BEWDLEY MCC held their Hooper Trophy Trial in Arley and were and were blessed with fine weather and a bumper entry.

The venue had not been used for competitions for a number of years, but its streams and woodland climbs gave the large entry a testing and enjoyable day’s sport.

Only a small number of riders competed on the A route and Jack Savage (Montesa) came out on top, gaining a five-mark win over Shaun Haddington (Montesa).

Ex-British Sidecar Road Racing champion Tom Hanks had a steady ride throughout, but was unable to master section two, a steep climb over tree roots and rocks.

Losing a total of seven marks on ex-club chairman Graham Turner’s section, demoted the former champion to third spot on the podium.

Two ex-motocross riders Joe Cutler (Gas Gas) and Ian Kelly (Beta) were making their trials debuts.

The travelling companions finished the event on identical marks, with Cutler taking the higher finishing position.

Forming the majority of the entry, the B route provided Mel Whitelaw (Scorpa) with his first ever flawless victory in 34 years of trials riding.

The Bewdley member managed to hold his concentration during his final lap to gain a one-mark success over a trio of Beta-mounted riders, Stewart Branford, Shaun Hammond and Ian Strudley.

Kidderminster’s Jim Pickering (Drayton Bantam) and Robin Foulkes final scores were identical, but Pickering gained the better position by means of cleaning the greater number of sections.

Former Midland centre trials champion Craig Parkes (Gas Gas), Lee Beaman (Beta) and Harry Hall (Sherco), battled throughout the four-lap event, with all three finishing on three marks lost. But the former champion gained the lead by the tie break.

The C route saw R D Mitchell (Beta) finish a clear 13 marks ahead of the remaining pack, but the runner-up position was a close-run affair between Mitchell Parkes (Gas Gas) and Kidderminster’s Myles Greenwod (Beta).

Greenwood could not quite get to grips with the penultimate section and was demoted to third place.