yamaha), Jack Berry(KTM)and the Ropers but James Giddings (KTM) gave him the best fight and had to settle for 2nd , they were the only two to complete 13 laps in the sweltering sun on the 6 mile loop. Rich Warner came home in 3rd with Jamie and Craig Roper (KTM) making up the top 5. Other notables Joey D (Teamsnapper KTM) was running top 3 but a few little problems knocked him down the order but definitely a man on form, George Hayes (Teamsnapper KTM)was having a good day but the 125 was struggling over the fast open areas (of which there were a few) and was sort of chasing his tail by overtaking in the woods and then getting passed again on the straights and i think frustrating is the word, Peter Ballinger who usually rides in the BSEC events was not having best of days and retired after 5 laps, Teamsnappers Father and Son team Lewie and Freddie Davis were both enjoying their ride with Lewie frightening Erika with his friendly shouts as he passed her lap after lap and 11 laps to his credit but getting one-upmanship on his pa Freddie came 10th , Teamsnapper Dan Brundell (KTM) was having a super ride and best i have seen him this season especially with this high level of competitors and 9th place was well deserved, Jack Hooper(Yamaha) was riding well in the clouds (Likes his air) until a problem forced him out early, Jason Warren(KTM) and Kevin Silvain (KTM)whom i don't see ride that often rode very consistently for a 15th and 17th respectively, Teamsnapper rider Dan Lawry had a bad day all round so best not say anything.

Clubman A
Sometimes it takes a while to get used to a new bike but not Teamsnapper rider Paul Armstrong on his new Gas Gas as the very likeable always smiling Paul put in consistent laps in to bag the win over LFB rider Darren Lee (KTM) who posted the fastest lap in this class, 3rd was Graham Reid (KTM) who had a great battle with Simon Paul (KTM)4th and earning 5th was james Heath (Husaberg) whose fitness played a major part in his top 5. Other notables Manny Bernardez who has not had the best run of luck for a while and today we saw a different Manny whose body language on the bike told me he was having fun and to come home 7th was a great result, Clifford Barnett (Husky) was also on top form bagging a top 10, James(Froggy)French (Teamsnapper KTM) could have got one more lap in but decided to call it a day but rode well for 10th, Red Bike John Muizelaar (KTM) likes his Ashdown Farm events and it showed today by getting 9th in such competitive company, Adam Smith whom i don't know had a consistent day and came home 12th, Terry Beecham (KTM) just missed out on 11 laps but came lucky 13th, Aaron Dibnah (Teamsnapper/Dibby Racing KTM) had the best sounding bike out there for sure and looked liked better than his 16th position dictates, Chris Stanger (Teamsnapper Blue/White Bike) had a very high speed/high air crash in front of Erika and knocked the stuffing out of Chris but still completed 10 laps, Richard Morgan on the Teamsnapper KTM had a consistent day but could have been better if he was more aggressive when trying to pass slower riders, Husaberg mounted today was our John (JB) Brown who looked happier today and definitely chose the right bike, Steven Reader (Kawasaki) had a good day with 10 laps, not so good for Darren Perry (Husaberg) and Dane Palmer (Gas Gas) who both had early baths, Teamsnapper rider Lee Barthram was running top 3 and then disappeared so not sure what happened but only completed 8 laps

