Glen Scholey
I have personally known Glen Scholey for over forty years, and vaguely remember that he served his apprenticeship when he left school working in the Wilkinson brothers garage at Kettlewell in North Yorkshire. As a regular visitor to the Scottish Six Days Trial Glen and I got talking about his years working for the brothers and a ten minute conversation turned into an hour – and I loved it! Yorkshire born and bred, Glen can still be found competing and attending trials when his busy schedule of running his caravan park with his wife allows. After a very successful schoolboy career he moved into the adults, taking in all the major events and winning over half a dozen national trials. This article very much reflects the ‘family and friends’ nature of a sport for us all to enjoy as this was how his introduction to the sport came about.
Before we touch on the trials career lets go right back to the early days and your introduction to the sport of motorcycle trials.
My parents Geoff and Betty were busy running their Public House, The Black Horse in Grassington, and through Colin and Rita Maxfield who were customers I started going with them on a Sunday morning to watch their son John, who was a good centre rider. This resulted in my Dad buying me a modified BSA Bantam and I spent hours practising on Grassington Moor. The downside to the BSA was the low 6” footrests which caught on everything in sight. After practising for a year Dad invested in a 1971 Slimline Bultaco for me.
Did trials riding come easy? Living in the Yorkshire centre the standard would be very good with some tough trials…
My very first trial was a Craven group trial at Cawder Ghyll in Skipton aboard the ‘Bulto’. Mum Betty was my driver, taking me in a Ford escort van with the front wheel of the ‘Bulto’ hanging out of the back doors! In 1975 and still competing in the ‘B’ Class I progressed onto a 250 MAR Ossa. The results were pretty good, often coming 1st and 2nd place in my class. Living in Yorkshire — the home of trials — there were some great local venues, many of which are still used today, and I also used to ride in mid-week evening events. The competition was great too and it was during these times that I first met and competed with the likes of Ian Wetherill, Nigel Crowther, Graham Tales, Philip Alderson, the Richardson brothers and a certain John Lampkin!
And Schoolboy trials were changing at this time.
Correct; at this time some new regulations were introduced regarding the maximum cc a junior could compete on. The Ossa went under the dustsheet and I began to ride a TL 125 Honda. Halfway through 1975 Blackie Holden Snr prepared a 150 TL Honda and for a short time I rode that, with support from Colin Appleyard. In 1975 my dad Geoff ‘sponsored’ me on a 172 Montesa, which unfortunately had gearbox issues, and I changed mounts again onto a TY 175 Yamaha. That same year I was runner-up to Howard Jackman in the ‘B’ Class Championship.
It was quite unusual to see a Northern based rider on a Gollner Kawasaki, how did that happen?
1976 saw me move into the schoolboy ‘A’ Class and back onto the 250 MAR Ossa before changing machines in mid-1977 onto a Kawasaki and finishing 4th in the championship. In the autumn of that year I went to the Don Smith Trials School. The winner received the machine of his choice — I was runner up, losing on most ‘0’s — and came home with a machine cover! Being a regular entrant in Wakefield Thursday Night Trials — Dad’s night off — we became acquainted with Mick Tonks who was the Kawasaki dealer in Wakefield. As my results improved I caught the attention of Bob Gollner, who was looking for a Northern based rider to promote the Gollner Kawasaki. This machine had a chrome frame with angled rear suspension and a lighter flywheel — all these being very innovative at the time.
You were introduced to the Wilkinson brothers, where you would serve your apprenticeship.
On leaving school at 16 I had the choice of going to Peter Clarke’s Autos Ford dealership in Skipton to do an apprenticeship or to go to ‘Wilks’ in Kettlewell, where amongst an array of farm vehicles and machinery I would also get to work on machines, so it was a ‘no brainer’ and I spent 5 years with Mick and Bill. ‘Mother Wilk’ used to bring tea down in an old pop bottle — accompanied by homemade ginger biscuits, which Mick always got first dibs! Sausage rolls were warmed up on the old pot-bellied stove which stood at the back of the garage and ‘wolfed’ down before I headed out to practise at Moor End, Kilnsey Gill and Park Rash — all well known Allan Jefferies sections — but woe betide me if I was late back to work! Those five years put me in good stead for life to come; if something had to be said it was said, sorted and forgotten and we all moved on. There were many ‘incidents’ during my five years: sitting on the floor of the garage fitting new brake shoes to the school bus when Mick’s son Charlie thought it appropriate to hit me round the head with a hammer — well, that may explain some things!
