OzVMX Forum
Clubroom => General Discussion => Topic started by: Slakewell on March 11, 2013, 09:22:55 am
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Volunteer Syndrome
Bike Clubs and what can go wrong.
I got reminded of this the other day when someone gave me the How dare you question that persons Integrity there a Volunteer and the (Put name here) Club would be hopeless without them. Most clubs have one of these people, there attracted to clubs because it’s one of the few places you can play this game and no one really questions you because it’s rude to say that a Volunteer is a hopeless nut job who’s anal controlling ways very often do more damage than good. You can hear the words ( I’m not paid to do this ) If your rude enough to suggest that they may have done a little better.
Volunteer Syndrome the short version is how dare you question me I’m a Volunteer so I’m right. Goggle the long version if you need more clarification.
These people will polarize club members you either think there the tireless Volunteer who the club would be lost with out or a screaming anal control freak of course if you think the later you will simply slowly leave the club and stop turning up because it’s rude to say so.
These people fill there prophecies. They do end up doing huge amounts of work to keep the club going mostly because so many people have left because they can’t stand them. They also will undermine and put down anyone who might dare just work quietly in the background as they feel threaten by these people.
It is really catch 22 many club members don’t know what to do. If you try and vote them out of the club you become the biggest arsehole or if you leave them there they will slowly kill your club. It can be turned around and I have seen it done, it will take a good 12 months for the club to return back to health and start growing again.
Turn up to Club meeting and look the dynamics if it has less than 10 attendees you can be sure that one or more of the club officials has Volunteer Syndrome.
How many members turn up at Penrith club meetings lately?
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Volunteer Syndrome
Bike Clubs and what can go wrong.
I got reminded of this the other day when someone gave me the How dare you question that persons Integrity there a Volunteer and the (Put name here) Club would be hopeless without them. Most clubs have one of these people, there attracted to clubs because it’s one of the few places you can play this game and no one really questions you because it’s rude to say that a Volunteer is a hopeless nut job who’s anal controlling ways very often do more damage than good. You can hear the words ( I’m not paid to do this ) If your rude enough to suggest that they may have done a little better.
Volunteer Syndrome the short version is how dare you question me I’m a Volunteer so I’m right. Goggle the long version if you need more clarification.
These people will polarize club members you either think there the tireless Volunteer who the club would be lost with out or a screaming anal control freak of course if you think the later you will simply slowly leave the club and stop turning up because it’s rude to say so.
These people fill there prophecies. They do end up doing huge amounts of work to keep the club going mostly because so many people have left because they can’t stand them. They also will undermine and put down anyone who might dare just work quietly in the background as they feel threaten by these people.
It is really catch 22 many club members don’t know what to do. If you try and vote them out of the club you become the biggest arsehole or if you leave them there they will slowly kill your club. It can be turned around and I have seen it done, it will take a good 12 months for the club to return back to health and start growing again.
Turn up to Club meeting and look the dynamics if it has less than 10 attendees you can be sure that one or more of the club officials has Volunteer Syndrome.
How many members turn up at Penrith club meetings lately?
This is so true
My son races mx and there is this guy that constantly has to tell you what he has done and is constantly telling you what to do. At the same time as my wife is out on the track flag marshalling all day.
I put my son up a class and want to look after him on the bigger bike but this guy takes it upon himself to order you around and make a drama for nothing ( while he is looking after his son not flagging)
I tell you you are correct these types kill a club volunteer syndrome is real!!!
They are always the same nobodies they never made it in a professional life!!!!
It's bad that I don't feel like taking my boy racing because the impulse of permanently adjusting this guy is too strong!!!!
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Argh yes this all sounds familiar.
Wonder if its the same guy that was ordering me around at a Dargle grass
track meet a few years back while i was out doing the flag marshalling.
Moved a few metres down he track after a junior rider went down to get a better
look then he gave me the Adolf hitler third reich. ;D
After they stopped the race you could hear the other flaggys making comments
about this guys whole approach to running a club day.
It wasnt nice.
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You are right ; but what can you do other than be truthful . It takes all types ; that is what makes the world go round . These people should take lessons in how to talk to people . p
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so sad that people have to micro manage their kids lives... christ when i was growing up we f*cked off after breakfast and showed up for tea! managed to have a hell of a lot of fun.
a club i was in years ago had two big egos "running it" with their kids in battle on the track...well!
