Tay Forest Challenge 2009 - CANCELLED

[dodewalker]

I am so sorry for everyone involved that it cant go ahead.

this may explain to you why, partly.
the FC and the current bosses love this BIG stuff instead.
& THEIR BIG EVENT MAY NOT GET THE WORLD WIDE COVERAGE
OF THE LITTLE 4x4 EVENT RUN SUCCESSEFULLY FOR A FRACTION OF THE COST OF ONE CONSULTANTS FEES.
 
'Home Coming Scotland',
   'Rally of Scotland'.
     this year in November,instead of the 'McRae Rally'
     we get this at Dunkeld, Blair Athol & the Tummel etc

THE LANDOWNERS AT 'SCONE PALACE' 'BLAIR CASTLE' 'STIRLING CASTLE'
ETC GET THE BIG MONEY,GRANTS,FEES ETC.
Every one & such as those, get something, jobs for the boys!

www.rallyscotland.tv/

Its £20 PLUS a day to spectate.+ prking £10,  £50 a ticket for 3 days.
They bring in big Media & Publicty Proffesionals.

I am interested to see how they get on with stopping Scotlands 'right to roam' because of a commercial event.
recently and for the past couple of years, they have been closing of public roads on a Sunday, for a cycle event that is commercial, but claims to have a charitable aims.
this was against many locals wishes, and lost buisness, didnt gain any.

I THINK SOME MEDIA COVERAGE OF HOW THIER BIG, EXPENSIVE,
 POSSIBLE FLOP EVENT GETS SUPPORT.
BUT THE EVENT RUN FOR CHARITY at no public expense GETS BLOCKED/ DIFFICULTIES PUT IN ITS WAY!
MAY WELL REACH THE NATIONAL MEDIA,
 AND MAKE ALEX SALMOND SIT UP AND PAY ATTENTION.
THE MP IS PETE WISHART EX OF RUNRIG.
HE SHOULD BE MADE AWARE.
george

[dodewalker]

please send emails to the 2 mp's for the area.
SIMPLY OPEN THEIR SITE< GO TO CONTACT AND SEND A MESSAGE, PLEASE.

THE MORE EMAILS FROM OUTWITH SCOTLAND AND FROM AROUND THE WORLD WILL GET THEIR ATTENTION,
 IN THIS 'THE YEAR OF HOMCOMING SCOTLAND.'

North Tayside.
Pete Wishart MP (SNP) www.petewishartmp.com
John Swinney MSP (SNP) (member of the Scottish Parliment)
www.johnswinneymsp.com
                                          just let them know how you feel about the behaviour of local 'officials'
& the loss of reveneue to the local area, and the bad publicity this will bring.     cheers        george

[gav 92w]

Andy and team,its sad to hear that you have been kicked inb the goolies by some twat in a suit,you have put so much effort into scottish 4x4 motorsport over the last few years that you deserve a medal,please please try and keep and a glimmer of hope for a new site on private land or old quarry or something 
i know i personally havent done any events since last tay,but we as a nation need you mrT............dont give up on us,who else will look after our interests and give us the abuse you do. ...................thanks andy........gavin.

[gsr341]

this is so sad to read  , i wasnt going to compete this year but was part of the winning team last year and was hoping to bring my own vehicle next year , so many people are going to losse out especially the local bussnesses .

thanks to andy and the team for all the previous events , and hopefully all future events 

[JOHNG]

saddened to hear event cancelled was looking forward to competeing again typical of the suits in the middle of a resecion they just cant see past there own noses
if you take into account the money guys spend on there 4x4 mostly from small independant specialists 
the money the hotels bars fuel stations  and the charities get it makes you wonder why these folk are running things no wonder the country is so f****d up
i wish to thank andy and his team for some of the best orginised and most enjoyable events

[marsie]

Gutted !!! .I cannot understand the mentality of these jobsworths,as John says you would think the locals of pitlochry would be glad of the increase in revenue this event brings in these hard times.Maybe all the local hotels,guesthouses,pubs and restaurant should contact this guy aswell,hopefully they will.It may be too late this year but i hope this event wont die altogether for future years,it is the high light of the off roading year for us-not just the competition but also the craic over the weekend
I wonder if the blair horse lot get the same trouble,because i would suspect more people are injured there than at our event??
This is a sad day for our sport and another reason why this country is going down the sh*tter

And finally to all the organisers keep your chins up,dont let them win.Remember the famous latin saying- Illegitimi non carborundum

I am going to the pub now to get arseholed and drown my sorrows
Paul

[Flipper]

I've only been involved with this event for 2 years now, this was going to be my 3rd. I cannot believe that some jumped up suit hasn't the balls to let this run as before and is using any excuse he can to stop Andy's team running again. I think he would find more people are injured mountain biking and walking in the area but what do you expect from some recently appointed jobsworth. Definately the thin edge of the wedge as far as Foresrty Commission land is concerned!  Gutted for all your team Andy, thanks for all your efforts in the past, please don't let it put all of you off trying something for next year!

