This is a tribute to two Cornish Champions, no longer with us. Colin Dommett who was Champion at trials for many years, also rode in the British Team in the International 6 day trial. A lifelong friend to me, having worked together at WH Collins & Son, Truro, in the very early 1960’s. Colin was a real ambassador for our sport. His funeral at Taunton saw many Cornish friends there for the service and the priest made comment that in 42 years he’d never seen so many people in attendance. Colin was really very well liked. He was a British and European Sidecar champion. Our CRMC club will be renaming the Trispen trial the Colin Dommett Trial as Colin & John Bassett got the trial off the ground in the early ‘60’s. The trial was originally The Trispen Da Cunha, after the eruption on the island of Tristan Da Cunha. We will miss him greatly.
We then lost Roger White a few weeks ago. I’d known him for 60 years and we first met at David Paull’s in Chacewater where I worked school holidays and weekends. Roger bought a brand new trials Francis Barnett. The 250 2 stroke AMC engine was too wide and heavy so his dad Arnold paid for a new 250 Villiers engine to be grafted into the Francis Barnett frame. Roger was the only person (probably the only one) to win the Cornwall trials Championship and the Scramble championship. Roger was ambassador for the WCMC, communicating with the Landowners, the administration side and supported other clubs and the Cornwall centre ACU. His father Arnold was president of West Cornwall and Cornwall Centre ACU and Roger was Clerk of the Course for other clubs trials on many occasions. His illness was very short and we miss him greatly. At his funeral the priest said Roger had brought Madron to a standstill. Friends came from the South West Centre and as well as all his Cornish friends. Roger and Colin both rode for Cornwall at the Inter Centre Team Trial with myself, many times.
MAKE FRIENDS WITH TRIALS RIDERS & YOU ARE FRIENDS FOR LIFE – This statement was made to myself by Colin 2 days before he passed away.
Rest in peace boys
More recently Mary Olds of Cornhill Farm (Nancemellin scramble course owner) has passed on at 96 years another huge funeral at Kehelland Chapel.
Words from Melroy – President Cornwall Centre ACU