On another occasion Mick and Bill had a good old laugh at my expense when setting me off down the road on an Ossa Phantom model; the thing got away on me and I had to push it back into the garage after wiping the throttle cable out on Kettlewell bridge — happy days!
How did the connection with Comerfords Bultaco happen that resulted in support from them — was this your first sponsorship?
In 1978 I was back on Dad’s sponsored ‘Bulto’. Calling at The Lampkins in Silsden for some motorcycle bits brought me into contact with Roy Collins and later that year Comerfords offered me a deal to ride their machines. It was an amazing offer for a schoolboy to be offered two machines per year, parts, Alpinestars boots, oil, and in addition £25 to travel to each National plus bonuses down to 10th place, and more bonuses for centre and group trials! They were not just any Bultacos either, these were machines prepared by the great Reg May with whom I got on famously and spent hours with at Comerfords during the school holidays. Still on Bultaco, and in 1979 I moved out of the schoolboys and into the seniors.
Over the coming years I travelled the length and breadth of the country taking part in the plethora of National trials — many of which are sadly no longer held. Every Friday evening there would be a steady stream of riders and vans, and later Ford RS 2000’s, heading towards that particular weekend’s venue: Hoad and Perce Simon, John Douglas and Dick Farquharson, Bemrose and White Rose, and so the list goes on. More importantly I was riding amongst the cream of British trials riders in what I look back on to be one of the best times in the sport. Any one of probably 20 riders could have won that particular event — great names and great people: The Lampkins, Rob & Norman Sheppard, John Reynolds, Mick Andrews, Steve Saunders…
It was common place for us to travel together, thus halving the fuel costs and at the same time having some banter! Amongst others I’ve travelled many miles with are Martin and John Lampkin — Mart never trusted us to drive. Other travelling companions included Nigel Birkett, Chris Myers, J.R. and Graham Tales.
The year that Bernie Schreiber won the World Championship my Dad Geoff received a phone call from Don Howlett at Comerfords to see if he would drive Bernie to the World rounds in Sweden and Finland. Geoff agreed, although I do vaguely remember him being a bit put out that Bernie was at pains to point out that he had bigger and better speakers in his van than Dad had in his car! You can’t win them all.
Am I correct in thinking your first SSDT was in 1980 on a Bultaco? As with the Scott did you look forward to them or not?
Riding a Bultaco, 1980 was my debut year in both the SSDT and Scott Trials and what was to be the first of 10 consecutive years in both events. The SSDT was my favourite of the two events, getting a Special First Class Award each year with my best overall result coming in 1989 with 7th place as well as ‘Best Day’ on the Saturday — a great personal achievement considering some of the world’s best were riding. The Scott was less pleasurable but the results were still good, winning Best Newcomer and two 4th place finishes, collecting seven Silver and three Gold Spoons.
Why the move from the Bultaco to the Ossa?
I think that the change from Bultaco to Ossa came about as I was working for ‘Wilks’ and was approached by Cliff and Roger Holden, and so I swapped mounts to a ‘Yellow Gripper’ model. I was invited along with John Reynolds to attend Roger’s wedding to Jane in Bournemouth. As ever, needing to stick to his budget ‘JR’ insisted that we travel down from Yorkshire on the morning of the wedding. Needless to say time was tight and we followed Jane down the aisle whilst still fastening our ties!
In 1981 you met your future wife Helen Busfield at a trial — correct?
Yes, I met my future wife Helen at the 1981 SSDT. Her father Roger Busfield and his mate Norman Pickles had ridden several SSDTs and when Roger hung up his boots he promised Helen they would have a family holiday in the Highlands to watch the SSDT — and the rest, as they say, is history. Helen and I were married in 1983, with our son Matthew arriving later that year, and at the same time Betty and Geoff opened Cobblestones Café in Grassington. Cobblestones was a success and I left ‘Wilks’ in 1984 to work for Mum and Dad in the cafe. Our daughter Kathryn was born in 1986 and two years later, with Mum and Dad ready to retire, Helen and I bought Cobblestones Café and ran it until late 1998.
You moved back to a Bultaco in 1982 before then changing to SWM, why the changes?
In 1982 the Bultaco factory appeared to be struggling and machines were not readily available, and so I moved to SWM. However, I only had moderate success and again the promised supply of machines, particularly the ‘Jumbo’ model, failed to materialise. As it turned out SWM were also struggling and production ceased soon after.
After the 1983 SSDT you would move to a Montesa 242cc with support from the UK importer Jim Sandiford, a relationship that would last for many years.