Clubman B
As per usual the two Smiths in the guises of Derek(KTM) and Rob(KTM) were at the pointed end all race with (Dare i say it) the fitter Rob taking victory and Derek eventually coming home in 3rd and in the Smith sandwich was my good friend and Teamsnapper rider Dom Wilson (Honda) who just seems to be getting more consistent lately and class win won't be long of that i am sure, 4th was Brendan McDonagh (KTM)who actually looked visually the quickest in this class and rounding out the top 5 was Colin paddy (KTM), Alan James (Husaberg) looked very confident and happy out there for 6th, John Austin(KTM) should have placed higher as posted some quick laps but did tire towards the end but made top 10, Quintin McLaughlin (Teamsnapper KTM) was on his comeback ride after a long layoff with injury and looked happy out there and was great to see him back and sure he was smiling as he beat his good pal Tony Wilde (Teamsnapper TM) , George Miles (Honda) posted some very quick laps but must have had problem somewhere as slipped down to 18th, Team Psycho rider Chris Welch looked quite despondent out there without his fellow Psychopaths for company, LFB Rider John Gilbertson (KTM) was having first ride for long time and looked very tired at the end but was still smiling, My very good friend Sean Earlam(KTM) who loves to ride but sadly due to commitments doesn't get out that often but his enthusiasm for the sport is second to none and to beat his good pal Darren(Giggsy)Giggs(KTM) was the icing on the cake although we are still awaiting Giggsy's excuses as i am sure there will be many but the "I Got Lost " one isn't going to work, Carl Mexter brought his baby(KTM) home after 8 laps Get well wishes to Matthew O'Hare(TM) who was taken to hospital with suspected broken arm. Sadly Ryan Davidson broke down on lap 2 but got going again a while later and posted a finish with 8 laps which was a shame as he was so up for it, Kevin Miller lost a lot of weight but stank like a polecat according to his wife and has been sleeping in his shed ever since but managed 7 laps.

Sportsman
Fred Sampson was a clear winner in this class with 10 laps and the fastest lap, 2nd,3rd ,4th and 5th were separated after 3 hours by a few seconds and their positions swapped daily but the elder of the three Peter Firth snatched 2nd from Niles Reid and Sudbury MCC rider Jack Nicolauo 4th and Robert Hladik 5th , 6th was Rick Gardner (KTM) who to me looked better as event wore on, 15 yr old George Warren (Suzuki)rode a very mature race and visibly loved it out there and 9 laps and a top 10 would be the envy of his school mates i am sure (Well done George), Jeremy Leamy (KTM) is improving as a rider with every event and sure he will be a Clubman B Rider next season, Catherine Smith (Husaberg) May have trouble smiling for me but has no trouble handling the big berg and i might be wrong but i think she was smiling under her lid with 15th place with 7 laps, Rob Fry (KTM) 16th and beaten by a women and i think Rob that you have had better weekends (LOL), Coby Eke (Yamaha) is a mystery to me as looks fit as a flea, rides well and looks fast... yet never places that high.... so i am thinking he probably pulls over every now and then for a kip, Daren Lock(Yamaha) was still signing on when the event started and although flustered had a good event .

A great event with some very good high profile riders and a high standard throughout, so thank you SRMCC for choosing Teamsnapper as your official Photographers and thank you to all our Teamsnapper riders who do us proud by being part of the Team no matter where they finish (Dan Lawry) and of course to the Backhouse Family who run Ashdown farm and the MX practice track .

Rich T (Teamsnapper) Photos

South Reading MCC 
Ashdown Farm 31-03-2012
Chairmans Chase Hare n Hounds

A cold but lovely morning greeted us on arrival in the beautiful Oxfordshire countryside of Blewbury the home of Ashdown Farm the very popular MX practice circuit which is renowned for its extreme hills and jumps, however the Backhouse family who own the farm and land allow 3 or 4 enduro events during the year using other areas of their land and with a such a large expanse of land there is always a very different course each time.

Today's course started at car park area and straight into the top side of a wood adjacent to the open field alongside the car park which then fed straight into the MX open track which was not used much due to the recent weather and sunshine it was deemed the dust would be a hazard (Great Decision) so the only part used was the giant hill climb and jump at the top which then fed back into the woods onto the wooded MX part that eventually trailed off into some narrow trails through some tight wooded areas coming out onto a huge open field with a serious descent with views to die for , then short concrete road that went through the farm courtyard and into a small naggery glade that was full of exposed roots, across a road into the dense forest that was used to its potential as it weaved backwards and forwards with many obstacles in the name of roots, logs and other forest debris this then bought you out into open scrub land and flat out for those that dared then into the Whoopy Woods as whoop after whoop through the very dense thicket that entailed a lot of head ducking to miss the overhanging branches and small passageways throughout the wood then out into Holey Field which is so called due to the massive burrow holes in the ground that have unseated many a rider, this then went into a beautiful massive field that circled a natural elevation that was fast and onto a goats trail that peaked at the top of the field and you could see for miles across Oxfordshire, then for the fast boys it was full gas going downhill across open fields with natural drop offs on the way down which for the unexpected put stomachs into their mouths and to watch on the first lap was great entertainment simply due them being invisible until the last second which the experienced riders just flew like graceful eagles but as the pecking order went down it was more like the keystone cops on acid, this then led back onto Whoopy Woods that climbed harshly and dropped harshly with some great technical work in between which then came back out onto the open going which was a long stretch of whoopy land back up to the start around 6.5 miles, a superb thought out course with no stoppers and had something for everyone.

