I first wrote this column for the Herald way back in September 1979, but it will almost certainly cease for a while because of the complete ban on off-road riding which was imposed to help prevent further spread of foot and mouth disease.
I cannot over-stress that it is absolutely imperative that my fellow riders and enthusiasts observe all regulations to the letter, even though we have read of the attempts by the horse racing fraternity to carry on as normal.
Without the kind permission of countless farmers, our sport would have died years ago, so we really must hold back and be patient until the all-clear is officially given.
In our local area there are so called 'practice tracks' and I know of at least one owner of these venues who is allowing riders in simply for financial gain. He is playing on the fact that many riders have just purchased gleaming new machines and are itching to try them out. And I know just how frustrating it is for them, because I was a rider too, for almost 30 years.
Like me in my heyday, you lads, and a few lasses, have been training in the gym, jogging the lonely miles and working many hours of overtime to buy that new machine, only to be told that you must not ride it.
Please remember: our friends the farmers are under seige and face dire threat of financial ruin. We must support them and, in so doing, we can demonstrate that ours is a clean sport, even though we get dirty playing it.