Taranaki Sporting Trials success | Taranaki Sport | Surfing, Rugby, Soccer, Football, Cricket in Taranaki

A CONTIGENT of Taranaki Sporting Trials Car Club members traveled to Wellington and Palmerston North during Queens Birthday weekend.

The new venue for the annual Queens Birthday event on Flightys Road near Judgeford, Wellington on Sunday, proved very challenging for the competitors.

Helped by heavy rain in the afternoon, the slippery clay conditions tested both driver and machine once wet.

The team of Sid Hirst and James Hogan as passenger got of to a good start by not losing any points on the first round while nearest rivals Murray Bridger and Mac Yeates lost two points. However, as the courses turned more slippery as the morning progressed the demerit points rose.

Section 1 became quite slippery on the latter rounds and many drivers found themselves sliding sideways of the course on the slippery off camber climb.

Brad Horgan and Kirsten Landers as passenger were the only ones to clean the steep section 3 on every round while Mac Yeates with Daniel Inglis as passenger lost only one point on this section.

Heavy rain after lunch made some of the courses very slippery, which required a high revving engine to make much progress in the muddy conditions.

However, most conquered the steep climb on section 4, which was so steep and slippery that walking up it was imposable.

Mac Yeates had a brilliant drive on section four after lunch up the muddy gully but then lost and expensive seven points by going the wrong way which probably cost him second place.

Daniel Inglis (the new rising star) in the sport did exceptionally well, still only in the C grade he managed a well deserved fifth place overall and first in the C grade.

Results overall

1st Sid Hirst, 28 points lost; 2nd Brad Horgan, 49 points lost; 3rd Mac Yeates, 54 points lost.

B Grade: 1st Steven Bridger, 136 points lost; 2nd Peter Hogan, 158 points lost; 3rd James Hogan, 158 points lost.

C Grade: 1st Daniel Inglis, 82 points lost; 2nd Philip Old, 144 points lost; 3rd Rod McLeod, 162 points lost.

On Monday, the Taranaki members competed at a venue near Palmerston North, once again conditions were very slippery on the grass cladded hillside and even more slippery in the old creek bed after lunch.

After the first round both Mac Yeates and Sid Hirst were equal on two points.

However, Yeates lost and expensive four points on the greasy off camber climb on section 3 on the second.

Brad Horgan was driving with considerable skills conquering many of the muddy courses with the high revving Honda powered SIDCO car, so at the lunch break points were close.

The undulating and twisty courses in the afternoon tested both driver and machine as their vehicles clambered in and out of an old creek bed and up and down steep banks.

Brad Horgan got further up the steep back on section 4 than any other driver helped by some brilliant skills from his passenger Kirsten Landers but was not quite enough to get ahead of Sid Hirst by the end of the day.

We are always on the lookout for people to help with the scoring or as passengers in the cars, a good passenger can make quite a difference to the cars climbing ability once they have mastered the art. If anyone (male or female) would like to be involved in this please contact Sid Hirst for more details ph 06 7567664 (evenings) or visit the website www.sportingtrials.org.nz

Results overall

1st Sid Hirst, 14 points lost; 2nd Bad Horgan, 17; 3rd Mac Yeates, 24.

B Grade: 1st Steven Bridger, 43; 2nd James Hogan, 43; 3rd Peter Hogan, 51.

C Grade: 1st Daniel Inglis, 47; 2nd Philip Old, 48; 3rd Rod McLeod, 61.