After my lap on the quad had quick chat with Richard Chandler and crew from SRMCC and then back for well earned cuppa and a walk round the paddock which was getting quite full as the event was sold out 2 weeks prior, Catering was provided by the Backhouse family.

Expert Class
Was great to Rich Warner back in action and although told me he was not bike fit and a bit rusty it did not show as he led the field on the first lap on the 125 Yamaha and what a great battle he had with James Giddings (Crescent KTM) who not only is a superb rider but very much a thinking rider and following Rich he knew he had the edge over the fast areas and no matter how much he screwed the bollocks off his steed the KTM of James was always going to win this war, James went into a healthy lead towards the end but Rich never gave up the ghost and chased to the very end and a great runner up spot to the winner and ever smiling James Giddings (12 Laps), the other podium spot was another battle between the very talented, aggressive, animated (Mental that's the word) Joey D (Suzuki) and the talented super smooth, consistent Jack Turner (Teamsnapper KTM) on the track Joey seemed to have the edge visually and as for his airborne antics which caused serious concern with the local RAF station close by he kept coming up on their radar, but Jack started a minute behind and was making progress and at one stage pulled Joey in but then Joey pulled ahead again and it was like this throughout the event and it all ended within seconds of each other and the last podium place went to the very likeable Jack Turner whom very nearly did not make it to Ashdown at all as usually comes in van but today car and trailer, one of the straps broke close to home so went back for replacement then close to venue another came loose and caused problems and unlike Jack who always turns up in time was last rider to sign on and scrutineer whilst others were being briefed but Jack is so laid back he walks horizontal just took it in his stride whereas if it had been me all my toys would have been thrown out of the pram, commiserations to Joey but great spectacle my friend, Ashley Stokes (Honda) and Dan Lawry (Teamsnapper ET James KTM) had another battle and i personally have not seen Ashley ride so smooth with a great riding style text book standard and forced Dan into a bit of frustration which when our Dan gets frustrated he does make mistakes and today ended in frustration but credit to Dan as does not excel in these conditions and was seen during one pit stop praying for rain, so a great 5th for Ashley and 6th for Dan, 7th and another airborne pilot in the making was Olly Mayhew on his new TM who not only rode well but was clearly having fun unlike his sibling rival Ben who looked like shit due to some virus and although competitive for a first couple of laps retired early, Carshalton rider Daniel Rose (KTM) had a bit of a lonely ride for 8th but as usual with Daniel consistency helped his good result, 9th Danny Andrews (Husqvarna), 10th George Hayes (Teamsnapper KTM) who has not ridden as much recently due to passing his driving test and enjoying his teenage years by 24hr parting (Only kidding George) but still rode well and would have placed higher but a couple of offs did not help his quest but his Dad and good friend of mine Mark was very pleased to see George make top 10, Teamsnapper rider Dave (Too Tall DT) Taylor was in a previous life a very bad person as in his current body has nothing but bad luck week in and week out and last week after spending a small fortune on getting his TM back to full spec it blew after a few minutes last week at Slab Common so thanks to Samaritan and Team Dibby Manager Aaron Dibnah who kindly lent the Too Tall DT a KTM stroker and although very alien to Too Tall DT he eventually found a groove and placed some good consistent laps in but i cannot wait to see Too Tall DT back on a ride he is used too and get some podiums which we all know is well within his capable hands, Dan Brundell (Teamsnapper KTM) the bearded Dan usually excels here at Ashdown but today although i did not see him do anything wrong his lap times were quite erratic but still completed 11 laps, Chris Pratt 12th,Paul Simpson (Honda) 10 laps Freddie Davis (Premier KTM) had big personal battle today with his team mate and mentor.... yes no other than Lewie Davis his Dad (Premier KTM)both completed 11 laps and although Freddie came home first it was Lewie who was smiling and looked the fitter at the end and as we left the venue i still could not get a smile out of Freddie. Good friend Steve Bird (Teamsnapper KTM) completed 11 laps, Jacque Stevens (Husaberg) 11 laps, Dave Coles (KTM) 11 laps, Dan Groom (KTM) was having a good day and running at the pointed end until his handle bars came loose and Ashdown is one of the last places to have loose bars so retired early, sadly the Islander Rob Taylor (Husaberg) had a coming together Roger Dennis (KTM) that resulted in a plaster cast, Team Psycho and all round mad man Tom Moore who was let out on day release for this event retired early and when asked what the problem was all he said was "it was the voices that told me to " (Enough said eh).
Fastest Lap Joey D 14.29

