Colin Bullock

The ability to laugh at one’s self takes the tension out of many difficult moments. When Colin Bullock contacted me with his ‘Magic Moments’ from trials, it certainly made me laugh. We all have to laugh at ourselves sometimes, trust me! One of Colin’s comments reminded me of one of my ‘Moments’ which, in hindsight, I had to laugh at. I had new camera gear I wanted to use all packed in my camera bag. I was travelling down to Devon for a British Championship trial and met my good friend John R Shirt at his house. He loaded my bags into his van, perfect. So we arrive at the trial on the Saturday in time for practice, and my camera bag is missing. After telling John I was not happy, the minder for Michael Brown, Shaughan Galway, turned to me and laughed; he said it was like a porn star turning up at a photoshoot with no cock! I then phoned my wife, who asked me why I had not taken my camera bag out of my office! Brilliant. Check the mirror to see your face, and I bet you’re laughing when you read about what Colin Bullock got involved with at trials; checkout these ‘Magic Moments’.

PRE-65 SCOTTISH: Taking some photos at Colesnacoen section 2 in the Pre-65 Scottish a few years back, a competitor was through the begins card. An enormous roar sounded, and the observer ducked, and I followed suit. The rider reached the ends card still clean as the low-flying RAF Jet disappeared from view, only to be asked to ride the sub again as he had not been observed.

TAKAHISA FUJINAMI: At an early Hawkstone FIM World Trials Championship round, the riders had a section inspection on the afternoon before the trial. Takahisa Fujinami was stood with a few other riders on a large rock, looking down as Dougie Lampkin turned up. His Acapella version of Rule Britannia was not expected, but it was memorable – even if not for the right reasons. I have yet to find anyone who can verify this, but I could not have made it up, surely!

SSDT – BULLOCK’S BROADCASTING CORPORATION: I had arrived early at Leanachen for the SSDT getting a nice spot on Section 2. There were few spectators, and I had a great view from the begins card, under the bridge to the ends cards. Thirty minutes later, a bloke with a bigger camera than me came and stood right in front even though there was still plenty of places all over the section. I politely asked him if he would move as I had been standing there for a long time. He said “no, TV mate”, I replied that I was from the BBC. He looked me up and down with some derision, and yes, his camera was bigger than mine. He finally moved six feet. I ‘forgot’ to tell the cameraman that I was from Bullock’s Broadcasting Corporation, not the Beeb!

SAMMY MILLER: Talking to Sammy Miller while we were both spectating at the Pre-65 Scottish, he turned to me and said, “where we do go from here”. I thought, ‘if Sammy doesn’t know, I am sure I don’t!’

MONTESA 4RT: Back in Scotland, I decided we needed some pictures from the right bank instead of the left, so I decided to walk across the narrowish burn just as a Montesa 4RT rider came through the begins card. With my foot well and truly stuck halfway and the observers shouting at me to get a move on, I could only hold my cameras over my head and try and make myself as narrow as possible. Fortunately, the Montesa rider knew his trade. As I sheepishly made my way back down the track, he somehow missed me and registered a clean.

JUNIOR KICKSTART: At a Junior Kickstart, a young Graham Jarvis was about to ride a section that involved doing a pivot turn off a 45% plank. Riders could go off either way. Wanting to get the head-on pivot shot, I asked ‘Grimbo’ whether he was going right or left. “I’m going up the middle,” said Graham. I might have known what I meant, but with hindsight, I got the answer to the question asked!