The 101st anniversary of the Gloucester Sporting Trial on 4 December was a spendid event, not least because for the first time in recent history there were 32 entrants, 32 starters, and 32 finishers!

On a clear if chilly day, the hills provided the usual mixture of the relatively easy and the virtually impossible, with conditions changing throughout the day as the initially wet course dried out, and the softer top surface spun away to provide a gripper one underneath.

The winners of the coveted Gloucester Trophy (Red Class) were John and Jessica Fack, with a remarkable 1 penalty point, followed by Julian Fack second on 2 points and Ian Wright third on 3 points. John Moores took the honours for the Thomas Challenge Cup (Blue Class), with Kevin Rivers and Richard Gowen second and third respectively. And in the Green Class/Committee Cup, Nick Mason just pipped Ian Rodman to the post by 13 points to 14, with Dave Oliver in third. John Fack alos scooped the Horace Watson and Colin Hoile Awards; and Nick Mason took the Michael Watson trophy.

The struggle against mud and gravity returns next year with the Jacobean Trophy Trial at Long Compton on 30 April 2006.