UKBFA

[Trev]

UKBFA was formed in late 1985.  I believe Holeshot 85 was their first offical competition.

Does anyone know when it folded?  I kinda stopped riding around the 91/92 mark and I'm sure it was still going then.

Does anyone know what the last official UKBFA contest was?

[DR VINOAH]

here ya go trev

not sure if it answers ya question

http://www.23mag.com/events/ukbfa/ukbfa.htm

[tricknuts]

 Yeah. Trev. I've alwats wondered this myself. I can't remember the final days at all.

Did people just stop showing up to UKBFA comps?   or was there such a small turn up that they decided to fold there and then?

i can't remember what happened to the pro's. i remember pepi on skyway, but not much after that. i remember  Craig giving up, then being back at Holeshot doing his  half pipe 540,  but can't remember when Neil  quit.   

[Trev]

Neil quit in 86.  I believe the Poole National was the last comp he done (6th June 1986 i think).  If I remember rightly, that was the 5th of 6 nationals and he didn't show for the last one in Cardiff.

There were rumours of him quitting, being burnt out or simply having just missed his train.  More rumours surfaced a few months later that he was back riding, preparing for a tour for Holeshot. I think Paul Zak was also involved in that. But I don't know if that ever happened.

His profile appeared in the BMX Beat 86 Programme (August 86), so his retirement would have been not long before then.

[DJ]

Cant have been long after 93/94? I think Roy & Diane had just had enough of it, they were still into it but werent getting any younger. I know a few people tried to start another organisation called BFN (British Freestyle Network) but it never materialised plus back then, it wasnt cool to have these organisations was it? Funny thing is, now it would be really helpful in BMX, especially with the BMX being in the Olympics n all.

[Trev]

I guess lack of people riding comps would be one reason.
Another reason could be that the UKBFA was basically a few rider's parents. Once their kids stopped riding, it would have been hard for them to carry on.

[yoda]

Hey Trev, for your info Holeshot wasnt the first bfa competition. There was a whole national series which they ran that year which started with the first round in Nottingham second round was in Edenbridge and so on throughout the year. I'll try and remember more for you but the old memory is a bit tattered at the mo....

[Trev]

Hey Trev, for your info Holeshot wasnt the first bfa competition. There was a whole national series which they ran that year which started with the first round in Nottingham second round was in Edenbridge and so on throughout the year. I'll try and remember more for you but the old memory is a bit tattered at the mo....

Dave, I thought the nationals that year were under the UKBMX banner...

[yoda]

Hmmm now youve got me thinking Ive def got the slow onset of alzhimers going on....... 

[BLUEMONDAY]

I'm absolutely certain that Trev is right there. I don't think UKBFA started until late 85/early 86.

I remember this because on the weekend that the last outdoor BMX beat was recorded in Carlisle (1985), a UKBMX freestyle national was held at Carlisle's BMX club on the saturday morning (filming of bmx beat took place in the afternoon and a lot of riders competed in both contests).

I can become even more anorakish now for the trivia fans out there....but  the quarterpipe used at the UKBMX national on the Saturday morning belonged to Pepi (RIP) and was the actual quarterpipe used at the previous year's BMX beat. Think it was only pepi who liked that pipe.

I don't know whether this will jog your memory any further  Dave, but I remember you landing an air quite "awkwardly" (in the most painful of places) during your run in that national....not that it affected your performance at BMX beat later...lol

[welsh denny]

the end of ukbfa.......................street happened. everyone wanted to be away from uniforms,, street riding was taking over and as freestyle was going very underground (and riders getting older) and not bothered about competing in a flat or  1/4 pipe contest- halfpipes were what were vert was about by now. jams were happening and like was said a lot of the head people at ukbfa sons/daughters had quit so was it worth keeping going as their siblings were no longer doing it.
rebeling occured late 80's with the banning of anyone bar the pro's winning any money so licenses were burnt etc, no one to be involved with cigarettes or alcohol.
how times have changed.

[yoda]

hahahaha fk man, I really cant recall that at the minute but hey im def not questioning your knowledge....(bluemonday)the scary thing is that theres now someone else on here that holds as much oldschool info as Trev...... 

[rosscoe]

I remember the first national in Nottm as I rode at it, cant remember the banner though, pretty sure it wasnt UKBFA

UKBFA really tried, even tried getting a riders rep going (I did it for a bit) but at the end of the day there was always gonna be a generation gap, and that would never work

I run a skatepark now......radcliffeskatepark.co.uk (site still under construction) and its funny when the youngsters dont know your background - they can be really difficult to work with..........this xperience gives me a huge but belated admitration and respect for those 'adults' who tried back in the day.They were doing what they thought was best for the younguns.

