Gold and Silver Star

🏁 Gold & Silver Star Final 2025 – A Competitor’s Perspective

18th January 2025, County Down, Northern Ireland. The air was cool, the sky was clear, and the grass? Oh, it looked dry—until you tried to steer on it. The Gold & Silver Star Final brought together the UK’s best trialists for the biggest showdown of the year. No dropped scores, no second chances—just raw talent, throttle control, and the ever-present hope that this would finally be your year.

Unless you’re Thomas Bricknell, of course. Because it’s always his year.

🥇 Gold Star – Bricknell Does It Again

With Beth Carroll in the hot seat and calm as ever, Thomas Bricknell secured his third consecutive Gold Star Final victory, finishing on an absurdly low 22 points. It’s getting to the point where the rest of us just assume he’s found grip in places science says it doesn’t exist.

His drive was as smooth as it was ruthless—measured climbs, perfect positioning, and never a wasted movement. There’s precision, and then there’s Bricknell.

Hot on his heels (relatively speaking), Josh and Tristan Veale grabbed second with a strong 46, and John McKinney and Alistair Nevin claimed third on 53—a hard-fought podium on a course where the greasy cambers and slippery crests punished the smallest error.

And then, of course, there was that moment—one unfortunate competitor lost their bonnet mid-section, watched it catch the wind, and sail off like a fibreglass frisbee. It was dramatic, slightly poetic, and a stark reminder that in trials, absolutely anything can come loose.

🥈 Silver Star – Underwood in Control

In the Silver Star, it was Darren and Sue Underwood who kept their heads (and body panels) firmly in place. With 82 points, they didn’t just win—they commanded the class with intelligent driving and consistent results on hills that got progressively more polished as the day wore on.

While others fought the greasy surface with bold moves and ambitious lines, Darren and Sue kept it tidy, leaned when it mattered, and made the most of every pole. Behind them, the rest of the Silver field battled for clean climbs and bragging rights, but no one could match the Underwoods' cool control.

🎉 Final Thoughts

The Gold & Silver Star Final 2025 proved once again why this is the crown jewel of the Sporting Trials calendar. The competition was fierce, the course unforgiving, and the commentary on bonnets unexpectedly aerodynamic.

The cool, dry weather might have fooled a few—but the slick grass underneath reminded us that grip is never guaranteed. 

A massive thank you to the organisers, marshals, and the unsung heroes with rakes, ropes, and calm voices who kept things running smoothly on hills where chaos was always just one moment away.

🏆 Final Standings:

• 🥇 Gold Star Winner – Thomas Bricknell & Beth Carroll – 22 points (three-time champions!)

• 🥈 Silver Star Winner – Darren & Sue Underwood – 82 points

• 🥈 Gold Star 2nd & 3rd – Josh & Tristan Veale (46 pts), John McKinney & Alistair Nevin (53 pts)

To the rest of us? We’ll be back. Hopefully with all our panels still attached.