Schoolboy Scrambling. Youth Motocross. Press Cuttings, etc.
2025 marks the 60th Anniversary of the general public reading about the new sport of schoolboy scrambling when the first Schoolboy Scramble Championship was reported on by MCN in October 1965.
In view of the interest shown recently in the program for the 1972 Schoolboy Scramble Championship held at Fox & Hounds Circuit Newbury I have been in communication with David Riley and have said that I would go through all the historic documentation I have from the conception of the sport up until my parents retired from running the Reading SSC in the mid 1970s and submit relevant programmes, results and reports of major meetings in a yearly format, but will start with a post about the history of the sport from its humble beginnings in 1963 two years prior to the general public seeing it for the first time which I compiled some years ago.
I hope this will be of interest.
In view of the interest shown recently in the program for the 1972 Schoolboy Scramble Championship held at Fox & Hounds Circuit Newbury I have been in communication with David Riley and have said that I would go through all the historic documentation I have from the conception of the sport up until my parents retired from running the Reading SSC in the mid 1970s and submit relevant programmes, results and reports of major meetings in a yearly format, but will start with a post about the history of the sport from its humble beginnings in 1963 two years prior to the general public seeing it for the first time which I compiled some years ago.
I hope this will be of interest.
Schoolboy Scrambling 1965.
The 1965 Championship was run under the Reading Ace MCC Junior Section title .
It was after this meeting the ACU informed the club that it could not organise events for under 16 year olds and as a result my parents left the club on amicable terms and formed the Reading Schoolboy Scramble in the final months of 1965.
Attached are: -
Championship Programme.
MCN initial meeting report and results.
MCN full page coverage a week later.
Photograph: No 35 Brian Clements - No 5 Keith Davis - No 4 Robert Vickers.
Photograph of Presentation: L to R:
June Davis, Robert Vickers, Barry Sykes, 'Pop Chandler, Keith Davis
Thanks to Keith Davis for supplying the programme, cuttings and photographs.
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Programme.
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Schoolboy Scrambling June 1966.
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Corsham.
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Corsham.
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Selborne Hants. October 1967. Reading SSC.
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It came as a complete surprise to find that the 1967 'Boys Own' Annual included an article on the sport using photos from the 1965 championship meeting.
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Schoolboy Scrambling - Alton 1968.
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Horley 1969.
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Schoolboy Scrambling. Sunday 24th August 1969.
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Brill. 20th September 1970.
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BSMA Championship Meeting.
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Schoolboy Scrambles - Bletchingdon.
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Schoolboy Scrambles - 1971
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And finally: -
I have covered the era from the sports conception in 1963 through to 1972 with Championship meeting reports etc. and sadly I have no more reports on championship meetings after that date, however may I take you back to my first submission.
I said in my history of the sport that it would not have progressed so quickly from its conception through its first decade and beyond had it not been for Ralph Venables continued interest and support during those early years in what my parents and the other club organisers were trying to achieve.
I spent many a Sunday night in a drafty public telephone box phoning through reports and results of meetings to him, meeting him at scrambles to discuss ongoing subjects, or what he had achieved since we had last spoken and feel privileged to have called him a personal friend.
I therefore leave you with these two articles: -
Schoolboy Scrambling - Jeff Smith versus Ralph Venables.
RIP Ralph (& Pam) Venables.
Thanks to Keith Davis for supplying the cuttings.
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