Jigger's Jug

🏁 Jigger’s Jug 2025

Croglin once again delivered. From the moment we pulled in for the Jigger’s Jug, you could feel it—mud under the tyres, nerves in the air, and that low hum of anticipation that only comes before a proper trial. Everyone knew the course wasn’t going to give anything away for free. And it didn’t.

Right from the first hill, it was clear this year’s event would reward clean technique and punish anything less. You had to be sharp. No sloppy throttle. No hesitating on the climbs. And if you blinked, Thomas Bricknell and Beth Carroll would already be ahead of you—which is exactly what they did. In their Red Indi Crossle 1500, they put down a clinic: just 24 points across all three rounds. Ruthless. Controlled. Clean. They didn’t just win the overall—they owned it.

We all kept an eye on John Firth and Ann Boyes too. If you’ve run against them before, you know they don’t crack under pressure. They landed 30 points, taking the Red IRS Class comfortably and reminding everyone that experience counts when the course gets technical.

Richard Sharp and Joe Sharp were right up there as well—31 points, and you could see they were fighting for every section. Same with the Websters. If not for a couple of bumps mid-round, it might’ve been a different order at the top.

The battle in the lower classes was just as fierce. Hats off to Brian Thornton and Tom Rees—they came out top of the Red LIVE Class in a Kincraft that looked like it was ready to eat the course alive. And in the Rookie Class, David and Anita Simmons, a rookie crew but they impressed everyone. They weren’t just hanging on—they were figuring it out as they went and getting better with every section. 77 points might not sound light, but on this course? That’s solid.

Tiebreaks? We had a few. Simon Kingsley beat Paul Price on cleans—13 to 12. A single clean decided it. Those little details... they’re the difference between 8th and 9th, a trophy or going home with "nearly". Been there. We all have.

I had a run-in with a couple of the tougher climbs in Round 2—no grip, wrong line, a bit too aggressive on the throttle. You learn quick out here. But what stood out most was the atmosphere. No matter where you finished, every crew gave it their all, and when someone nailed a section, you heard the cheers across the field. It’s competitive—but it’s still a community.

Big shoutout to the organizing team—Andrew Woodhead, Mark Milne, and the NPTCC crew. Timing, course layout, marshals—tight and professional as always.

💬 Final Word

We came to compete—and compete we did. Some of us walked away with class wins. Others with stories of sections conquered and mistakes made. But all of us left knowing we’d been part of a cracking trial.

See you at the next one. We’ll be back—and we’ll be better.

Article by The Secret Trialer