What should I expect? What do I need to know?
The first official MSTA club event of each year is our Tune Up Trial, a non-points event, but a great way to get into the club and see what it is going to be all about.
But with all new things, there are a lot of unknown questions. What rules are we going to run? What is our schedule? How are we going to run the event?
Well, here might be some of your frequently asked questions (and answers) to hopefully help you figure out what to do and what to expect from this first meet and this new club.
1. What kind of event is it going to be?
MSTA runs gate events. This means that you will have to navigate through gates to get through your section. We will show you what a gate looks like at the event so that you know what you are looking for. All gates will either have a matching set of markers (a right and a left). Each class will have a different color of marker, hopefully helping you differentiate your markers from the other classes. A rider will not be allowed to ride through or have his front axle break the plane of another classes gate, or go backward through any gate. This will result in a 5.
2. Do I need to sign a waiver?
Yes. We will have waivers on site. Every person, whether you are a rider or a spectator, that comes to the event must sign a waiver. This is for your safety as well as ours. This lets us know how many people are at the event, and is a requirement for our liability insurance.
3. Do you have insurance?
We have spectator liability insurance only through the AMA. This covers the landowner and the club and is a requirement by the AMA. We are not carrying any form of health insurance. YOU MUST HAVE YOUR OWN HEALTH INSURANCE TO RIDE OR RIDE AT YOUR OWN RISK. We will make an announcement at the rider's meeting (another AMA requirement). Anyone who signs up but decides before or at the rider's meeting that they should not ride, they will be refunded their money.
3. What is the schedule of the day?
Gates will open at 7 A.M. Signup will be from 8 A.M to 9 A.M. We will allow people to sign up after 9, but you will be assessed a $10 extra fee on top of your normal entry fee (see question below for explanation). At 9 A.M we will have the Juniors competition. We will also be holding a New Rider Section Walk for anyone new to trials, new to trials competitions, or anyone who is interested in hearing the rules for the club. 10 A.M will be riders and spectator meeting, with riders going out at 10:15. Spectators are encouraged to join the rider meeting to hear any safety or other information about the loop and sections. The duration of the trial and checking/riding depends on how many riders show up.
4. Why the late fee?
We want to encourage people to come and sign up early so that new riders can participate in the Section Walk, and people can cheer on the Juniors. Also, if everyone is signed up before 9, this allows the Trialsmasters an hour to make sure the competition is organized, to know how many riders they will have, make any decisions about checking or riders that need to be made, and allow for rider's meeting to occur on time.
5. What is the New Rider Section Walk?
The New Rider walk is a chance for the brand new riders or riders who want to know our rules or need a refresher on the rules (helpful as clubs all have slight variations) to go out with an experienced rider who will walk them through a section explaining the gates and our rules. New riders can ask questions, walk a section, and get a chance to feel more comfortable with how the event will go before the rider's meeting.
6. Are dogs allowed at the event?
Dogs are allowed at MSTA events but all dogs MUST BE ON A LEASH. If your dog is not on a leash (or other physical restraint) you will be asked to leash your dog. If you do not comply with a warning from either the Trialsmaster or other officer of the club, you will be refunded any money and be asked to leave. This is to keep people safe, to keep dogs out of sections to make the competition fair for everyone, and to be courteous to those members of our community who may be allergic or afraid of dogs. Voice commands are not considered a restraint. If your dog, even leashed, is causing a disturbance by fighting with other dogs or going after people in an aggressive or disturbing manner you will be asked to leave.
7. What does it cost to ride the event?
The fee is $5 for someone riding the Junior class regardless of membership. Anyone riding an adult class (no matter what age) is $25 for a member and $35 for a non-member. For families, the max entry fee you will pay per day will be $65. There is a $10 late fee if you signup after 9 am. Membership to the MSTA is $45 for single and $55 for family. Spectators are FREE.
8. What about checking?
Scoring at MSTA events will usually be some form of class checking. This means groups made up of riders from the same class will go out to the sections together and take turns riding and checking for other members of the group. If we have enough riders, there is a possibility we will split up and have upper level riders ride while the lower class riders check for them, and vice versa. We are also looking at some alternative types of checking that we might 'test drive' at an event.
9. What if I start riding and think the class I chose is too easy/hard for me?
If within three sections on your first loop you want to change your class, you can return to the table, change your class on the signup sheet and receive a new card. If you do this while class checking, come back to the signup table and an officer or trialsmaster will go out with you to re-ride your sections until you catch up with your new class group. However, one way to avoid this is by walking sections before hand or going to the New Rider walk to see what the sections are going to be like.
10. What if I would like to volunteer to help?
We love volunteers! If you are interested in helping at the event, email us at msta.org@gmail.com or let us know at the signup table the day of the event. We will also have a signup sheet at the event for a volunteer signup. This is to create a community of people who can help support the club and help us grow.
If you have any other questions, please email us or call Bill at (720) 207-7715. I hope this answers a lot of questions and hope to see you all there at the trial. Feet up!
