CELEBRATION

HIGHLAND CLASSIC A GOLDEN CELEBRATION

It seems like an eternity since Mick Andrews won the 1972 Scottish Six Days Trial on the Ossa, the last win for the iconic Spanish motorcycle manufacturer — 50 years ago, to be exact. This win was a highly prestigious one, with the fight between Bultaco, Montesa and Ossa commanding the bragging rights, which, of course, would be followed by machine sales. It was very much a case at the time of win on Sunday, sell on Monday. With all this in mind, the Inverness and District Motor Cycle Club Limited decided that their extremely popular Highland Classic Two-Day Trial in Scotland would, for 2022, be titled the ‘Ossa Edition’. So it was time for them to make the telephone call to the winner of the 1972 ‘Scottish’ Mick Andrews to invite him to be their guest of honour. Still, as super-enthusiastic as he was when he won in 1972, he gladly accepted their offer.

Words: John Moffat and Classic Trial Magazine • Photographs: Iain Lawrie and Fin Yeaman

Mick Andrews and John Moffat The Ossa Edition

GUEST OF HONOUR AND A THEME

Why a guest of honour, you may ask? The Inverness and District Motor Cycle Club’s Company and General Secretary, John Moffat, went to Spain in 2012 and was invited as the guest of his Spanish friend, Javier Cruz. Javier would lend John a Bultaco for the Spanish ‘Robregordo’ event near Madrid. Friends for many years, both were super motorcycle trials enthusiasts. Speaking with fellow British rider and motorcycle journalist Tim Britton, they had both enjoyed the event and its success and agreed that the winning formula included the invitation of a guest of honour; in this case, it was Sammy Miller. The following year, in 2013, Finland’s three-time FIM World Trials Champion Yrjo Vesterinen would be the guest of honour at the Highland Classic, which brought with him a host of other star Bultaco riders, creating the ‘Bultaco Classic Trials Team’ for the 2013 Highland Classic. The event now also had a theme.

Since then, they have had, in 2014, Dave Thorpe and the Thorpe Edition; 2015, Bill Wilkinson and the tenth edition of the two-day event; 2016, Mick Andrews and the Yamscot edition; 2017, Rob Shepherd and Nick Jefferies as the Honda edition; 2018, Dougie Bald and the Montesa edition; 2019, Bernie Schreiber and the SWM edition.

As we know, the pandemic stopped the 2020 edition returning in 2021 with the ‘Fantic Edition’, with guest Steve Saunders.

The organising club has always encouraged riders to enter their machines associated with the theme, and 2022 was no different, with a delightful selection of Ossa machinery on display.

Team Ossa

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ENDURO • MOTOCROSS • ROAD RACING • TRIALS

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Best Pre-72 Twin-Shock B Route Winner: Pete Carson (Ossa)

THE FRIENDLIEST CLASSIC TRIAL IN SCOTLAND

This phrase ‘The Friendliest Classic Trial in Scotland’ was ignited in 2015. The club strived to retain the friendly ‘feel’ of the event with a warm welcome to everyone involved.

The club even arranges for a local piper to play for 15 minutes before the trial starts. On the opening day and during the two days of action this year, Mick Andrews did his best to warmly welcome everyone he met, taking time to speak with them and share his many trials memories during a phenomenally successful riding career.

There is no individual winner of the event, as riders are separated into classes; it helps retain the friendly atmosphere and sets the event apart from other similar classic trials.

John Moffat: “We hit on a sustainable idea with the event themes, and, so far, we have covered all the main Spanish marques and a couple of the Japanese. The 2023 event will celebrate the Suzuki brand. The guest of honour feature adds a little bit of a speciality — a feature we are keen to continue. It was Bernie Schreiber who said to me about the main trial partner, that of Alvie & Dalraddy Estates. We look after and work with them, and they support our club. The Inverness club relies on a small group of committee members to organise the trial and relies heavily on the landowners. We actually run three events per year on the estate.”

Best Pre-77 Twin-Shock B Route Winner: Ian Tracey (Ossa) Best Cantilever Ossa: Chris Gascoigne

Best Female: Nathanya Houlihan (Bultaco)

Oldest Finisher: Keith Gardner (BSA)

2022 OSSA EDITION

The entries opened for the 2022 Ossa Edition at midnight on 1st February, and the 200 places were filled in eight minutes via an online entry system. As a result, 192 competitors lined up for the start on the Saturday, and the weather was dry for the whole weekend, a Godsend for observers, of which there were 30 on hand.

The club also ran a prize draw for the observers, with a £100 first prize on each of the two days. The course was just over five miles in length, and riders tackled 18 sections, covered twice, with a diverse set of sections on the second day.

Four-stroke Pre-65 A route class winner Jim Hough summed up the Highland Classic perfectly: “The Highland Classic is a well-thought-of event in the UK, and it has maintained its friendly status and relaxed atmosphere. I know it is a competition, but the riders seem to congregate at the end of each day in a very laid-back mood to take in the banter.”

John Moffat: “Next year, we will open the entries at 8pm on 1st February to make it a little easier for people to enter, but we can’t guarantee that we won’t be oversubscribed again! We are also delighted that Nigel Birkett has accepted the invitation to be the club’s guest. The good news for riders taking part in 2023 is that Dalraddy Estate is expanding their holiday park, so extra accommodation will be available just over a mile from the start.”

Martin Beech (Ossa)

Mick Andrews (Ossa)

HIGLAND CLASSIC 2022

CLASS WINNERS: A ROUTE

CLASS 1 FOUR-STROKE P-65: Jim Hough (Triumph) 12. CLASS 2 TWO-STROKE P-65: Chris Collins (BSA) 22. CLASS 4 PRE-77 TWIN-SHOCK: Pete Ashmore (Yamaha) 5. CLASS 5 POST- 77 TWIN-SHOCK: Neil Dawson (SWM) 0. CLASS 7 UNDER-35 P-65: Joel Gowan (BSA) 0. CLASS 8 – UNDER-35 TWIN-SHOCK: Calum Murphy (Fantic) 4.

CLASS WINNERS: B ROUTE

CLASS 1 FOUR-STROKE P-65: Jim Tennant (BSA) 4. CLASS 2 TWO-STROKE P-65: Alick Murray (BSA) 9. CLASS 3 PRE-72 TWIN-SHOCK: Peter Carson (Ossa) 23. CLASS 4 PRE-77 TWIN-SHOCK: Ian Tracey (Ossa) 28. CLASS 5 POST-77 TWIN-SHOCK: Graham Law (Honda) 5. CLASS 7 UNDER-35 P-65: Jack Varty (Triumph) 39. CLASS 8 UNDER-35 TWIN-SHOCK: Colin Ward Jnr (Honda) 4.

SPECIAL AWARDS

OLDEST FINISHER DEREK EDGAR TROPHY: Keith Gardner (BSA) 68. BEST OSSA: Peter Carson 23. BEST OSSA CANTILEVER: Chris Gascoigne 3. BEST FEMALE: Nathanya Houlihan (Bultaco) 126. REH AWARD: Joel Gowan (BSA) 0. ROCKSHOCKS A AWARD: Neil Dawson (SWM) 0. ROCKSHOCKS B AWARD: Jim Tennant (BSA) 4.

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