Academy up and running
By TMX Archives on 16th Oct 08
The sun shone over Little Clandeboye Forest, Conlig on Sunday October 5, the first venue for the newly founded John Hagan Youth Trials Academy.
There are to be six training events scheduled throughout the forthcoming trials season, where the aims of the John Hagan Youth Trials Academy are to use the skills of past and present Adult Ulster & Irish Champions to coach and develop riding ability for all boys and girls eligible to ride grade A and grade B aged 13 to 18 years.
Local trials rider, John Hagan, together with his committee, founded the Youth Trials Academy to enable young riders to improve their abilities through structured training events. Also some of the country's top riders, past and present, volunteered their time and expertise to enable these coaching sessions to develop further.
The event was very well supported with such riders as Irish and Ulster Youth A champion Andrew Gault, Jonathan Lunney from Banbridge, runner-up in Youth A Ulster and Irish Championships, past European Ladies Champion Sasha Turkington, current Ulster Youth B Champion Ryan and current Irish Youth B Champion Ryan Sailes from Bangor.
The training took place in six designated areas which were set up specifically to task our young riders but within their own ability.
Each area was covered by an experienced Ulster & Irish past or present Champion, including a guest appearance by our local trials superstar Mr Rob Crawford. The riders were split into six groups and spent 30 minutes with each coach before breaking for lunch to refuel machinery and riders.
During the lunch-break Andy Higgins introduced his bike maintenance tuition, designed to help all the youth riders understand how their machinery works and hopefully help them diagnose simple problems.
Both parents and Yyouth riders commented on how much they enjoyed the light hearted format and are looking forward to the next event, which is to be held at Barbican Forest, near Newcastle, on November 8. Also in forthcoming events there will be surprise guest appearances by World Level Riders.
At the end of the six events the riders who show the best improvement will be treated to a special weekend of activities, which has only been possible with the donations submitted by our sponsors.
Finally, a big thank you to Mr Cecil Pearson for the use of his land. All of which contributed the making a very successful event.