Author: callum

The clubs 2013/2014 Cross Country events will kick off this coming Saturday, 5th October at Dunmore Mountain, Spa, Ballynahinch.

With a four round series being promoted again this year, we hope to attract a good crowd of riders as always to support our events.

I few riders have voiced opinions that the general feel for these types of events is that they are all run in glar holes and it consists of nothing more than a day of bog hopping. We want to get the message across to riders that this is not the case with our events. On the day the course will be flowing with technical climbs suitable for all levels of riders. Our team of workers/track builders always keep rider safety as a top priority.

If you haven’t experienced one of our Cross Country events, why not download an entry form here and send it to our cross country competition secretary before Wednesday 2nd October 2013.

 

Get your entries in quick to reserve your spot on the starting line up… a days craic and fun is guaranted!

We have been forced to take the decision to cancel this event today at 2pm as we have only received 36 paid entries in total. We would like to thank all those who took the time and made the effort to enter for the event, but unfortunately we cannot afford to run with just 36 entries received.

Once again the Mourne Motorcycle Club will host the final round of the Irish Championship at Seaforde Moto Park, County Down. This year it will be held on Saturday 7th September 2013. This event will bring the clubs very successful promotion of motocross racing for 2013 to a close.

Norman Green’s hillside race circuit always provides some great racing, and we are sure that this last round of the 2013 Irish Motocross Championship will be no exception.

The club has once again secured additional sponsorship for this event to help boost the sport and its profile. We will be holding our official press launch for this later this week (additional information and photos to follow after)

 

Entry forms for this event have been in general circulation for a few weeks now, being at previous rounds of the championship and other races. They are also available to download from our club website by clicking here, or in your local motocross shop.

As is standard practice from previous championship races, the club will NOT be accepting ANY entries on the day. There is no excuse for failure to pre-enter this event if you are wishing to compete. There will be no exceptions on this rule, so please get your entries in this week to avoid disappointment.

Any Southern Ireland competitors who would prefer to post entries to Sylvia Lockhart, this has been arranged and will be acceptable, but they have to with Sylvia by the closing date.

Following on from the cancellation of our Fun Cross Country due to the weather, which was to be run in January time at Saintfield Road, Crossgar; we are now going to be running our first ‘Fun Evening’ Cross Country event on Wednesday 24th July 2013 at the same venue.

Signing-on and scruiteering will be from 5.30pm until 6.30pm with the 2 hour race for all riders commencing around 6.45pm.

With the recent good spell of weather that we have been having, we are hoping to have it extending until our event in just under two weeks time.

 

It is with regret and frustration that the club has been forced to cancel Wednesday night comings Evening Cross Country. With only 12 paid entries, and 25 in total on paper, the event was not going to be viable. We have been left with no option but to cancel this event. We cannot run on the word of mouth that riders might turn up. We are sorry to all those who entered and your entries will be returned.

 

 

Our ‘Evening Motocross’ has now been passed and reorganised with first aid cover for this coming Wednesday night, 10th July at Leitrim MX Track.
Anyone who didn’t take their entry back last week will be automatically re-entered. Anyone who would like to enter, please get in touch before Tuesday morning. Revised entry forms are available to download here

There will be ‘Free Admission. to the track for competitors and spectators on the night, as a goodwill gesture from the club.

There will be a tear-off ban in place on the night, as the land is used to graze livestock on. So please only use Roll-off type systems on your goggles.

Directions to this event can be viewed on our events page, please click here

 

Thanks again for your continued support and understanding.

 

 

 

 

Our ever popular ‘Evening Motocross’ at George Porter’s; Leitrim Motocross Track will be on Wednesday 3rd July 2013. We will be running the usual Grade A, Grade B and Grade C solo classes along with the an Evo class for the older models of machinery.

Entry fee is £22 (£10 extra for additional class) + an additional £3 each for all competitors and spectators to be paid at the gate.

Entry forms are now available to download by clicking here. Get your entries in quick as they are first come first served, with this popular event which attracts large numbers of riders.

Directions to this event can be viewed on our events page, please click here

 

On Wednesday evening, June 19th 2013 we will again hold our annual Grasstrack event which we run for local charities. Our grasstrack is now in its 7th year and we hope this year it will be as much of a success as previous years. Over the last six years the club has raised in excess of £41,000 at our charity grasstrack events for local charities which are close to the hearts of club members and their families. This year is no different, as we have again picked two local charities and will divide the proceeds in half for both of these very worthwhile causes. The money raised at this years event will go to the Lucy Parke Fund and The Grove Day Centre, Ballynahinch.

