On Tuesday 5th June Dromara Cycling Club held their annual Children's Gymkhana, as part of Dromara Village Festival. The Event  was a resounding success with around 80 children taking part, with all sorts of bikes including tiny trikes..  It was a sunny warm evening with the start time of 7pm suiting all for a fun filled family evening.

Gymkhana is a strange name for this cycling challenge! The event comprised 5 separate timed courses cumulating into a total time. The Children were separated into 4 age groups, under 6, under 8, under 11, and under 14. There were four prizes in each age group with the first two girls and boys with the fastest times receiving prizes.

The five timed events were, A:  50 metre sprint, B: stop box for 2 seconds, with a 3 second penalty if they touched the ground, C: slalom though cones, D: limbo under a suspended pole, E: Lift and place a small ball between cones, with out stopping.

With such a large group of children, large queues formed and club secretary Trevor took turns between each setting up a second slalom etc. Dromara Cycling Club supplied prizes of cycling computers for the 1st prize and a water bottles and carriers for 2nd. We also supplied drinks, crisps and mars bars for the children, but demand out stripped supply.

It took near 90 minutes, some of which seemed chaotic, for all the children to complete the five events. Some parents helped and encouraged their children, while others were content to watch their children at play. There was then a judgelike huddle to count up the times, before Trevor could try and present the prizes.

Trevor took to the top of a picnic bench as the children swarmed around to see who had won. Someone said in looked like the pied piper, but it felt more like St Trinians to Trevor!

The prizes winners were;

Under 6; 1st Boy Cameron Owens, 2nd Scott Ullman. 1st Girl Oliva, 2nd Oliva Watson

Under 8, 1st Boy Max Melville, 2nd Matthew Rea. 1st Girl Kelly Wilson, 2nd Georgia Weller

Under 11, 1st Boy Arron Stewart, 2nd Joshua Rean. 1st Girl Rhiannen Reid, 2nd Jordan Patterson [Dromara CC]

Under 14, 1st Boy Kristen Potts, 2nd Ross Kerr. 1st Girl Chole Stewart, 2nd Shannon Graham.

Well done to all who took part and apart from not enough drinks for the children a great night was had by all. A special well done to Arron and Chole Stewart, who are the children of the Dromara Festival Organiser Linda Stewart and to Jordan Patterson who is a member of Dromara CC and whose mother Diane was roped into help. It would be great to see a lot more local talent taking on the cycling challenge, as children can take part in mountain bike racing from the age of 6 and road racing from 10.

Thanks to Dromara Village football club,  their grass pitch was the perfect venue, even though they had just spent £3000 on repairs. Last but not least to the Dromara Cc members who worked so hard on the night.

We are indebted as usual as DVFC have never failed to meet our requirements for the several cycling events we hold during the year. Thanks to their support we can supply facilities rarely equalled by other cycling fixtures.

David Robb timing at limbo