Mercian Dirt Riders

We will be holding a practice day for club members on 7th March
If you are interested contact us before 28th Feb
The day is open to Clubman and Sportsman only
We aim to have several experienced riders on hand to advise on machine preparation and riding tips.
Spaces are limited to 30 riders so get your entry in now.

Mercian Dirt Riders

AWARDS PRESENTATION EVENING

Cancelled due to circumstances beyond our control

Caerphilly MCC Wentwood Enduro March 14^th 2010.
A time card enduro held at The Wentwood forest near newport / Chepstow, a good rideable course set out for sportsmen and clubmen. No stoppers or bogs or anything else silly to spoil the day just a good old fashioned work out. Classes for trail bikes, over 50, over 40, sportsmen, ladies, clubmen, expert, champ and sidecars.
See www.caerphillymcc.co.uk for regs

Off-road racers pitch in for Help for Heroes

Motorcycle enduro racers raised almost £6,000 in one day for injured servicemen.
Riders and organisers of the final Mercian Dirt Riders race of 2009 presented a cheque to Help for Heroes for £5,803.24.
The club was moved to run the race in memory of Private Richard Hunt, 21, who died after an explosion in Afghanistan last year.
Riders gathered sponsorship and the club held a raffle at the 3 hour, hare and hounds race at Aberbeeg on November 15. Help for Heroes was chosen as the beneficiary by Pte Hunt's parents Hazel and Phillip, and sister Fiona, who continue to be great supporters of the club. Club members gathered with Pte Hunt's family and Help for Heroes Gloucestershire Volunteer Diana McCrea after Christmas to make the presentation.

Once again we have arrived at the end of a cracking event, everyone at Mercian Dirt Riders wanted to finish the season with a bang and what a great end to the season it was.
The course turned out to be a little bit harder than planned but despite the weather being terrible on Saturday the marshals put up a good course that was challenging but rideable. The plan to run the event as a fundraiser for Help for Heroes turned out to be a good idea and everybody put in a huge effort to raise funds for a noble charity, we are indebted to those that worked hard to raise large amounts of cash in the present economic climate. (Just over £4000.00 so far) Although the fancy dress was not well attended the three riders that did get involved made a fantastic effort and Scooby Doo aka Mathew Norton needs a medal just for carrying that heavy costume around all day. Many riders made a huge effort just to finish and several said that they were spurred on by Hazel Hunt's words at the start.
The club wishes to give a big thank you to all of the people that turned up at the event to help out as it was not easy in the bad weather on Saturday, and also it was a race against time to get everything cleared up by the time it got dark on Sunday but everything was done perfectly. The Hero of the event award has to go to one person only and that person was one of the first to turn up on Saturday morning and work tirelessly all day in the wind and the rain knocking in posts and putting up tape until it got too dark keeping everybody's spirits up with a smile when everybody else was ready to give up, then camping in the back of a van sat night so that they could get up early Sunday morning to continue helping out. That person stayed to the bitter end Marshalling then helping to take down the course and clearing up in the dark. On the way home the same person commented on what a cracking time they had had and could not wait till the next time. This person was 16 year old Fi Hunt.

I would like to say a great big enormous THANK YOU to everyone, for the effort they made for H4H.

It's a very personal thing for us, as our son is a serving officer who has fought in many parts of the world including Iraq and Afghanistan.

Our hearts go out to the Hunt family who have sadly lost Richard. Hazel, Phil and Fi have been good friends both to the club and ourselves for a while, and they were moved by the amount of support that was shown on Sunday.

Thank you to the members of the West Glos club for their help, it was great to see them. Also a big thank you to the landowner who donated his fee to the fund.

The riders made the day for me, the weather was awful and conditions were interesting, near the end of the race with just 20 mins to go I came across 3 riders up to their handlebars in mud struggling to finish. One said that he had to do it for Hazel, she had made such an impression, on everyone, with her quiet dignity. That just about sums up the day for me.

The fundraiser is in memory of Rich Hunt who died on August 15^th 2009 from his injuries received while serving in the army in Afghanistan.

The Hunt family were the Landowners for our first event and have continued to support our club by marshalling whenever they can. Fiona, their daughter, helps out at signing on and out on the course on a quad.

We feel that we would like to support the family at this time and have decided to fund raise for their nominated charity Help for Heroes.

We have various ideas for fundraising including a raffle and Riders getting sponsorship for each lap that they do on the day.

If you are interested in riding this event as a fundraiser or wish to make a donation please contact Phill or Gail on 01989 763455 or email mail@merciandirtriders.co.uk

Click here for official sponsor Form. (Help For Heroes event ref: 20090905-4088-2820)

If you would like to help and want your name added to this list please email mail@merciandirtriders.co.uk or tel. 01989 763455. Thanks.

Me and several other mates from the Forest Club rode the Mercian's round 1 at Aberbeeg on Sunday, and would just like to say on behalf of me and everybody else what a great day it was the track was set out excellently and suitable for all abilities and it was kept running for the whole 3 hrs without any mishaps, it was great to ride an 8 mile course that was so good, fair play they really now how to set a good course, the new bits that were added where also good, when we first heard that you had lost the woods we thought it was going to be a bit easy but it wasn't it was still quite demanding and some people said it was better than last time, I really think the track is best ran that way round, not in reverse cause the hill climbs by the start and finish are awesome, I had a great start and a good battle with leader and winner Gareth Hopkins, I didn't get bored at all the whole race it just got better and better, plenty off overtaking places as well, all the marshals done a great job of keeping everything going, by the half way mark I pulled a good lead on 3rd place and 4th and eased off a bit and enjoyed it, saw Colin there taking some pics which can be seen on www.wgdfmcc.org.uk and a report also on www.enduronews.com I will try and contest every round for the Mercian Club and I know all my mates are too. Can't wait till the next one, just like to say again many thanks to Gail, Phil, Glen, Dave and all others for all there hard work great event.

MERCIAN DIRT RIDERS
PRACTICE DAY

25 members of Mercian Dirt Riders braved the cold and the snow for the practice day at Pandy on 1st Feb the weather improved and there was even a hint of sunshine at one point. International rider Greg Evans turned up to offer tips and advice to the riders throughout the day helped by expert riders Andrew Knapman, Steve Biddle, Phill Gardner and Jason Bennett.

The format was a 3 hour session starting with Greg Evans offering advice on bike prep and tyre changing followed with a practice session with Greg and the others giving riders advice on various obstacles on the 2 km course.

Everyone had a great time and all riders left with a smile on their face knowing that they had learnt something new.

Due to the success of the event Mercian Dirt Riders are planning to hold a similar event in the near future.

Off-road racers pitch in for Help for Heroes

MERCIAN DIRT RIDERS PRACTICE DAY

MERCIAN DIRT RIDERS
PRACTICE DAY