In 1983 I moved to Sandiford’s, riding both the Cota 242 and 330 models. I have very fond memories of my time riding for Jim Sandiford, for several reasons. Firstly the Montesa was a very reliable machine and I was pleased that my results helped Jim sell many Montesas, and secondly Jim was a very professional person to ride for and had a great set up in Bury. I had a great mechanic in Billy Brandwood and it also helped that Jim always paid my bonuses on time, which was very important for me with a mortgage and two growing children — he was a real gentleman.
Then you had a phone call from Jim Sandiford which left you stuck for words?
In 1985, with the advent of the mono-shock, Jim asked me if I would like to ride the Honda 250 RTL — a machine I loved riding. Unfortunately Jim couldn’t offer me the machine beyond the end of 1985 so I briefly rode a JCM. By the end of 1986 I was back on the Honda 250 — sponsored once again by Dad. Finally after being a runner-up several times in 1987 I won my first National trial — The Allan Jefferies — it somehow felt appropriate that it should be on my doorstep! And later that same year I won the White Rose Trial too, this time on a Colin Appleyard sponsored Honda RTL.
By late 1988, I was on a 240 Beta, one of many I was to ride over the years, mainly sponsored by Dad but with help from good friend John Lampkin. During my years in the adults I clocked up six Ilkley Grand National wins and was Yorkshire Centre Champion seven times too.
I had several trips into Europe to ride in various World rounds. I didn’t have any great results to report, but it was an experience not to be missed.
A couple of events around Christmas time did require absolute concentration when I borrowed Robin Luscombe’s sidecar outfit with Helen as my passenger. I cannot recall our results but I do clearly remember losing Helen out of the back of the chair on a hill climb!
As with all trials riders Glen never really left the sport. Over the years I would start to see Glen at trials as he returned to riding. In 1988, my parents decided to retire and Helen and I bought the café. Our busiest days were obviously weekends which, along with my dwindling enthusiasm for trials and the need to be at work, resulted in me hanging up my trials boots.
We ran Cobblestones Café for a further ten years; the last four or five of which we spent looking for a caravan park.
Our lucky break came in 1998 when the owner of River Laver Holiday Park in Ripon contacted us to say he was ready to sell and gave us first refusal.
After selling our home, the café and two holiday lets in Grassington we finally became the proud owners of River Laver Holiday Park in November 1998. It was a bitter-sweet time, as my Dad who had been my mentor and sponsor sadly passed away at the same time.
Do you now ride on a regular basis?
Buying the caravan park gave us more flexibility to get time away and it was at this time, after an absence of ten years, that we started to make the trip to the Highlands to watch the SSDT. It’s not only a wonderful part of the world it’s an event where old friendships are renewed, new ones are made, and for us personally it’s very special as it’s where I met Helen.
After watching for several years and being encouraged and badgered to ‘have another go’ I rode another four Scottish Six Days from 2007 to 2010 — collecting a First Class Award each time. Since then I’ve gone back to watching with Helen and making a holiday of the SSDT week. I still like to spend a bit of time pottering about in the Parc Ferme with John, Caroline and the Beta crew.
I now have a few firm favourite events which I like to ride: The Jack Leslie Ellis, which is literally down the road from where we now live, The White Rose, The Cleveland and the Alwinton Two-Day and Reeth Three-Day events, which I ride with our son Matthew.
In recent years I’ve enjoyed riding one of my RTL Hondas, but last year’s Reeth Three Day made me realise the old bike wasn’t quite up to the job and I was in danger of doing some serious damage. So the ‘old girl’ has been retired and in her place I’m getting to grips with and enjoying riding the latest offer from Honda: the 300 RR, which is at the opposite end of the spectrum to the RTL. I’m enjoying riding now but constantly have to tell myself that it is for enjoyment, and not to let my competitive nature take over.
Over the years I’ve been fortunate to be sponsored by so many people, but I would just like to mention one person and that’s Richard Thorpe of PJ1 fame. There are very few pictures of me where I’m not sporting a PJ1 sticker. Richard has not only been a great support in supplying me with oil, chain lube etc for many, many years, he’s always been regularly on the phone to get a report on ‘how I went on at the weekend’. So ‘thanks Richard and when are you bringing your caravan up to Ripon next?’ — It’s my way of trying to repay him for all his years of kindness and generosity.
I cannot end this interview without saying how fortunate I have been and continue to be in being introduced and involved with this great sport, for the support in the early days from my parents and then later from Helen and the great people I have met and true friendships I have made.