The West Leeds Motor Club staged the inaugural Steve Walker Memorial Trial at Cawder Hall Farm where seventy eight competitors took part in an event to commemorate the late Steve Walker who was a staunch club member and trials riding competitor known throughout the county. Appropriately Steve's nephew Liam Walker won the day and his name will be engraved on the brand new SteveWalker Memorial Trophy.
After a very brief spell of torrential rain immediately before the start time the weather did lift although the unfortunate observers high on the moors at the first five section had not shelter, not even a tree or a bush to shield downpour. Ironically the rock garden at the third was mastered on all three laps by the winner and Danny Gamble. Top novice Rob Waite was the best of the rest with a dab on the final lap. Retired road racer Sam Ludgate was one of the triple cleans at the remote fifth section along with Sam Beecroft-Penny and Nigel Crowther. Sam was still wincing over failing the first and third sections but got his act together to pin his score to another seven in dabs. Top Green course contender Richard Fraser also fell foul of that awkward fifth section and dropped a two and five on his victory ride spoilt be a soft dab on Renee Smith's seventh section down in the bottom ravine. The exit dug down to soft earth and spinning wheels were the norm.
From the sixth to twelfth section were straight up the stream bed and fairly green on the first lap. Fraser straight line every sub and the final double out on the pasture where Falcon member Andrew Jackson lost the plot on the dry straight climb at the final section. Those seven marks let Fraser off the hook. Mark Chippendale took the clubman class with a polished ride dropping a five and two on the lofty third section. He rode the entire ravine group as if it were tarmac coated shading Chris Manby and Rob Hardisty who lost out in the twelfth where Penny Ludgate was on duty. Manby's two in that section and another two marks in the final section on lap one lost him the class victory.
And the youth content? Thomas Housecroft was just a gear up on Tom Geldart on the main course. Both youngsters dropped a stack of marks in the first five sections. On the fifty -fifty Ben Goddard was too experienced for Oliver Hutsby but Joseph Fox had Beth Waite on his case in the clubman class, and he managed to escape the Hurworth teenager, just. BR