ARC News No. 61 January 2005 Page 1
/ A.R.C. NEWSThe Newsletter of the Association of Rover Clubs
Issue 61 January 2005
NFU Mutual is pleased
to support The Association
of Rover Clubs
Each edition of ARC NEWS can be found onthe ARC website
STEERING COLUMN
The Majority of our member clubs have a web site, which they use, as a window to the internet world to advertise their club and to keep their members up to date with the latest club information. Some web sites appear to thrive and go from strength to strength, others fall by the wayside.
The website of the ARC – was built and maintained by Nick Chinery. Nick not being a computer expert learned the art of website maintenance as he went along. Nick feels that our website needs to progress but he has taken this site as far as he can go without devoting a great deal of his valuable time.
Thanks to Nick for what he has done, his efforts are much appreciated. He will be handing over the reins of ARC webmaster to Murray Wiltshire of Wye & Welsh Land Rover Club, a volunteer willing to tax his cyber-skills against the complexities of the world wide web.
Land Rover Limited must have spent thousands and thousands of pounds on the launch of the New Discovery 3.
What a shame that they made the mistake of loaning one of the new vehicles to Channel 5 for their programme Fifth Gear. The majority of you will either have seen or heard about this fiasco, without doubt the attitude of the presenter Tom Ford was more than irresponsible. Unfortunately this programme has done untold harm to the 4 wheel drive movement at a time when we are trying to convince the rest of the world that we are a harmless group of people that truly support a fragile earth policy.
The ARC 2005/6 Handbook will be published soon and will hopefully be with your Club Secretary early in the new year. Thanks to Steve Kirby and Tony Holder for all the hard work that they have put into the production of this publication. Be sure to get your copy as soon as it is available.
It just remains for me, on behalf of the ARC Council and Executive Committee, to wish you a very happy and prosperous new year.
Denis Bourne.
A.R.C. Chairman
2005 A.R.C. NATIONAL RALLY- Hosted by Southern Rover Owners Club in Sussex
The event website – – has got copies of the event entry forms, clothing order forms and all event SRs. If you don’t have access to the internet please ask your club secretary for a copy of the paperwork that you require. All ARC club secretaries have been sent a paper version of the entry forms and SRs.
If you have any queries relating to your entry please call Jean Gower on 01323 843732, queries regarding clothing should be taken up with Joy Newland on 01424 755787 and any competition related queries should be directed to Charles Darby on 01227 771236 in the first instance (he may move you on to specific Clerks of the Course should you need any very detailed questions answered!!).
We are looking forward to running this event for you all and are all hoping not to get the same weather pattern we experienced when we last ran the ARC National in 1996!
Simon Stemp – Event Director
Charles Darby- Competition Director
MSA JUDICIAL REVIEW COMPLETED
Following a complete review of UK motor sport's judicial system, September's Motor Sports Council approved the wording of the revised regulations to come into force on 1 January 2005.
Among the key points covered by the new regulations are:
- The National Court, appointed by the Motor Sports Council, will become the final tier of Appeal in all cases.
- The Stewards of the Royal Automobile Club will be invited to sit on the National Court, and there will not be any additional level of appeal beyond the National Court in order to avoid uncertainty and delay.
- The MSC National Court will exercise the functions of Disciplinary Tribunal, Investigatory Tribunal, Eligibility Appeal panel.
- The MSA will appoint a 'Disciplinary Officer' to advise on disciplinary action in the respect of any breach of the regulations.
- In an attempt to have more issues settled on the day of an event, the only grounds for lodging an appeal against the Stewards of the Meeting will be that a gross miscarriage of justice has occurred or that the penalty imposed is wholly inappropriate to the breach of regulations.
- And to speed up the appeals process, the National Court will decide within ten days if an appeal meets either of these criteria and if so will arrange for the National Court to be convened.
- There will be no right of appeal to the National Court for third parties not involved in the original incident.
The review was led by solicitor and F1 Steward Tony Scott-Andrews, Chairman of the MSA's Judicial Advisory Panel.
"It has been a very interesting task," says Scott-Andrews. "There is no doubt that the previous system was not perfect, but in re-working it we have to ensure we are absolutely water-tight legally. I must thank everyone that has contributed to the review and the re-drafting."
"I am delighted that the judicial review has been conducted so efficiently and I am grateful to Tony Scott-Andrews and his team for their efforts," confirms Colin Hilton, Chief Executive of the MSA. "In many areas this is a radical overhaul, but we now have a much more effective system which should make a big contribution to improving UK motor sport for participants, spectators and officials."
The complete wording of the new regulations will beincorporated into the 2005 Blue Book, which will be available on-line at
PARENTS TO BE HELD RESPONSIBLE BY MSA
From the start of next year, parents, guardians and guarantors of young drivers will be required to sign on at the start of events, effectively becoming the entrant for their respective competitors, after the Motor Sports Council approved the new regulation at its latest meeting.
Currently, no contractual relationship exists between the Motor Sports Association and the attendant adults responsible for the welfare of drivers under 18 years of age. The consequence of this is that young drivers have to be held responsible for the behaviour of their guardians – widely acknowledged throughout the sport as a wholly unsatisfactory situation.
By signing on, parents and guardians will confirm that they have acquainted themselves with the MSA's General Regulations, that they agree to be bound by those regulations, that they will accept the consequences of not adhering to them and accept any associated penalties that may be imposed.
"We have seen some unacceptable behaviour from a very small minority of adults, particularly in karting,"
those who are supposed to be looking after them. The new wording of the signing-on form will, for the first time, create a legal contract between these adults and the MSA."