The political back stabbing, conniving for advantage and all that petty "chickenshit" (US Army term) was just amazing to watch.... julia should get a lesson, she is a babe in the woods compared to these guys
as stated earlier, the world goes round.... none of em made world champ either....
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<snipped>
Turn up to Club meeting and look the dynamics if it has less than 10 attendees you can be sure that one or more of the club officials has Volunteer Syndrome.
How many members turn up at Penrith club meetings lately?
Penrith is going fine. It really doesn't matter how many turn up to a club meeting so long as the 3,4 or 5 that do all the work to put an event on for you are there. Then you can bag the shit out of them later because they don't agree with you interpretation of how they should be running things. FFS ???
Cheers
Shaun
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yer why point out the penrith club.you could of used any club. who about heaven how many go to their club (not race) meetings.?
anyway i understand where you are coming from there are people who take an active role in a club and then there are members. that reminds me i must do my bit for the club and renew my membership
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I think we all recognize your volunteer. Usually been involved in the sport for years but never raced. They also have a strange attraction to tweed jackets and flat caps and pipes. :)
Yeah, they can be misguided and very often their contribution is underrated, so you have to handle them with kid gloves. The best is also volunteer for club work days, be visible and then, diplomatically suggest that there might be a better way of doing things. This way you are one of the self sacrificing group that he holds so dear and he's more likely to take your (constructive) criticism seriously.
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http://feralsportscarclub.net/CarClub2.html
I've been looking at building a race car out of one of the old rally shells sitting here. A particular "hardworking volunteer" has turned me off the class entirely, after he showed himself to be a bully and a liar.
There's two blokes (who hate each other) who have made a mess of rallying in NSW with their ego-driven power wrangling - the 'funny' bit is that the vast majority of competitors want them both to f$&k off.
You didn't present your case well in the other thread, BTW Slakewell.
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Hey Nathan one those blokes names wouldn't be Mcferrson, short fat dude would it?
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Hey Nathan one those blokes names wouldn't be Mcferrson, short fat dude would it?
No. Messers Humphreys and Dudok. Both do a lot for the sport, but they also do a lot of harm (as Slakewell was saying in his opening post).
Only MacPherson in NSW rallying I can think of is the world-famous Greggy from RallySchool. He's not one for the power wrangles, AFAIK.
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I'm not going to get into slagging personalities but I well know where Slakewells coming from. Unfortunately these club positions are often taken up by people with personal agenda and a dictatorial bent. HEAVEN in particular had a bloke at the helm who offended nearly everyone he dealt with. Thankfully HEAVEN and Penrith are now being driven by folks who have the sports future as their main focus, not political ambition or Mussolini role playing. One problem with the club structure is that most punters join a club to race, the last thing they want to do is man the sign up table, wave a flag or lap score. That's why it's hard to find good officials who not only have good administration skills and a good working knowledge of vintage racings unique foibles but have an even temper, good communication skills and can can get it done while racing three classes himself on the day. When these people get into administrative positions in the club we need to treat them with the highest of respect by offering assistance whenever it's needed or at the very least not making their day harder by loading them with petty crap. People with these positive skills are as rare as chicken lips and need to be encouraged and nurtured
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I'm not going to get into slagging personalities but I well know where Slakewells coming from. Unfortunately these club positions are often taken up by people with personal agenda and a dictatorial bent. HEAVEN in particular had a bloke at the helm who offended nearly everyone he dealt with. Thankfully HEAVEN and Penrith are now being driven by folks who have the sports future as their main focus, not political ambition or Mussolini role playing. One problem with the club structure is that most punters join a club to race, the last thing they want to do is man the sign up table, wave a flag or lap score. That's why it's hard to find good officials who not only have good administration skills and a good working knowledge of vintage racings unique foibles but have an even temper, good communication skills and can can get it done while racing three classes himself on the day. When these people get into administrative positions in the club we need to treat them with the highest of respect by offering assistance whenever it's needed or at the very least not making their day harder by loading them with petty crap. People with these positive skills are as rare as chicken lips and need to be encouraged and nurtured
Ah the "good old Heaven days" when The Son of Satan was at the helm,making no friends with all and sundry.
I think that you will find the odd power hungry zealot in committees etc in all sports,including VMX.
Because generally they are the only places that they can feel powerful and important.
Ultimately if you want to do something about people like this,you need to man up,and get involved with the club.
Just saying.
Cheers
Craig
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It's not just motorcycle clubs but all amatuer sporting clubs in general.
It has always been like that and always will, cooperation and acceptance of differing opinions is very rare.