[Mr Nick]

What can i say ! Shocking news.
Last year i was fortunate enough to be on holiday not too far away and had an ivite from Andy to pop by. With a very very warm welcoming by Andy and all of his team myself and my son followed the TFC from scrutineering to prize giving. With a comp covering this size of area i was so pleased to see how tight and very well run it all was. In fact i can honestly say it was the best comp i've ever been to in this country. I'd booked my holidays around this years TFC just so i could drop by again, thats how good i thought it all was. I'm gutted for the hole TFC Team i really am.
Well i'll still be up your neck of the woods if you want me to drop in and see the Communities Recreation and Tourism Manager for a chat !!!!!

p.s. Andy i'm sorry to here the news of your mom.

Nick

[Chunky]

I hope you don't mind, I have brought this sad news to the attention of Sky News, and requested that they help, in publicising this matter.

Iain 

[dodewalker]

for anyone that feels like sending off some emails to the 'press'
to show how succssesful events that bring economic advantage to Scotland can be blown out the water by a jobsworth.
pictures may catch their attention.

Dundee Courier,               editor@thecourier.co.uk
Perthshire Advertiser,       kgordon@s-un.co.uk
Scottish Daily Record,       webeditor@dailyrecord.co.uk
Sun,                               talkback@the-sun.co.uk
Mirror,                            mirrornews@mirror.co.uk

[AlanK]

if you will not publish the people concerned.then 2 mins with google can find all this in the public domain.

Hamish Murray Forestry Commission Tay FD Inverpark Dunkeld Perthshire PH8 0JR Tel: 01350 727284 e-mail: hamish.murray@forestry.gsi.gov.uk

feel free to ask for an explanation of their rule.

the local member of parliament  is here

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/MSP/MembersPages/john_swinney/contact.htm

let him know that we wont be spending money in and around pitlochry any time soon

I have written to both, we shall see if a response is forthcoming.

I am gutted by this news, for me this is by far the best and toughest competition in the UK. I hope Andy, you can pick yourself up from this, it would be a great loss to our sport if you were no longer involved.

[AlanK]

for anyone that feels like sending off some emails to the 'press'
to show how succssesful events that bring economic advantage to Scotland can be blown out the water by a jobsworth.
pictures may catch their attention.

Dundee Courier,               editor@thecourier.co.uk
Perthshire Advertiser,       kgordon@s-un.co.uk
Scottish Daily Record,       webeditor@dailyrecord.co.uk
Sun,                               talkback@the-sun.co.uk
Mirror,                            mirrornews@mirror.co.uk

All the above written to.

[Chris Pedlar]

I feel very sad for the team involved as I am fully aware of the amount of time put into setting up and running an event of this scale. Also for all the entrants as I know how much they look foreward to this event in the calender.

Not wishing to put another downer on what has already happened, but just be mindfull how this could potentially be taken up by the media and that the extra publicity could back fire if your not carefull how this is managed.

Don't be knocked back by this, just be more resourceful and determined.

You have our support  

[andy robinson]

just a thought, perhps a general letter from one could be sent by all, as above if we are not carefull this could back fire, jut a thought that if we attack this corectly i think they will realise how many people are affected......


Andy

[will_warne]

Andy, first off it sounds like you have had a terrible week and this can only have made it worse. I'm sure all our thoughts are with you and your family at the moment. I'd also like to say it would be a terrible loss to the sport if you decide to no longer take part in organising events. I hope when things settle down that you may reconsider.

This is very sad news especially given the positive feedback given last year and the exemplary record this event (and the AFC before it) has had. We all accept that this can be a potentially dangerous sport but the risks can be mitigated with a little common sense - exhaustive and impractical rules are neither helpful nor necessary. I think the actions by very various members of the Forestry Commission are extremely short sighted as this is a fast developing sport that, if managed correctly, has the potential to become very large. However, it was mentioned on a thread on LR4x4 about this that we, as a sport, suffer from an image problem. I agree with this although I believe it is not justified given the quality of top level teams, event organisers and marshals. The stereotypical view of any form of off roading is of a rough guys tearing round the countryside in old beaten up vehicles causing damage and being generally inconsiderate. This is something that will be hard to change but, until we do, we will have people like this causing us problems. What makes this harder is that it is undeniable that what we do causes a significant amount of short term damage to the land we use meaning anyone who sees a site after a major event will jump to the conclusion it was done by the 'beaten up trucks' crowd just out to make a mess. However, with responsible use of land to ensure sites are not overused, this can be managed. It is a real shame that the hard work Andy and the rest of the team have put in trying to demonstrate this has been ignored. With any luck the loss to the local community and charities will be noticed as it is terrible they should suffer from this unfortunate situation.

Anyway, best of luck in the search for a site for 2010 - I'll see you there with my new car!