The first official MSTA club event of each year is our Tune Up Trial, a non-points event, but a great way to get into the club and see what it is going to be all about.
But with all new things, there are a lot of unknown questions. What rules are we going to run? What is our schedule? How are we going to run the event?
Well, here might be some of your frequently asked questions (and answers) to hopefully help you figure out what to do and what to expect from this first meet and this new club.
1. What kind of event is it going to be?
MSTA runs gate events. This means that you will have to navigate through gates to get through your section. We will show you what a gate looks like at the event so that you know what you are looking for. All gates will either have a matching set of markers (a right and a left). Each class will have a different color of marker, hopefully helping you differentiate your markers from the other classes. A rider will not be allowed to ride through or have his front axle break the plane of another classes gate, or go backward through any gate. This will result in a 5.
2. Do I need to sign a waiver?
Yes. We will have waivers on site. Every person, whether you are a rider or a spectator, that comes to the event must sign a waiver. This is for your safety as well as ours. This lets us know how many people are at the event, and is a requirement for our liability insurance.
3. Do you have insurance?
We have spectator liability insurance only through the AMA. This covers the landowner and the club and is a requirement by the AMA. We are not carrying any form of health insurance. YOU MUST HAVE YOUR OWN HEALTH INSURANCE TO RIDE OR RIDE AT YOUR OWN RISK. We will make an announcement at the rider's meeting (another AMA requirement). Anyone who signs up but decides before or at the rider's meeting that they should not ride, they will be refunded their money.
3. What is the schedule of the day?
Gates will open at 7 A.M. Signup will be from 8 A.M to 9 A.M. We will allow people to sign up after 9, but you will be assessed a $10 extra fee on top of your normal entry fee (see question below for explanation). At 9 A.M we will have the Juniors competition. We will also be holding a New Rider Section Walk for anyone new to trials, new to trials competitions, or anyone who is interested in hearing the rules for the club. 10 A.M will be riders and spectator meeting, with riders going out at 10:15. Spectators are encouraged to join the rider meeting to hear any safety or other information about the loop and sections. The duration of the trial and checking/riding depends on how many riders show up.
4. Why the late fee?
We want to encourage people to come and sign up early so that new riders can participate in the Section Walk, and people can cheer on the Juniors. Also, if everyone is signed up before 9, this allows the Trialsmasters an hour to make sure the competition is organized, to know how many riders they will have, make any decisions about checking or riders that need to be made, and allow for rider's meeting to occur on time.
5. What is the New Rider Section Walk?
The New Rider walk is a chance for the brand new riders or riders who want to know our rules or need a refresher on the rules (helpful as clubs all have slight variations) to go out with an experienced rider who will walk them through a section explaining the gates and our rules. New riders can ask questions, walk a section, and get a chance to feel more comfortable with how the event will go before the rider's meeting.
6. Are dogs allowed at the event?
Dogs are allowed at MSTA events but all dogs MUST BE ON A LEASH. If your dog is not on a leash (or other physical restraint) you will be asked to leash your dog. If you do not comply with a warning from either the Trialsmaster or other officer of the club, you will be refunded any money and be asked to leave. This is to keep people safe, to keep dogs out of sections to make the competition fair for everyone, and to be courteous to those members of our community who may be allergic or afraid of dogs. Voice commands are not considered a restraint. If your dog, even leashed, is causing a disturbance by fighting with other dogs or going after people in an aggressive or disturbing manner you will be asked to leave.
7. What does it cost to ride the event?
The fee is $5 for someone riding the Junior class regardless of membership. Anyone riding an adult class (no matter what age) is $25 for a member and $35 for a non-member. For families, the max entry fee you will pay per day will be $65. There is a $10 late fee if you signup after 9 am. Membership to the MSTA is $45 for single and $55 for family. Spectators are FREE.
8. What about checking?
Scoring at MSTA events will usually be some form of class checking. This means groups made up of riders from the same class will go out to the sections together and take turns riding and checking for other members of the group. If we have enough riders, there is a possibility we will split up and have upper level riders ride while the lower class riders check for them, and vice versa. We are also looking at some alternative types of checking that we might 'test drive' at an event.
9. What if I start riding and think the class I chose is too easy/hard for me?
If within three sections on your first loop you want to change your class, you can return to the table, change your class on the signup sheet and receive a new card. If you do this while class checking, come back to the signup table and an officer or trialsmaster will go out with you to re-ride your sections until you catch up with your new class group. However, one way to avoid this is by walking sections before hand or going to the New Rider walk to see what the sections are going to be like.
10. What if I would like to volunteer to help?
We love volunteers! If you are interested in helping at the event, email us at msta.org@gmail.com or let us know at the signup table the day of the event. We will also have a signup sheet at the event for a volunteer signup. This is to create a community of people who can help support the club and help us grow.
If you have any other questions, please email us or call Bill at (720) 207-7715. I hope this answers a lot of questions and hope to see you all there at the trial. Feet up!
