Hardy Trial to be “Rested”

“As Secretary of Woolbridge Motor Club Ltd I am writing to inform you of the decision by the Woolbridge committee to ‘rest’ the Hardy Trial in 2017, we will review the situation in 2018 but I have to say that there will need to be some big changes for it to reappear.

We have not taken this decision lightly but due to the permanent loss of one of our main venues, the ongoing difficulties with running classic trials in Dorset, the very small number of club members actually competing in classic trials, the ‘reaction’ of a minority of some experienced competitors on the 2016 event and the lack of organisers we believe this to be the only appropriate way forward.

As the present CofC and many of us on the committee have put a lot of effort into this event since the late 70’s we are sad to see it go but prefer to take this decision rather than put on a second rate event, I personally went through hell to get the event accepted into the ACTC championship so am particularly saddened but recognise when decisions have to be made no matter how difficult. We have discussed making the Hardy a joint event with a neighbouring club but they are not interested in this suggestion so we think it best ‘rested’.

Entry levels have not improved and the Hardy was propped up by the large Bike entry this year (mainly local club riders not many ACTC competitors), this has been exacerbated by the compression and infilling of the calendar in the November / December period not helped by the moving of the Kyrle to sit next to our event (as supported by ACTC) and the working around Remembrance Sunday each year, Dorset and the club could never support a trial at any other time of year, we need the rain! I hope other events do not follow in our footsteps.

Woolbridge has well over 500 members, is financially very stable and organises some 30 + events every year but like many clubs the main work is done by the few. Unfortunately this doesn’t necessarily mean we can find people to do everything, especially when they receive adverse comments for their efforts when the event had to overcome the major loss of the one big venue which had developed into the star of the show in 2015.

Best Regards, Andy Webb

Woolbridge Motor Club Ltd Club Secretary”

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