The family way
Club events are invariably family-friendly, as demonstrated by Scottish Land Rover Owners Club’s Hunter clan…
LAND Rover clubs are famous for their family atmosphere – none more so than the Scottish Land Rover Owners Club, where David and Stephine Hunter, and their daughters Starr, Jazmyn and Harmony are always at the centre of the club’s many off-road events.
These girls’ idea of fun at the weekend is getting muddy, with clipboards in hand as the start/finish marshals at the club trials, time keepers at timed trials, or in the club caravan helping out. Throughout their young lives they have supported off-road veteran David as he has competed in events, so as soon as his daughters were old enough to compete in beginners’ Tyro trials, David was eager to encourage them.
David recalls: “In the early days I was trialling from the passenger seat, giving my eldest, Starr, instructions, but by her second season she had found her own style of driving and lifted most of the silverware that year – a very proud Dad moment!
“Just as I was finding the passenger seat a comfortable place to be, it was second-oldest Jazmyn’s turn behind the wheel and like Starr, she soon found her confidence behind the wheel, coming second at an event just before the Covid-19 lockdown in spring 2020, after which all trialling stopped.”
After lots of hard work from the SLROC committee, and with social distancing measures in place, the club was able to resume outdoor events. By then, the youngest daughter, Harmony, was old enough to enter a Tyro trial. The club’s own off-road site at Bathgate Hills was the venue and, for the first time, all three girls competed together.
Says David: “I now had three daughters to guide through 30 sections and 210 gates to clear from the passenger side, with the added competition of family friend Dave Low competing, with his daughter Erin.
“Starr and I were up first, followed by Jazmyn, then a brief gap before Harmony, my novice driver. What can I say about Harmony? She is very competitive and has no fear, so despite no driving experience she was soon flat out in second low; by the third section we were getting ‘clears’.”
It quickly became obvious that Harmony was a natural off-roader. Spectators were certainly impressed. David proudly recalls: “I heard another dad shout out: ‘Skip the Tyros and take her straight to Timed trials!’
I think it’s fair to say Harmony has a future in trialling…”
By the third section, Starr and Jazmyn had settled back into their own style of driving, as their confidence grew. “It is very easy to forget the challenges and disappointments of Land Rover trialling,” says David. “While it is great to watch their confidence grow, you have to teach them how to shake off disappointment when something goes wrong.
“But if you enjoy off-road driving, I recommend trialling from the passenger seat – teaching the next generation driving skills for what has to be one of the best forms of motorsport. The girls and I have enjoyed the Tyros so much.”
The SLROC has now introduced a new Tyro trophy – the Dynamic Duo – to be competed for by older drivers and their children.
“The kids are in it for points, whilst the parents are in it for bragging rights,” says David. “But quite often the children will beat their parents!
“I would like to give a big thank you to the marshals and the other competitors for the ongoing praise, encouragement and respect for this next generation of trials drivers.”