Editorial

It is a well-known phrase: ‘build it, and they will come’. It has been used many times when attempting to justify the running of an event and trying to make something work and be a success. But the ‘building it’ part is the tricky component, and it takes a lot of effort. So much effort that some would give up as it is either too costly in money or even time.

I have a bit of a reputation of being someone who doesn’t take ‘no’ for an answer. It’s a failing of mine. If I have what I think is a sound idea, I like to give it a try. Okay, I have to admit sometimes I do have to take a negative backlash, as it can be too costly once quotes are received for a venture.

Our club, the Inverness & District, set high standards when planning this year’s Highland Classic Two-Day event in June. It was agreed at our club committee that the theme would be SWM motorcycles, but who would be the now customary guest of honour? I had already given that careful consideration and, indeed, I was given the task to make the personal approach to none other than the 1979 World Trials Champion Bernie Schreiber.

I had met Bernie back in 2007 at the Robregordo Two-Day near Madrid in Spain, where we hit it off very well. Bernie is very much his own man, he is a perfectionist, and I knew that, so my sales pitch had better be very good. Not every rider of yesteryear wants to be a guest of honour. I went for it, a message was sent off to Zurich and he responded: “Hi John, let’s hook up one evening by telephone to discuss this. When suits you? Do you have a plan?” The negotiations were quite involved, it had to be worth his time coming over from Zurich to Scotland, so we planned carefully, and we found common ground. It just went from there.

Bernie is a thinker, an ideas man, but he doesn’t like people who just assume he is going to do things for them. He is a likeable, amicable guy, but, as I said before, he knows what he likes and likes to be active and to have input.

Bernie Schreiber plans very well; he doesn’t just have ideas. I left the final decision in his hands, no pressure. And you know what, it worked! Bernie is our Guest of Honour at the Highland Classic on 8 & 9th June, much to Scottish trials fans’ delight.

He is also kick-starting his series of Bernie Schreiber Experience Days on the Alvie Estate the day after our event; a planned by-product, if you like, of his agreement to be our guest.

The building part is complete; it’s happening. It’s not easy building or even planning events, but you have to stick with a concept and see it through, and the rewards make it all worthwhile. Bernie stuck to his ‘plan’ way back in 1979, and his reward was FIM World Trials Champion, so far the only American-born rider to achieve that feat.