What Do The Organising Bodies Do?

[wallo]

So, we all go on about events for the classics and then there are 4 on the same day.

Why can't people talk to each other in order to avoid calendar clashes like this?

[old trials fanatic]

Dont know. Ive just sent my 2017 calendar out to the other two Classic clubs in this area. Expecting to see copies of theirs soon.

 

When we were an ACU club you had to go to a "dates meeting" where this was discussed however this was in November for the following year. Problem was the "nationals" werent announced till early the next year when you had all agreed dates and confirmed to landowners. That was just the East Midlands Center. Then only a few miles away you had the Yorkshire Center who never discussed with the East Midlands and of course all the other Centers didnt either.

 

Thats why we suffered from date clashes and still do.

 

Now we are AMCA nobody from the ACU clubs or otherwise talks to us anyway.

 

Always said it would come down to "last man standing".  

[wallo]

So why does it need two governing bodies?

[bezaboy]

Is the answer that you all post your dates on here !!  Then it does not matter if you are AMCA or ACU.

There are a couple of people who kindly and very helpfully post combined lists in some areas.

[old trials fanatic]

So why does it need two governing bodies?

In our case it was quite simple. Cost.

 

ACU is more expensive plus they demanded i police the riders having up to date current competition licenses for them while with the AMCA you dont need a license.

 

As with most clubs we struggle for entries and i couldnt afford to turn people away. On top of that was all the stupid politics and meetings etc you had to attend while the AMCA just leave you to get on with it.

 

Other clubs make their own decisions but thats in a nutshell why we changed over.

 

As for Wallo's question "So why does it need two governing bodies?" it doesnt but there are.  

[michael_t]

This sounds very familiar... would I be correct to guess ACU is affiliated with FIM and AMCA isn't ? ...

[rabie]

This sounds very familiar... would I be correct to guess ACU is affiliated with FIM and AMCA isn't ? ...

 

Yes

 

Broadly speaking regardless of who is running what under whom, we (organisers) should be able to talk to each other to get a beneficial (ie less/no clashes).

 

obviously real life is more complex, this year the world dates have been very late, preventing the announcement of nationals, which of course affects local dates. Other factors cause dates to be awkward, such as local considerations, other sports / events people are involved in, etc (eg we're moving a trial because most my organising team are going to the MX des Nations).

 

What might affect you where you are doesn't occur/affect someone else and vice versa.

 

[djr]

So why does it need two governing bodies?

It doesn't, but if there was only one governing body, with a monopoly and no competition then that could turn bad eventually - charging silly fees for licences etc.

[laird387]

The answer has no simple 'one size fits all' response - but it would certainly clarify the situation if more people understood the basic problems.  

 

In a nutshell, in my experience it boils down to the necessity to correctly ensure that all likely misdemeanours are adequately covered by insurance for the people willing to spend a lot of time and effort working to provide events for competitors to ride in and spectators to watch.

 

The underwriters know they can't hope to understand all the risks they need to cover so they demand some responsible 'authority' to guide them.

 

The 'authorities' that they have learned to trust are the A-CU and the AMCA.

 

The A-CU consists of many, many people willing to be elected to committees, all divided into regional centres and even split further into an English A-CU and a Scottish A-CU, most of these elected members believe that they, personally, are governing the sport. It is fraught with problems of neighbouring centres in conflict over dates, land use, division of events into classes, etc.  The AMCA is a very small band of totally dedicated personalities who spend their entire existence making sure all aspects of risk are covered, as far as humanely possible. 

 

But the A-CU existed first so was recognised by similar overseas bodies.

 

So as Old Trials Fanatic so rightly said - it's up to you to chose which way you want to go...................

 

Sorry I can't be of more help

[old trials fanatic]

It doesn't, but if there was only one governing body, with a monopoly and no competition then that could turn bad eventually - charging silly fees for licences etc.

If you want an example of this just look at Spain. The cost of their licenses etc will take your breath away.

[nigel dabster]

or looking at it another way we get it too cheap.

[jon v8]

or looking at it another way we get it too cheap.

Really ? After all its not a licence - it proves nothing other than a registration card.There is no proof of competence or qualification,so why should it cost any more - esp as the AMCA seem to manage happily without it. Trials has always been a low money sport,ramping up costs would spoil it,probably forever.

[breagh]

Keep it cheap,Beginners can come along and have a bash for less than £20 at our local clubs.

 

Knock on effect is plenty of new folk coming through.

 

Last thing I want is trials developing into some elitist middle class domain like most other sports, even at my wee boys football you can't move for BMWs  these days.

 

Don't imagine the club scene anywhere is a patch on the UK

 

Be interesting to know how numbers stack up comparing here with Spain.

[trialsrfun]

I fail to understand why the two organisations ACU and AMCA are getting such negative comments, without them who would represent us at national level to whoever happens to be having a dig at motorcycle sport, who would keep an eye on changing legislation that could affect our pastime or assist in legal matters when problems arise.

It is easy to complain about this or that maybe justifiably sometimes but both bodies are needed especially when dealing with the likes of defra.

[michael_t]

I believe there is a need for both (a low cost option for those who just want to give it a try or have a more laid back experience AND a FIM internationally affiliated sport group) but the need should be explainable and the 2 should work together to improve the sport for everyone. I have been pushing this idea for years here in Canada as we also have 2 organizing bodies that always seem to be at odds and seem to lack communication skills.  

 

There are those that think if you got rid of the low cost option everyone would be forced to pour their support and $ into the FIM option and that level of support would drive great growth in the sport. My experience has been if you try to force people into doing something they don't want they just stay home.