From what I can tell Penrith as a club is going okay, Nepean Motor Sports Club on the other hand is having some serious issues at this point in time.
The issue there as I see it is that there are half a dozen clubs involved in running a larger club that has a big future along with a huge asset within an hour of Syd.
I've put my hand up to be a BWP delegate but am having second thoughts.
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slides nepean that`s the club who removes "negative" facebook comments which are the truth
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The biggest problem is what Suzuki 59 mentioned, is that club members are usually slack or have no idea how much time and effort goes into organising the club and race meetings. If some else wants to do all the work for you let them and just turn up and ride, this is how these dictators take over and after a while because they do so much its their club not the members.
So who's to blame? All of us and until we all have ago at being on the club commitee or help the powers that be, little hitlers will raise there ugly heads in every sport.
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I'm not going to get into slagging personalities but I well know where Slakewells coming from. Unfortunately these club positions are often taken up by people with personal agenda and a dictatorial bent. HEAVEN in particular had a bloke at the helm who offended nearly everyone he dealt with. Thankfully HEAVEN and Penrith are now being driven by folks who have the sports future as their main focus, not political ambition or Mussolini role playing. One problem with the club structure is that most punters join a club to race, the last thing they want to do is man the sign up table, wave a flag or lap score. That's why it's hard to find good officials who not only have good administration skills and a good working knowledge of vintage racings unique foibles but have an even temper, good communication skills and can can get it done while racing three classes himself on the day. When these people get into administrative positions in the club we need to treat them with the highest of respect by offering assistance whenever it's needed or at the very least not making their day harder by loading them with petty crap. People with these positive skills are as rare as chicken lips and need to be encouraged and nurtured
Ah the "good old Heaven days" when The Son of Satan was at the helm,making no friends with all and sundry.
I think that you will find the odd power hungry zealot in committees etc in all sports,including VMX.
Because generally they are the only places that they can feel powerful and important.
Ultimately if you want to do something about people like this,you need to man up,and get involved with the club.
Just saying.
Cheers
Craig
Only started racing back in 2011 with the Heaven club doing 3 or 4 races a year
and ive been really happy with how the committee goes about running the whole scene
and keeping the members happy come race day.
Curious to know who the Son of Satan was ??
Does the guy still have anything to do with the club ??
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I dont say much anymore, but what a narrow minded topic, just accept you will allways have conflicts in clubs and if the slack arse's arnt doing it your way, go to a meeting and say so, as probally nobody has told them correct equite in dealing with old farts.
just my take on it, cheers worms
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No Son of Satan, Andrew. This is not the place to talk about Heaven stuff
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Well come and join Banky Micks. ;D
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The whinge I've always enjoyed in the past was weekend riders moaning that "certain" riders had the advantage of knowing an enduro route before the race. Yup dipshits, those are the guys who helped organize the event. Just stick up your hand and give up a few Sundays of your time. You might even enjoy yourselves.
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Son of Satan was at the helm
For what it's worth I took my seat to the above gentlemans sons upholstery business today and I can't help being impressed by what a nice young man he is. As well as being articulate, friendly and interested in what a fat old fart had to say, he's pretty damn good at the wheel of his sowing machine. It just goes to show that the arsehole factor doesn't always progress through the genetic chain.
After years in a self imposed boycott of the club I'm going to rejoin Penrith club. I intended going to the February meeting but unexpected visitors nipped that in the bud. When is the next Penrith club meeting?
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Going on the incontestable drivel I espouse here, just fervently imagine what a benign megalomaniac leader I would make to any club... ::)
Damned lucky I work every weekend Huh.... :D
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i am involved with 2 clubs in north brisbane
i must say apart from always needing more volunteers
we dont have these problems
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Let's not revisit past wrongs.Its great to hear and see from across the ditch how well the Heaven club is going.
But if I were to put a positive spin on the "Son of Satan" it would have to be that given the political issues and backstabbing that went on prior to his election,the club seemed to be in a tenuous position.So his "strong " dictatorial leadership was probably needed to keep the club afloat.
But unfortunately some of his calls upset a number of people who I suspect were lost to the sport.
But again its excellent to see the club thrive,which ensures that all the work done over the years by the likes of John G,Mark C,Magoo,Mark Austin,Dennis Myers and the guy who's name I forgot who had the bike shop at MonaVale ?? etc etc are not lost.
Cheers
Craig
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.... and the guy who's name I forgot who had the bike shop at MonaVale ....
