Well the event has been run and won – and congratulations must go to all the 2011 Australian Champions – some of these are first time champions, whilst several have received this title in the same class or a different class for a second, third or even 17th time!
At the Presentation Dinner on Monday 3rd October, a very special award was presented that much of the Trials Community in Australia would not yet be aware of. As we all know, Joe Tarabini - a legend of Trials in this country passed away less than a month prior to the event, doing what he loved most – riding Trials. Joe has been a friend, riding buddy and inspiration to so many around Australia for so many years. Joe was an amazing person, always with a big smile on his face, always having a go at any obstacle within a section, and never letting a stack or tumble, a silly 5 or his physical impairments get to him. His love of Trials and his positive attitude was truly infectious!
It is with great honour that the Keyneton MCC presented the “JOE TARABINI SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD” to a worthy recipient, and it is a special trophy we hope will continue at each Australian Championship into the future.
This award was presented to the person that the organising committee (with valuable input from several experienced trials community members from around the country) believed expressed Joe’s love of the sport, his never give up and never stop smiling attitude, and his determination to get through every section for the best possible result.
The deserving winner of the 2011 Joe Tarabini award was INA HALLS from Ballarat, Victoria.
The KMCC would also like to thank Tina & Trev Ashenden and other members of Joe’s family for being such a special part of our event this year in more ways than one. Although it must have been hard for them with Dad not being there, Tina and Trev spent all weekend at the event, and then came to the Presentation Dinner to present the inaugural Joe Tarabini trophy to Ina.
Finally – to all the riders, family members etc present at the riders briefing on Day 1 – we thank you (KMCC and Joe’s family) for your minute’s noise! It was an incredibly experience to stand on a stage in front of you all and ask for a minute’s noise in Joe’s memory – and to just hear the response get louder and louder and louder. Well done to everyone and a little birdy told me Tina and Trev loved it!
On to some very deserved thankyou’s:
Our thanks go to all those who travelled to South Australia for Trials Week, and especially those who attended the Vine Inn Barossa – 2011 Australian Moto Trials Championships as a competitor, helper or spectator.
On behalf of the Keyneton MCC, the organising committee, and all those involved in the event, we would like to thank the following people who helped make the whole event be a success.
- Mr Bruce Verrall for the awesome property we used for the event, for the ability to trim trees and mow grass as we wanted, for the front end loader use and for just being a great guy to work with. For all those who attended the event, you know how incredible the property is, but with an all weather gravel access track, acres and acres of parking and some of the best rocks in Australia – it is undoubtedly one of the finest trials properties available to our sport.
- The sub-committee behind the organisation of the whole event. Awesome job done by all to make this another memorable Australian Championship hosted by the Keyneton MCC.
- The Sponsors – what would we do without them? Very special thanks to the Vine Inn Barossa for their 3rd time of being our naming rights partner. Special thanks also to Don Murray and the team at Trialzone Australia for coming on board as our other major sponsor for this year. Our thanks also go out to Barossa Valley Hire & Barossa Function Hire, Cannelle French Pastries, Impress Promotions – Gawler, the Hell Team / Gas Gas Motos Australia, plus also our many section sponsors.
- The section setting crew. Our thanks to you for your time and efforts and imagination to create some great sections for all grades of competitors.
- From me personally – thanks to the 3 individuals who helped and advised me on the Thursday before the event and Sunday afternoon on section standards in certain grades. Your help was greatly appreciated and helped greatly to ensure the sections were of a suitable standard – even though the riders didn’t always ride the lines we had envisaged.
- The crew who arranged and trained all our observers and helped ensure all the observers did such a brilliant job over the weekend.
- Without the valuable free use of various members and friends personal equipment, our running costs would be considerably higher. Our thanks to Fentons Farm Equipment, the Caust, Heidenreich x2 and Zander families for use of their equipment during the event.
- The members and friends of the club who were onsite at any time prior to the event, but especially those helping out Saturday, Sunday afternoon, Monday afternoon and Tuesday with getting organised, collating packs, setting up, packing up and bringing everything back to the clubrooms. Without your help we might still be there!
- All our suppliers, for working with us, often in short timeframes to help us run such a brilliant event.
- Mr Steve Scragg, Mr Scott Richardson, Mrs Maria Caust and Mr Jim Haseldine for being our key officials over the weekend and making sure all everything was covered off to the expectations of Motorcycling Australia.
- The observers, the machine examination team, the scoring team, the catering and drinks team, the VIP hosts and merchandise sales team. Our thanks for your time and dedication to your chosen volounteer role. Every single one of you helped make the event run so well.
- If you were at the titles, we hope you dropped by Café 96 for a delicious coffee. Thanks to the crew for coming along to support our event and supply coffee to everyone. Through their efforts and all those who bought coffee, it appears as though we have raised over $1200 for VARIETY - the Childrens Charity.
- Mr Peter Arnold, Mr David Menz and Mrs Georgi Menz for their time and IT equipment to run the electronic scoring program over the weekend, and Peter especially for his time and efforts before the event, between laps and after the event to make sure everything worked properly. Also Mr Keith Jobson for doing what he does best and having results on Trials Australia within 45 minutes for the rest of Australia and the world to see.
- Mr Brendon Gledhill and family for travelling to the Barossa to see the event and be our MC for the presentation night.
- The Trophy and MA medallion presenters at the presentation night. Most of these people were only tossed into these roles at short notice – and we thank them for their contribution towards the evening
Finally, for any riders that rode in the 3 tiered classes at this years event, we would appreciate any feedback, recommendations or constructive criticism you may have on what we did and how we went about it. Please feel free to send any thoughts of comments to ben@wroxton.com.au and I will collate any submissions received into a summary and forward on to the Trials Commission and next years organisers of our national championships