Clubman A
What can i say about the top 4 in this class (All Teamsnapper Riders) and a very proud Rich T as well but the very experienced Paul Armstrong(Gas Gas) who yet again excelled when his son Brad is not around (Its True lol) and rode lap after lap consistent but pushed by Steven White (KTM) who i knew would like the course and the only criticism is that Steven always plays catch up as starts steady and that first lap is more a recce of the course but maybe that's why our Steven stays so injury free both Paul and Brad completed 12 laps and were both on expert lap times and would have been top 10, 3rd went to the future in the name of Superteen Elliott Davis(KTM) whom i thought may have won this class but i think simply down to his in experience of different terrains/tracks he struggled to get into that Elliott rhythm of late and just missed out his 12th lap by seconds but still on expert times and towards the end was seeming to enjoy although his Dad Phil (KTM)was having a ball and was show boating whenever the opportunity arose and completed 11 laps and 9th place, 4th was Croydon MCC legend and genuine Mr Nice Guy Joe Beard on the Teamsnapper KTM who was having a super battle with Andrew Paul (Honda) and Philip Gilder (Gas Gas) and throughout the event these were running same laps so close it was the one with fewest mistakes who came out trumps and behind Joe was Andrew followed by Philip, Graham Reid 7th on board the 2T Ktm, 8th another astronaut in the making KTM rider Kevin Silvain whom visibly looked faster than his lap time suggest, 10th John Barnett who was very much colour coded to his Husqvarna, 11th and another great result for Team Dibby's Aaron Dibnah who looks like he is finding some sort of form but hey i won't hold my breath but fingers crossed as very dedicated rider who eats, sleeps and apparently shags Enduro,12th to James Heath (Husaberg) who managed 11 laps as did John Muizelaar , Simon Paul, Matthew Joyce, Bryan Smith and Clifford Barnett. Shane Babey (Babey racing) had another personal battle with John Brown who relegated his KTM 125 for the big berg in his quest to destroy and demolish his peer and good friend Shane but yet again he falls just a tad short from his quest and Shane just pulled that old dog trick out from his tool kit....... yes you got it... Experience, Barry Keeys (Team Flossy KTM also joined in their battle and split the pair Barry's team mate on the Team Flossy Gas Gas Karl Robinson managed 10 laps . Paul Duffy, Matthew Hubbard, Tony Williams, Stuart Smith all completed 10 laps, another not so good day at the office for Gas Gas rider and good friend Tristan Robinson who seems to swap form with Aaron Dibnah as when one does well the other suffers, Jamie Backhouse (Honda) whom on home soil put some cracking laps in and maybe if more serious lap in and lap out would make top 5 quite easy but was definitely having fun around his back garden, Steve Head (Teamsnapper KTM) is a top man who enjoys nothing more than riding his bike off road and with 10 laps under his belt and witnesses and photographic evidence that both of his wheels left the ground at the same time can justify his big grin at the end.
Fastest Lap Steven White 15.36

