South Midland Centre Championships From the 1930's, don't laugh!

By Bob Twigg

The South Midland centre championship for experts have been running since 1936, well my knowledge of it says that! In the 1950's Ernie Wiffen was the man to beat, a four times winner, Jacko Wright, John Lee's "grandpa"? Took a win, the irreplaceable Brian Stonebridge was a one time winner and Jacko

Rees took three wins and occasional visitor to the centre Don Smith was "champ" three times. John Lee came on the scene in 1957, later to become the most successful winner of the series, ten times in all. John's son Chas won the series in 2011 nice to see father and son "teams" win. Jacko Rees and his son Steve also shared that distinction. No mention of the series should leave out David Rolls, the Cambridgeshire farmer took the championship nine times from 1989, next best to John Lee.

Adrian Haslam (Sam's Dad) is the only rider to have won the series five times in a row, that's where Sam gets it from ! "Lovely Lad" John Bull took the win in 1974 on a Montesa and 1981 saw the appearance of a young Chris Koch, a six times winner. In 1994 the championship year was changed to follow the calendar year, up to then the series was run from September to March.

Another six times winner was Richard Allen who riding a variety of bikes (who remembers the Mecatechno). That might not be spelt right!

Another "youngster" Daniel Greeves took the wins in 2015 1nd 2019, nice to see the "little uns" (Dan's not a small one ) coming on.

Keep the series alive lads, I know the centre trials sub committee are working hard to keep it going. Well done to all on the list, unfortunately some are not with us any more. RIP.

South Midland Centre ACU Expert champions 1936 to 2019

1936 C. N. Rogers

1937/8 P. G. Handford

1949 J. H. Robinson

1950/1 E. J. Wiffen

1952 J. H. Wright

1953/4 E. J. Wiffen

1955 J. Rees

1956 C. N. Mills

1958 B. G. Stonebridge

1959 J. Rees

1960 G. C. Luing

1961 J. Lee

1962 D. Smith

1963/4 J. Lee

1965/6 D. Smith

1967 J. Lee

1968 J. Rees

1969 J. Lee

1970 B. Marsh

1971/2/3 J. Lee

1974 J. Bull

1975 J. Lee

1976/77 A. Haslam

1977/78 A. Haslam

1978/79 A. Haslam

1979/80 A. Haslam

1980/81 A. Haslam

1981/82 C. Koch

1982/83 R. Smith

1983/84 C. Koch

1984/85 R. Smith

1985/86 S. Hole

In 1994 the series was changed to include the calendar year January to December up to then the championship ran from September to March.