Carl Blecher.
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And it's at Artarmon ;D
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Son of Satan was at the helm
For what it's worth I took my seat to the above gentlemans sons upholstery business today and I can't help being impressed by what a nice young man he is. As well as being articulate, friendly and interested in what a fat old fart had to say, he's pretty damn good at the wheel of his sowing machine. It just goes to show that the arsehole factor doesn't always progress through the genetic chain.
After years in a self imposed boycott of the club I'm going to rejoin Penrith club. I intended going to the February meeting but unexpected visitors nipped that in the bud. When is the next Penrith club meeting?
Firko the next Penrith meeting is tomorrow night (March 13) 7pm at the Eastern Creek Tavern.
Cheers
Shaun
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I think we're all familiar with the bike club jobsworth (can't do this/can't do that/you can do that but only if its a full moon/etc..) Unfortunately they are a necessity, and quite often they are the lifeblood of the club too.
You should all be relieved you're not in karting. That over-officiated sport is run by the most self-interested bunch of power hungry tools ever. I'm happy to point you in the direction of their forums if you need a laugh. Makes the footpeg threads on here seem like a drop in the ocean.
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And it's at Artarmon ;D
No sorry guys, well before him there was a guy at Monavale at a push bike shop.I think his first name was Graeme??
Clearly I am an old timer...
FYI I know Carl reasonably well, and I know where Artarmon is,given I lived in Cammeray for eight years....
PS Carl has also done an excellent job I heard,but that was after I departed Oztralia........
Cheers
Craig
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sorry guys, well before him there was a guy at Monavale at a push bike shop.I think his first name was Graeme??
Graeme Glover....."The Glove". Nice bloke, bought my Petite Metisse M11 Bully roller off me a few years ago.
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Yep, good old Graeme. But the other person who probably needed to be mentioned was Brad Fisher, the Club President who finally got Heaven affiliated with MNSW (and another Northern Beaches boy). I saw both of them last week and both doing well. Captain Fisher just bought a Pursang to race some dirt track this year (and is also restoring a TY250) and Graeme still has a truck load of Bullys as well.
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Yep, good old Graeme. But the other person who probably needed to be mentioned was Brad Fisher, the Club President who finally got Heaven affiliated with MNSW (and another Northern Beaches boy). I saw both of them last week and both doing well. Captain Fisher just bought a Pursang to race some dirt track this year (and is also restoring a TY250) and Graeme still has a truck load of Bullys as well.
Yes indeed thanks Ken,good old Graeme and "Qantas" Brad,top guys who did a lot for Heaven.
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Come on guy's , Kel did a good job , but i think he would have been buggered with out Narrelle.
Yes he could certainly be prickly , but he always did what was required , always said what he meant (good or bad) , you always new where you stood , always showed up rain , hail or shine and was generally the last to leave.
He did an enormous amount behind the scene's , just like all Club Sec. do
You may not always think he made the best decisions , but he made them , stuck with it , Kel did real well and made some diffucult decisions during his tenure as all Club sec. do.
Lent more bikes to people who wanted to try it out , then any person i know
I dont mind saying he a "good guy". "He's a good guy"
We have always been real lucky at Heaven , we always have a bunch of people committed to getting it happening. Every month of the season they bring it for us (weather permitting).
Club's are a good thing , no clubs no fun
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Yep agreed Shoey,Narelle was an excellent lady.
Poor old Kel just needed a filter from brain to mouth sometimes,which I guess we all can be accused of,depending on how many VB's we have drunk.
I think on reflection his style worked during the period after Magoo and Mark Austin left-the reasons for which I will not revist- albeit I do actually know what they are,(given I was on the scene then-unlike some other "geography experts" on this forum).
But again to clarify I think its great that Heaven is thriving these days.
The above comments by me,are not in any way a stir about what a great scene Heaven is these days.
Cheers
Craig
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i agree Graig , Heaven is thriving and i think the whole vintage movement , MX , dirt track and vinduro are on a upward spiral.
Over the last few years there has been so many and varied events on offer we have had the rare opportunity to be selective on what events to attend.
All thanks to our hard working clubs and the club officals.
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Firko the next Penrith meeting is tomorrow night (March 13) 7pm at the Eastern Creek Tavern.
thanks Shaun, natural disasters notwithstanding I hope to be there.
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Come on guy's , Kel did a good job , but i think he would have been buggered with out Narrelle.