The MSA will be producing a leaflet to explain to parents and guardians in more detail exactly what they are signing up to, to ensure that there can be no mis-understanding with the new regulations
A.R.C. MEETING DATES FOR 2005
A.R.C. meetings take place at NFU Mutual Tiddington Road, Tiddington, Stratford-upon-Avon – all A.R.C. members are welcome to attend EGM and the AGM meetings which are open to any member of A.R.C. EGM and AGM meetings starts at 10.00am. Please note that A.R.C. Council meetings and Scrutineering and Off Road Committee meetings are open only to elected representatives or their guests.
2005
12/02/05 A.R.C. Council meeting
19/03/05 Annual General Meeting
14/05/05 Scrutineering and Off Road Committee
11/06/04 A.R.C. Council Meeting
09/07/05 EGM
17/09/05 Scrutineering and Off Road Committee
15/10/05 A.R.C. Council meeting
19/11/05 EGM
A.R.C. MEMBER CLUB NEWS
Southern Rover Owners Club Annual Charity Comp Safari Sunday February 27th
SROC’s Annual Charity Comp is in aid of the Kent Air Ambulance Trust and the Thames Valley and Chiltern Air Ambulance Trust. Venue is Barn Hill Farm at Whaddon, Bucks and is open land with few trees. Entries are pre-booked only (£40 or £45 for shared drivers). Spectators welcome on this site which has the pits and assembly area on a hill overlooking the course so it is possible and easy to see most of the course without having a long trek. As we go to press the entry list is filling up but there are still places available. To book an entry please contact Debby Darby, 54 Northwood Road Whitstable Kent CT5 2ES or visit .
Essex Land Rover Club-Easter Interclub Event 25th – 28th March 2005
ARC and MSA clubs are invited to the annual Easter Interclub event run by Essex Land Rover Club.Camping on site all weekend from Thursday 24th March 4.00pm
FridayTYRO and Team Recovery
SaturdayRTV
SundayWinch Challenge and CCV
MondayComp Safari
Scenic drive in the dark
Social each evening with Bar-b-q and hog roast
Full details and booking forms will be on in the near future.
Any telephone queries contact Competition Secretary Karl Reilly 07976 800416
SWEDISH LAND ROVER CLUB SUMMER RALLY 2005 28th-31st JULY
Swedish Land Rover Club (SLRK) Annual summer meeting 2005 28-31 July 2005. Will be held at Off Road Camp Ekeby, some 28km south of City Centre of Stockholm. Check in from thursday at lunch time. Formal meeting (election of new board etc) at 16:00 on 30th July.
We offer:
Greenlaning on the peninsula of Södertörn, with probably the highest concentration of horses in Sweden. Fabulous off road driving at Camp. Both technical training courses for beginners (and Freelanders!) as well as beautiful forest tracks for the more experienced. Camping will be primitive, with tent pitches on a meadow surrounded by forest (and off road tracks). Toilets on camp site, but showers some km away at closest town Tungelsta. The barbecue will be lit every evening for late night stories.
Pictures showing the Stockholm district summer event at the same site can be viewed at:
Movie soon to come.
Questions? Email or call Tobias björklind or +46 709 20 97 20
LINCS LAND ROVER CLUB OFF ROAD DRIVING DAYS – on MSA permit
Easter Monday 28th March – all makes at Grasby Quarry on A1084 Caistor to Brigg Road opposite the Cross Keys Pub. £20 to drive all day or passenger in a competition Land Rover for £3 per ride.
Other dates 12th June Scopwick Quarry, 31st July Manby Showground and 27th December at Grasby Quarry.
Contact Paul Smith on 07779 328475. Organised by Lincs L.R.C.
NON- A.R.C. CLUB EVENTS OF INTEREST
INDOOR 4x4 SHOW SUNDAY 13th FEBRUARY 2005 EXHIBITION CENTRE DONNINGTON PARK CASTLE DONNINGTON, DERBYSHIRE
FROM 09:30 tel 01938 850382 ADULTS £7 in advance £9 on the day with under 16s free. Free Car Parking.
HERITAGE RUN 2005 SAT APRIL 30th- SUNDAY MAY 1st
Further details in next month’s edition
IMPORTANT – Participation at any competitive event or show is at your own risk or that of the organisers.
Although the A.R.C. is happy to publicise such events it does not act as an agent for the organisers. Statements or opinions
expressed in A.R.C. News are not necessarily those of the A.R.C. Council. You are advised to obtain independent advice on
matters involving safety, finance or legislation.
This Newsletter is compiled and edited by Paul Barton, ARC Newsletter Editor, for the Association of Rover Clubs
Contact Editor at 26 Summerhill Grange, Summerhill Lane, Lindfield, Haywards Heath, West Sussex, RH16 1RQ
ARC Secretary: Simone Birch, 1A Duncan Avenue, Huncote, Leics LE9 3AN
Telephone: 0116 286 7913
E-mail:
Association of Rover Clubs Ltd. Limited by Guarantee Registered in England No. 1806788
Registered Office, 124 Crescent Drive, Petts Wood, Orpington, Kent, BR5 1BE
For a more personal approach to insurance,
call 0800 975 0600* for details of your local
agent.
NFU Mutual is The National Farmers Union Mutual Insurance Society Limited (No. 111982). Registered in England. Registered Office: Tiddington Road, Stratford upon Avon, Warwickshire CV37 7BJ. Authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority. A member of the Association of British Insurers. * For security and training purposes telephone calls may be recorded and monitored.