We regret to advise that J
Julian at 2009 Scottish Pre-65 Trialulian Ford, Off-Road Manager at BUMPY, passed away peacefully early Monday (13th Oct) morning following a year long battle with cancer.
Julian or Jools aged just 46, was the driving force behind all of the clubs events especially the BUMPY’s first ever National trial when he organised the Julia Morris C & D British Championship round in 2013. Jools was also instrumental in his role as Yorkshire Centre President (2012 & 2013) in organising the very successful 2013 Inter Centre Team Trial at Tong, West Yorkshire.
Jools started riding trials aged 8 on a Ty80 for the Spen Valley Club progressing through the youth ranks and competing in the Youth British Championships in the late seventies to early eighties before joining the RAF as a Mechanical Engineer. After a brief stint assisting John Lampkin’s Screenart Beta team in the early 90s, Jools finally made his return to trials riding on his restored 500cc Matchless at various Pre 65 trials around his beloved Yorkshire Centre and earned lavish praise for finishing the 2009 Scottish Pre 65 on his beastly Matchless. Never one to sit around letting others do the work, Jools became more and more active in the Yorkshire Centre volunteering to be Steward at various Centre and National trials and took up the role of Youth Team Manager for the Inter Centre Team Trial in 2010 which Yorkshire went on to win. He reprised this role in 2011 and 2013 where the Youth team finished 1st and 2nd respectively.
Jools was diagnosed with stomach cancer just before the BUMPY team left for the NEC Motorcycle Live show in November 2013, but true to form wasn’t stopped from giving out free trials taster lessons to the general public. Despite showing the signs of a good response to his treatment, and overcoming bouts of pneumonia and septicaemia, Jools started deteriorating in the summer and eventually lost his battle.
Jools was one of the most kind and considerate person you could meet and will be sadly missed by all at BUMPY, the Yorkshire Centre and the trials community as a whole.
Our condolences go to his young family especially his wife Joanne, Jack, Grace and Toby.
Julian's funeral will be at 10am on Tuesday 21st October at St Peters Church, Birstall WF17 9PW.