Jess Bown • Ladies
Jess with fiancé, Chris
2015: Happy with the move to Nigel and June Birkett with the Scorpa, Jess is looking more confident in Spain.
2014: High above Andorra in the WTC, with Donna Fox doing the ‘Minding’.
2016 Italy: Understanding just how confident you have to be on the huge rocks in the WTC.
“Women’s league and games moved to Sundays, and in my heart, I had got the trials ‘bug’, and so the football boots were parked for the trials ones.” Congratulations on the ‘ring’ news! I have been with Chris since December 2016, and on our recent trip for a well-earned holiday in Mexico he ‘popped’ the question. Chris has been so supportive in my trials career, and the British Championship title is a joint effort. He loves motorcycle trials as much as I do and, both coming from a trials-riding family, we enjoy our two-wheeled Sunday fun days.
But you also enjoyed football Yes, I loved playing football. I sometimes wish I still played! I started playing when I was around 11 years old in a local division before moving up to the Sheffield and Hallamshire League. When I was 18, we moved into the Women’s league and games moved to Sundays, and in my heart, I had got the trials ‘bug’, and so the football boots were parked for the trials ones.
Why motorcycle trials? I was 12 years old it was actually four wheels that attracted me to motorcycles; the good-old quad bike. Riding a quad was so much fun, and I spent many Sundays with my cousins, racing around my Uncle’s field, I just loved the speed and sensation of this form of actionpacked fun! On my 13th birthday a family friend, Colin Pickering, bought me a field motorcycle and that was when my mind was made up.
You then joined the Yamaha TY 80 gang Yes, the good-old Yamaha TY 80 came my way, which has served so well over the years as a stepping stone, taking so many other riders to the top of their game. I competed in my very first trial in March 2009 in a Mansfield Maun event, riding on the conducted route.
Trial Magazine • February-March 2020
It was father and daughter time My mum and dad have always supported me in all I wanted to do, and I spent a lot of time
competing in the Peak Classic trials and other local events with my dad Chris. My hard work was rewarded when I moved to a Gas Gas in August 2009 such was my progress in trials; I loved it. The success in local club and centre trials was bringing so much fun, with my mum Sharon observing and my brother Jim also competing, these were real family days out and ones I will never forget.
2017: Looking every inch a ‘Pro’ class rider: Jess in confident form at the TDN.
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