Fears historic bike race will leave Northamptonshire permanently after Boxing Day race moved
THE Wild and Woolly motorcycle race, traditionally held on Boxing Day, has been moved to a venue outside Northamptonshire for the first time in 85 years.
Since 1925, the event has always been held in a field near Blisworth and has been based at Arm Farm, in Towcester Road, for the past 10 years.
But the race will not be able to take place there this year as the tenant farmer who rents the field has refused permission for the Northampton Motorcyclists’ Club to use the land.
This year’s event will now take place at Airfield Farm, Leicester Road, near Market Harborough.
Pete Griffith, president of the Northampton Motorcyclists’ Club, said it was disappointing that the event had been moved so far away from its traditional home in Blisworth.
He said: “We’ve been in Blisworth since 1925 and we always raise money for charities in the village.
“But entries are still coming in thick and fast and we almost full up. Entry is still free and parking will be very easy.”
“Flyin” Ryan Griffiths, who has won the Wild and Woolly race nine times, said it was a shame that the event had been moved to Market Harborough.
He said: “It won’t be the same but the committee had the choice of either not having an event at all or moving it.
“It had to be kept going as it is such an important motorcycle event. For those of us that take part, Christmas would not have been the same without it.”
The Wild and Woolly event involves up to 50 motorcyclists who race to complete the most laps of the one-and-a-half mile course in an hour.
The course traditionally includes jumps and ditches, making it extremely challenging for the competitors.
The event is famously “weather-proof” and often results in the riders and crowd members being covered in mud by the end of the race.
Last year, the race was held despite freezing conditions and two inches of snow on the ground. The race was won by Jack Lee, of Higham Ferrers, who completed 21 laps in an hour.
The event is free to attend and will be held at Airfield Farm on Boxing Day from 11am.
Email to a friend
Print this page- BREAKING NEWS: Tributes paid to Niamh Curry as brave five-year-old loses battle against cancer
- BREAKING NEWS: Pensioner dies after collision at Northampton shopping centre
- Man tied to tree and beaten on Northampton Racecourse
- BREAKING NEWS: Woman’s body found after ‘suicide’ in Northampton hotel room
- BREAKING NEWS: Seven-year-old boy dies following house fire in Northamptonshire
- Northampton binmen at ‘breaking point’
- Staff strike at Northampton school over academy plans forces closure
- Saints’ stadium plans get support as long as traffic issues solved
- Eastern European pupils helping school standards across Northampton
- Exclusive: PM David Cameron says Northamptonshire Police Commissioner role is “a big job for a big local figure”
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Northampton
Saturday 26 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 11 C to 23 C
Wind Speed: 18 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 11 C to 24 C
Wind Speed: 15 mph
Wind direction: East
Comments
There are 4 comments to this article
Page 1 of 1
Anonymousme
Sunday, December 11, 2011 at 04:24 PMWhy has the farmer refused permission this year if it has been held on the same field for many years?
Exposé
Saturday, December 10, 2011 at 09:54 PMPerhaps he doesn't want the field messed up. Pretty simple really.
Reverend
Saturday, December 10, 2011 at 09:51 PMDisgusting. What a small minded person, to deny such a historic event run entirely for charity.
dotty51
Saturday, December 10, 2011 at 09:46 AMWhy has the farmer refused permission. Great event, such a shame.
Page 1 of 1
Your view
Please sign in to be able to comment on this story.