Letter from Steve Mumford to the ATA Membership

Open letter to all Ontario Trials enthusiasts

After 43 years being involved in Ontario trials, the ATA has reached a crossroads.

WE NEED VOLUNTEERS

Think about this:

Without the three (SUPER DAVE’S), Butler, Cordy and Southam, our trials season would be pretty uneventful, Pun intended. These events will not go on forever.

Our sport needs new locations, or maybe resurrecting old sites and new organizers.

We do have a new group of enthusiasts in the Perth area, driven by Mr Brackenbury, with what look to be great locations for trials and we have a new group organizing the “Lions Head ” event, now that Elaine and Clive have retired.

BUT THIS IS NOT GOING TO BE ENOUGH TO SUSTAIN OR MOVE THE SPORT FORWARD.

The organization of a typical Ontario trials event, goes as follows;

1. SOMEONE contacts the event organizers to discuss dates and locations and establish a schedule.
2. SOMEONE contacts the CMA to apply for the sanctions.
3. SOMEONE contacts the insurance company and negotiates rate, while try to explain what a trial IS.
4. SOMEONE procures all the needed materials for the event, ribbon, arrows,rider cards etc.
5. SOMEONE prepares the flyer with event info, date, time location, map, ready for posting to social media.
6. SOMEONE sets up the online “pre entry” rider forms and banking links for E transfer.
7. SOMEONE then sends out the completed pre entry list, advance sign in, to the organizer ready for sign in at the event.
8. SOMEONE then sets the sections for the trial.
9. SOMEONE tabulates the results, send copy to social media, along with event paperwork to the CMA.
10. SOMEONE collects any monies from the event, pays the bills, re orders any materials, trophies etc and balances the bank account.

Each individual job by itself is not that exhausting, BUT FOR ONE INDIVIDUAL IT IS OVERWHELMING.

So, if you would like to be a SOMEONE, Please, STEP UP AND VOLUNTEER.

In our sport NOTHING happens without VOLUNTEERS.

Riding can be more rewarding when YOU are involved in the organization.

Please email any comments or suggestions to atatrials@gmail.com

Thanks for reading.