Report: Wild & Woolly Charity Scramble
By Dick Law on 4th Jan 17
For the second year running Neville Bradshaw on a 125 Yamaha won the Boxing Day Wild and Woolly Charity Scramble run by the hard-working members of Northampton MCC, at Arm Farm, just outside Blisworth, Northamptonshire.
But this year Bradshaw didn't have it all his own way - as he did in 2015 where he lapped the entire field - as Ady Smith kept him on his toes and pushed him all the way, the pair completing 23 muddy laps in the one-hour plus one-lap event. The duo were the only two riders to finish on the lead lap.
The mild and dry weather meant that the field and the brook that the circuit crosses on numerous occasion was the driest it has been for many a year.
However, soon after practice when the race proper started and with water being dragged up on to the banks, the track became the expected mud-bath with riders falling all over the place.
The mild weather also brought out a massive crowd of spectators to enjoy the fun while digging their hands deep into their pockets for some cash for those important charity bucketsthat club members had places in strategic places.
One club member estimated the crowd at 6,000, with onlookers five or six deep at the more interesting viewing spots.
Smith led the field of 50-riders round the first lap after the 11am dead-engine start - with electric starter - followed by Bradshaw, Jack Lee, Ryan Griffiths, Michael McClurg and the rest of the riders, which included Father Christmas disguised as Timothy Newbrook.
By the end of the opening lap Bradshaw was in the lead with Smith keeping him honest and even hitting the front for nearly a lap.
For the first seven laps Jack Lee and McClurg where going for it and swapped positions numerous times until Lee crashed big time and slipped back to sixth place, already two laps down on the leaders.
He remounted and regained a place by lap 12, only to struggle with the conditions and drop to seventh at the flag.
This left McClurg on his own in what looked like a safe third place. However, un-noticed by McClurg or his pit crew, Mathew Smith was on a charge from sixth on the opening lap and he snatched third just feet from the line.
Ryan Griffiths and James Plant had steady rides as they started fifth and seventh and ended the day in fifth and sixth, while Joe Tobutt started ninth and worked his way to eighth before retiring on lap nine. Ashley Rilings was the first Junior rider home in eighth with John Gill and Max Barnett second and third as all three completed 20-laps in the allotted time.
"I decided to do the event on a 125 Yamaha this year instead of the 250 I rode last year," said winner, Bradshaw.
"But it was tough, really tough. On the 125 it spins up a lot and it was hard to get good traction which is very important when you come to the ditch crossings.
"I had a great race with Ady Smith and he stayed with me the whole time which stressed me out a bit.
"Ady even passed me when I stopped for fuel but I managed to repass him almost straight away.
"It's amazing the amount of people that have turned out to watch the race and it's only a mile from my home, so that's handy too."
Smith said: "It's been a really good event and I am pleased I finish close to this guy [Bradshaw].
"I wasn't going to ride as I have been suffering with ‘man flu' all week.
"But my wife Zoe said I should man-up and go and do it, so and I am pleased that I did.
"I think I rode better doing it for the second time. I knew what to expect and to finish that close to Neville is better because he lapped me last year."
