I went over via Dublin with Nick and Amanda Hare on the HSS from Holyhead and thank them for allowing me to share their B&B which was around six miles from the rally site at Ballinamallard  Football club, County Fermanagh. We took the new N3 motorway up through the centre of Ireland which is excellent with hardly any traffic and only a small two euro toll to pay. Rickie arranged some of the best weather for many a long day and the site was excellent. Club members had full use of the catering facilities etc and Rickie had laid on all day tea and coffee and we even received a goodie bag from the local tourist dept run by biker Eddie McGovern. A nice touch Rickie.

Alan Winter who has recently recovered from serious illness was on hand to show us the beautiful trophies he had designed made for the rally and also the ones he has made for the euro rally which Amanda was taking back to Kent. They are made with various engine parts Alan had lying about in his garage! See picture. Good to have you back Alan. Rickie had laid on a sumptuous steak meal each night and the famous Ulster breakfast on Saturday and Sunday mornings. Entertainment was laid on each evening with a truly professional band on Saturday night. Nick and I managed to win spanners and sets of screwdrivers in the raffle so we had every base covered!

On Saturday we had a ride out to Mullaghmore which was a round trip of just under one hundred and fifteen miles which in the hot weather was just enough. Mullaghmore  is of course the small fishing village where Lord Mountbatten was killed during the troubles in 1979. At the start of the rideout Rickie had arranged for a police escort and further police at junctions in Enniskillen so the just under thirty cbx’s could thunder through the town. You should have seen the car drivers and pedestrians faces as we passed through. Now I know how a king or queen must feel carrying everything before them! Another nice touch Rickie.On the way back we stopped in a valley the name of which I did not find out but nevertheless it was beautiful and green with shear cliffs and a salmon and trout river running through.

It was great to meet so many of our members from both Northern and Southern Ireland who have only been a voice on the telephone or a name on an email.Great to meet you all.The concours awards were as follows. Best  Twin Shock, Michael McBride, Best Pro-link  Colin Stafford, Best Modified,Vince Noone, Best Special, John Currie. Best Paint, Norman Witherley. I cannot finish without mentioning Gaynor Helsby who came over with husband Graeme and their two dogs ho were in the sidecar of their superb pro-link outfit. Gaynor managed to break an ankle in Stranraer before boarding the ferry. She fell off a curb I believe but nevertheless after treatment at the local hospital Gaynor still came on to the rally. True grit as I am sure many would have given up and gone home. We felt it was only right to give Gaynor  the Best in Show award.

Well done to Rickie and his helpers and thanks to you all for making it such an enjoyable event. 

Mel Watkins

Chairman UK CBX Riders Club