JULIAN ‘JOOLS’ FORD
The 2014 International Dirt Bike Show at Stoneleigh Park closed its doors on what was considered by many to be one of the most successful shows yet. The Show was slightly ahead of last year in terms of visitor attendance which, when coupled with the fact that 2013 had shown significant growth, is always a healthy sign for any event.
Away from the number crunching though, the bigger picture was one of a vibrant and entertaining all-round show providing a high quality shop window for the industry. This coupled with positive feedback from show fans, many of whom cited astonishing value-for-money as being high up on the list, was reason enough for the Show organiser to quickly confirm it will return to Stoneleigh Park in 2015 with another four-day exhibition from Thursday the 29th October through to Sunday the 1st November.
Summing up the 2014 event, Show organiser Nick Mowbray said; “The overwhelming feedback from visitors and exhibitors is that the Show delivered on its promise, providing something for the whole family. It was gratifying to see that, on most days, the halls were busy right up until close of play and we’re also pleased to hear that the attending charities did well with their fund-raising. We were blown away with the number of people who were happy to spend a little time completing our visitor surveys and we do take feedback into consideration. No matter how good a show is there is always room for improvement and the planning starts now for the 2015 International Dirt Bike Show. We now look forward to welcoming new and returning fans to Stoneleigh Park next October.”
Visit www.dirtbikeshow.co.uk for event news and pictures. Julian Ford, Off-Road Manager at BUMPY, passed away peacefully on the 13th October following a year-long battle with cancer. Julian – or Jools – aged just 46, was the driving force behind all of the club’s events especially the BUMPY first ever National trial when he organised the Julia Morris C and D British Championship round in 2013.
Jools was also instrumental, in his role as Yorkshire Centre President (2012 & 2013), in organising the very successful 2013 Inter-Centre Team Trial at Tong, West Yorkshire.
Jools started riding trials aged eight on a Yamaha TY 80 for the Spen Valley Club, progressing through the youth ranks and competing in the Youth British Championships in the late seventies to early eighties before joining the RAF as a Mechanical Engineer. After a brief stint assisting John Lampkin’s Screenart Beta team in the early nineties he finally made his return to trials riding on his restored 500cc Matchless at various Pre-65 events around his beloved Yorkshire Centre, and earned lavish praise for finishing the 2009 Scottish Pre-65.
Never one to sit around letting others do the work he became more and more active in the Yorkshire Centre, volunteering to be Steward at various Centre and National trials and taking up the role of Youth Team Manager for the Inter-Centre Team Trial in 2010, which Yorkshire went on to win. He reprised this role in 2011 and 2013 where the Youth team finished 1st and 2nd respectively.
He was diagnosed with stomach cancer just before the BUMPY team left for the NEC Motorcycle Live show in November 2013 but, true to form, wasn’t stopped from giving out free trials taster lessons to the general public.
Despite showing the signs of a good response to his treatment and overcoming bouts of pneumonia and septicaemia he started deteriorating in the summer and eventually lost his battle.
He was one of the most kind and considerate people you could meet and will be sadly missed by all at BUMPY, the Yorkshire Centre and the trials community as a whole.
Our condolences go to his young family especially his wife Joanne, and Jack, Grace and Toby.
DECEMBER 2014-JANUARY 2015 •