Clubman B
A superb win and basically led from start to finish Rob Smith (KTM) who despite his 40+ yrs really looked like young man at the helm and never really looked liked being troubled, Teamsnapper Rider Keith Workman (KTM) who is very nearly back to top form after his nasty off at the end of last year and it's been a confidence building exercise since got 2nd, 3rd to Matthew Frank (KTM) who rode consistent times lap after lap, 4th to Husaberg mounted Darren Perry who looked fast and committed and very much a stylist on the bike, 5th to David Sawtell (KTM) who was the last in Clubman B to get 11 laps which is a great achievement, 6th Colin Paddy (KTM), 7th Scott Russell (KTM), 8th Simon Bailey (Husaberg), 9th Brendan McDonagh (Husky), 10th went to Husky Mounted Matthew Seare who was as happy as larry as beating friend and rival TM mounted Tony Wilde (30th), 11th to Chris Welch (Teamsnapper Husaberg) who is now a competitive Clubman B rider after a season in the sportsman ranks but as of late something has clicked and i can see top 5 clubman B towards end of season, Vic Martin (Gas Gas) 12th and 10 laps completed, Graham Eke the man in black 13th,14th Robert Atkins (Honda), 15th John Austin (KTM), 16th Allen Millyard on Kawasaki KDX, 17th but lacking bike fitness as first event back after injury was Gas Gas mounted George Thompson who will be regular top 5 soon, Mr and Mrs Newport namely Roger and Fiona both KTM mounted had an enjoyable day with Roger completing 10 laps and Fiona 9 laps, Ian Robinson (KTM) rode well and so very nearly got the 10th lap but missed by seconds, my good friend Carl Swateridge completed 9 laps on the CVS Plumbing Husaberg, Rich Hobbs (KTM) completed 9 laps and looked quicker than his 9 laps suggest, PMCRC rider and committee member Simon Stevens (KTM) along with PMCRC regular Terry Carter (Gas Gas) completed 9 laps as did Ollie Williams (KTM) , Tall Tom Bush (KTM), Lindsay McWilliams (KTM), Ian Lamb (Kawasaki), Roy Andrews (Yamaha), Dan Hodson (Husaberg), Lee Whitcombe (KTM) wanted revenge on his rival Pete Reynolds after last week's battle at Slab Common but Pete had bike troubles and eventually did a couple of laps of Lee's bike.
Kevin Miller (Gas Gas) is improving event after event and definitely looked happier here than the sand last weekend and also congratulations on winning our caption competition and a hoodie on its way to you, Richard Messenger (KTM) looked happier on the forest terrain than the hard surfaced MX track but not shy of the jumps, Greg Scanlan generally happier on tarmac had good event or that's what i am supposing as grinning at the end.
Fastest Lap Rob Smith 16.31

Sportsman
The winner of this class was clearly not a sportsman and with times like that and 11 laps should have been Top 10 Clubman A, Runner up went to Stewart Liming (Honda) but had to earn it with 3rd place finisher Ralph Simm (Honda) chasing him throughout, Jamie Hill (Gas Gas) was 4th with Teamsnapper new boy Ben Green who was having his first adult ride and to be honest looked a bit nervy for first 2 laps then he found his rhythm and managed a superb 10 laps and my bit of advice is forget your racing adults and be a bit more aggressive or committed as you spent a lot of time behind slower riders through the woods but future looking good Ben, Robert Montrose (Yamaha) was the last sportsman to complete 10 laps so well done, Jake Dormer (Yamaha) could have done another lap looking at times but maybe too tired but made top 10 as did John Brown (Husaberg), Ripley Martin (KTM) and Ryan Davidson (Honda), Other Notables The big man David Sharpe (Husaberg) was very consistent and managed 9 laps , Steve Mann who was unmissable in his Blue/Orange and White attire and very smart it was too, Coby Eke 8 laps on the black Yamaha, Jeremy Leamy has gone to the dark side and bought a KTM and looked happy out there with 8 laps, Jonathan Starkey (KTM) could have managed another lap time wise but did look a bit jaded towards the end but 7 completed laps to his credit, Sam Keeys(KTM) also could have managed another lap time wise but completed 7 laps, Hugo Kirkwood (Husky) also managed 6 laps, Neil Mellor (Kawasaki) retired early but not sure why.