Yes he could certainly be prickly , but he always did what was required , always said what he meant (good or bad) , you always new where you stood , always showed up rain , hail or shine and was generally the last to leave.
He did an enormous amount behind the scene's , just like all Club Sec. do
You my not always think he made the best decisions , but he made them , stuck with it , Kel did real well and made some diffucult decisions during his tenure as all Club sec. do.
Lent more bikes to people who wanted to try it out , then any person i know
I dont mind saying he a "good guy". "He's a good guy"
We have always been real lucky at Heaven , we always have a bunch of people committed to getting it happening. Every month of the season they bring it for us (weather permitting).
Club's are a good thing , no clubs no fun
I agree with you there Shoey. Kel and Narelle did a fantastic job, as our current committee do. Something must be right, we never cancel meetings thru lack of participants.
You'se don't know utter totalitarian rule unless you've been under Chris Cater's dictatorship. I was an apprentice under him and got picked up by him most weekends to go to MX or enduro meets in the early 70's. His only rule was do as I do and you better be damn fast at it, and were only talking marking out tracks. If it was too dusty he simply stopped racing and everyone had to re mark the course. It was his way or the highway, but if you ever wanted someone to get the job done , he was your man.
He once rode a bike of mine at Amaroo, crashed it and broke the clutch lever. As I didn't have a spare and had a race to go he went over to a guy and said " you finished racing? Get that lever off your bike and give it to me, which he did" He didn't even give the guy long enough to answer the question.
Some people didn't like him. I did.
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Your right about the big fella Ted
When we were setting out at Classic dirt last year he tried to take over when he showed up and it was a real hoot with all his average to shit jokes. Cater is a top bloke , real fun fun to be around , never asked you to do anything he's not doing and has forgotten more about track set out then most people know.
hopefully Chris will be there for the set out again this year , heaps of off cambers
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Guys I don’t really think airing any of this on a forum is the best way to go. Heaven VMX has, for as long as I’ve been involved, been lucky to have some of the best people tirelessly putting in their very best for everyone.
As far as I can see all of the Committee members of the five years that I have been involved in the club have had nothing but the very best interests of the club at heart 8). Kel and Narelle along with Fernando, Dennis, Glenn, Dan, Carl, Bob, Greg H, Mike, Stewart and any others I have inadvertently forgotten are genuinely the life blood of the HEAVEN club, period. Are any of them perfect? Probably not but then let anyone that is perfect start pointing out the issues? ::)
Whether you agree or disagree with Kel or Narelle there is absolutely one thing that is indisputable by anyone and that is their genuine and deep desire that the Heaven Club prosper and is successful. This is just the facts and cannot be denied. Last year every single time that I contacted Kel or Narelle for assistance, help or guidance there response was always positive even if they didn’t agree 100% or even 50% and that I feel is an indication of character. 8)
Can we go back to bagging HL500s now? ;D :D Or even better start a thread on old Classic MX photos like the Classic Dirt Track Images thread that is now up to 87 glories pages of fantastic photos and positive chit chat 8). Now that is worth putting on a forum ;)
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I am glad I resisted any impulse to get involved in the some of the discussion on this thread,
however I am pleased to see it finally sorted itself out rather pleasantly.
One comment- Slides, stick with it, NMSC member clubs need you.
Cheers pancho.
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Son of Satan was at the helm
For what it's worth I took my seat to the above gentlemans sons upholstery business today and I can't help being impressed by what a nice young man he is. As well as being articulate, friendly and interested in what a fat old fart had to say, he's pretty damn good at the wheel of his sowing machine. It just goes to show that the arsehole factor doesn't always progress through the genetic chain.
After years in a self imposed boycott of the club I'm going to rejoin Penrith club. I intended going to the February meeting but unexpected visitors nipped that in the bud. When is the next Penrith club meeting?
Firko the next Penrith meeting is tomorrow night (March 13) 7pm at the Eastern Creek Tavern.
Cheers
Shaun
Bugger sorry Firko I gave you a bum steer the Penrith meeting was last night. Sorry mate
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DO'H
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You did that on purpose Shaun. ;D ;)
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Haha your onto me Steve. I want to sign him to a long term contract with Norths ;D
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Aha, while you mention it.
Firko, come join BWP with AJ, we need numbers, actually join us all, I've seen your new Flattrack weapon, you can afford it. ;)
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When did BWP stop holding DT meets at Nepean?
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Good question Cemotobull, I would think maybe early 90's, we did host one event last year but at this stage I'm not sure when we may do it again.