So heres to Colin Kefford (RIP), Mr Noble, Roy and Diane (looked after the local club at the time too - scary to think a very young skinny kid called bestwick used to look up to my riding skills.............), the MacDonalds, Pete Hawkins. the Crazy Geordie bloke whose name I cant remember, Mr Atkins.........all the judges etc etc etc. Without them it would have taken a very different route

Damn kids huh??

[BLUEMONDAY]

Ha ha....I probably don't know that much really......but I remember the whole BMX beat weekend like it were yesterday.:-

Great weather on the saturday......free cans of schweppes lemonade.....p*ssing it down on sunday......Alastair Pirrie breaking up fights amongst the local kids!!! Bliss.

[Trev]

Yeah, despite what a lot of people thought of the organised comps, i loved them. I met a lot of great people through them.

Top respect to those who tried to make it work.  Like Ross said, big props to those involved.

Colin Kefford (R.I.P.) & Peter Noble were the main guys to start with. Then Roy & Diane Winfield. Roger Atkins, Keith McIntosh, Peter Hawkins, Jonathan Swan, Anne Denton, Jim Bryant, Geoff Catlow. I'm sure there were plenty more too.

[keyhole kid]

ive still got my licence how sad...................... especially the piccy with me mullett

[welsh denny]

i've still got the rule book and the cardiff national booklet..... marked down for not being in factory outfit. marked down for presentation of the bike, etc,etc. no links with alcohol or cigarettes. like being in school . lol.

[yoda]

"So heres to Colin Kefford (RIP), Mr Noble, Roy and Diane (looked after the local club at the time too - scary to think a very young skinny kid called bestwick used to look up to my riding skills.............), the MacDonalds, Pete Hawkins. the Crazy Geordie bloke whose name I cant remember, Mr Atkins.........all the judges etc etc etc. Without them it would have taken a very different route"

The crazy geordie bloke was Will Smith. Him and his wife Jill also had a hand in all of these events because both theyr'e sons rode. They gave up so much of theyr'e free time and devoted it to freestyle. I lost count of the amount of miles they drove us over the years not only to comps but to places like Livingstone etc. I gave them loads of shit when I was younger along with all my mates cos we were typical kids I guess.

Clearly without them  we (me and my m8's) wouldnt have had the opportunities we did or got to the places we went to. Yeah there were a lot of things wrong the BFA in later years. These things came to light as the riders started to mature and wanted to take more control of the direction of the sport and its image. Thats just natural progression.

Without going on and on about the past one thing I know is certain; without these people's initial efforts good or bad I believe the freestyle scene would have struggled even more than it did in the 80's and 90's. Im sure a couple of the worlds top vert riders would agree with some of my points..........nuff said 

[rosscoe]

indeed. And in thinking about this I remembered getting a formal letter from the BFA after a national (maybe gateshead?) where I rode to a GuanaBatz song with 1 swear word in it. I had to issue a formal apology if I wanted to keep riding in their competitions.........oh how times have changed

[Trev]

indeed. And in thinking about this I remembered getting a formal letter from the BFA after a national (maybe gateshead?) where I rode to a GuanaBatz song with 1 swear word in it. I had to issue a formal apology if I wanted to keep riding in their competitions.........oh how times have changed

You rebel Ross... 

Maybe it was you that inspired Nick Phillips.

[tricknuts]

indeed. And in thinking about this I remembered getting a formal letter from the BFA after a national (maybe gateshead?) where I rode to a GuanaBatz song with 1 swear word in it. I had to issue a formal apology if I wanted to keep riding in their competitions.........oh how times have changed

haha  thats funny.   and the swear word was  only "bum" 

[rosscoe]

indeed. And in thinking about this I remembered getting a formal letter from the BFA after a national (maybe gateshead?) where I rode to a GuanaBatz song with 1 swear word in it. I had to issue a formal apology if I wanted to keep riding in their competitions.........oh how times have changed

haha  thats funny.   and the swear word was  only "bum" 

not quite... .......

but think my mum still has the letter from them

will try and dig it out next time I visit...

[tricknuts]

 

I think we should start up the UKBFA again...  with uniforms and disciplinary letters the lot..
call Peter Noble. see if he's still interested in the job.   If not we may need to look at all other candidates

its what this country needs. Bloody kids nowadays... 

[Trev]

to keep it traditional we'll need it to be run by rider's parents.

bill stupps, superbikedan, lazychubs, fruit.....

[rosscoe]

or why not have an old school freestyle comp done with the help of the original people..... those of you with old school bikes and uniforms can ride.........

get practicing your compulsories