A great event with a very happy atmosphere in the paddock and remember there are two more SRMCC events here this year 26th May and 28th July and this event sold out so please when regs come out book early so not to disappoint.

Rich T (Teamsnapper) Photos

SOUTH READING MCC 2012 HARE & HOUND DATES

The club are pleased to announce that they will again be running 3 events at the popular Ashdown Farm venue, Blewbury, Oxon during 2012. The events will again be held on Saturdays and the club hope to use land rested during 2011. Permit applications are being processed as we speak so check out www.srmcc.co.uk in the next couple of weeks for entry forms etc. The club also hope to take advantage of on-line entry as soon as we can sort it out. The 3 events will be:-

Saturday 31st March - Chairman's Chase Hare & Hounds - Details

Saturday 26th May - Wally Searl Hare & Hounds - Details

Saturday 28th July - Jack Stocker Hare & Hounds - Details

SRMCC Jack Stoker Hare n ounds Ashdown Farm, Blewbury 06-08-11

Dan’s the Man

SRMCC annual Jack Stoker trophy looked liked entries were going to be very low especially due to the previous few days weather but on the day the day entries turned up in their droves and SRMCC had done a few different twists to the course used last time including the big hill jump and not using so much of the MX track in the trees but still kept around the 6 mile length and as regulars know that when its wet or has been raining the track becomes very slippery indeed due to the hard surface beneath......... just befor the start the skies let us have a few quick showers and then these showers continued for most of the event but as they say when going gets tough the tough get going and on this day Dan Lawry was the toughest by winning the expert class and overall and in what fine style he did it in with the most impressive start that gave him a clear track and he made advantage of this and at one stage had over 5 minute lead, Dan's style is so very smooth and quite lazy looking but they say smooth is fast and today it was proved right however the last hour young tearaway Joe Dyke on his Kawasaki made some big gains on Dan and with the fastest lap of the day 14.34 which is fast especially in those tacky conditions and what Joe does possess is sheer natural talent and balls bigger than a sex starved gorilla and will only be a matter of time before he is on the national circuit, in 3rd place my good friend Euan Harrison who rode well and looked liked he was enjoying the conditions as he likes to ride quite loose.... and he was loose most of the time lol, was also nice to see three different makes on the podium KTM, Kawasaki and Husaberg.

Clubman A class was another entertaining race which i thought young George Hayes would win on his 125 KTM but the conditions did not suit him and he had a couple of offs but managed a good 2nd place in class, the fastest lap went to Matt Joyce 15.34 who looked visibly fast but again took a couple of tumbles but a solid 3rd place which again proves that being smooth especially in these conditions wins races as Stuart Jackson was super smooth and deserved the win for being so consistent.

Clubman B class top 6 were changing positions regularly and i thought JanPix rider David Kirtley would be winner but a coming together with Dan Brundell maybe upset David's rhythm but David got back into his stride and made some good time back and kept consistent to take a much deserved 3rd place, the battle for the top 2 places was between Matt Hopkins and Andrew Paul but with the fastest lap in class and kept consistent times the number one podium went to Andrew but Matt was not far behind,a good class battle.

Sportsman Class was won by my good rival and friend Big John Anderson who from what i could see never put a wrong foot down and looked very comfortable all day ...well except for a major nose dive off the big hill jump, well done John well pleased for you, in 2nd place who gave John a good run for his money and took the lead at various times was George Thompson and the last podium spot went to Adam Burton who was very consistent in his lap times and deserved the 3rd spot.

Would also like to mention that Dan Lawry was not on his usual machine ..... due to the track being quite tacky he did not want to spend all day Sunday washing his steed so he borrowed his Dad's (Peter Lawry) bike.... guess what Peter did on Sunday..... only kidding Dan's bike is under going some repairs so he opted for Dad's bike.

A great day was had by all and a well run event as always with the SRMCC, if you have never done an event at Ashdown Farm with SRMCC then please next time an event is advertised please enter as the course really does have it all and it has to be one of the best in the south and its not often you can ride on a Saturday which makes a nice change as they only run events at Ashdown on Saturdays.

Provisional Results Photos www.teamsnapper.co.uk