Below is a few paragraphs to give you a brief insight into each of these very worthwhile charities that will benefit from our event:

Lucy Parke is the daughter of David and Stephanie Parke from Drumlee, Castlewellan, County Down. She was 3 years old on 10^th Nov 2012. She has a condition called Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria Syndrome. (More information available here: www.progeriaresearch.org) This is a premature ageing disease which means Lucy’s body will age eight times faster than others. It is a very rare fatal genetic condition with only 100 known cases in the world. Lucy is the only child in Ireland with the condition. Lucy has normal mental ability and can walk for short distances. She is talking and singing like any other 3 year old. She looks different to other children and has growth failure, loss of body fat, hair loss and a poor appetite. From an early age Lucy will have arthritis and heart problems and these will contribute to a much shorter life.

As yet, there is no cure for Progeria, but doctors around the world are discovering new aspects of the condition and are testing different drugs so as to give children like Lucy the best quality of life. Lucy Parke Progeria Fund was started shortly after Lucy’s diagnosis in 2010 as friends, neighbours and strangers wanted to help in some way. The money has been raised for when she needs something either to make life easier for her or for any treatment that she needs which may not be funded by health boards. Lucy has hospital check-ups on a regular basis but is generally healthy. She is small in stature but has a big personality with big brown eyes and a smile that will light up any room. She loves being the big sister to Jake and Jenny and is a very loveable and special child.

Lucy parents have been blessed by many good friends and have a strong Christian faith. “Lucy was sent to us for a reason and we thank God for her daily. She has enlightened our family and we have grown closer to God and stronger in our faith because of her. She has changed our lives and will continue to impact the lives of so many others in Northern Ireland and throughout the world.”

“For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord.” Jeremiah 29v11

 

The Grove Day Centre Age N.I. Is located on the Antrim Road, Ballynahinch. Their aim is to support and encourage older people to remain active, independant and to enjoy life to the full. We provide a friendly, caring and stimulating atmosphere for all attending the centre.

Grove Day Centre is registered for 15 Service Users per day and is purpose built to suit the needs of older people. A well balanced meal is provided each day. All our service users have an opportunity to participate in the therapies, activities and seasonal outings. Recently some of our Service Users had the chance to participate in a basic computer course which they thoroughly enjoyed. We have also had Mulberry Cottage Crafts in at the Grove to do Brooch Making and Bonmarche came to Grove to enable some of our Service Users to see their range of clothes and purchase some new clothes. We also do outings and day trips. At Christmas we went to the Millbrook Lodge Hotel and at Easter another outing to the Harbour Inn, Annalong. Our summer outing have not yet been planned and we are hoping to have a Jewellery making class late summer. Our clients love to do craft making, Knitting, Pot Planting and baking. Movie Days where the service Users would watch a movie and enjoy Popcorn and we also have the hairdresser in on a Tuesday morning and a coffee morning on a Friday. When the weather is good we would go for a run to Brennans for ice cream so we are always busy doing something and welcome new ideas

Caring for and providing activities to keep the older generation occupied is our primary aim at The Grove Day Centre.

 

Plans for Wednesday 19th June are very much well underway. The press launch took place on Tuesday night past (June 4th) with a photo below. As with previous years, we will not only have the grasstrack racing to look forward to. We will have displays of classic cars and motorcycles, along with custom trucks. Face painting will also be on hand to keep the kids entertained.

We will be having Grade A, Grade B and Grade C solo classes (entries will be limited to 60 Grade C competitors, first come first served basis) There will also be classes on the night for Quads, Sidecars and Evo’s in our racing programme.

Entry Forms for this event are now available to download; please click here. Please get your entries in quickly, as we always have a big demand for this event and can only cater for limited numbers in each class.

Photo © MWK Mourne MCC Ltd

Signs erected around the Ballynahinch area in preparation for the event…

The club is hosting Round 3 of the Ulster Quad/Sidecar/Veterans/Under 23 Ulster Championship at Seaforde Moto Parc on Saturday 8th June 2013.

At present entries are slow to come in, so please get them in as soon as possible to allow time to compile the programme together and produce entry lists.

For event competitor entry forms, please click here

For direction please click here

We will be running a solo support race on the day but this will be open to entries from Grade C competitors ONLY (Either Grade C MX1 or Grade C MX2)

Competitors please note the following:

• Noise testing will be enforced on ALL bikes and quads… This will take place in the morning.
• NO entries will be accepted on the day,
• Chain guards must be fitted to ALL bikes and quads for safety.

If there is anyone who is available to offer their services as a flag marshal, please get in touch via email or facebook. Lunch will be provided on the day, expenses will be paid and all marshals will be entered into our £25 bonus draw for two lucky marshals.