I attended my first orienteering event in 1971 as in those days I was running for Bournemouth Athletic Club and also running a scout troop in Wimborne. Our founder Ron Wilton’s son was involved in scouting and so I was invited to go along. The rest, as they say is history.

I had found a new sport which caught my imagination and I was hooked. I joined Wimborne Orienteers almost immediately and was appointed Treasurer in January 1972 and I have held that post from 1972 to 1977, 1983 to 1996 and then again from 2001 to 2011. In addition I was Chairman for 3 years from 1979 to 1981 and just a Committee Member from 1997 to 2000. I have therefore served on the Committee for 38 years.

I have orienteered throughout the UK taking part in most JK’s and numerous British Championships and also attended an O’ringen in Gothenburg. I have very fond memories of orienteering in those early days when it was so very different to today but exciting and adventurous to be off almost every Sunday with other club members travelling through out the South West and then of course to major events across the UK.

I was very competitive in those early days but it was not until the late eighties that I really made my mark and I see that I won the Club League for 8 years on the trot between 1988 to 1997 and in the 1995/6 season was winnerof the Blue Course SWOA Gallopen. I have planned and organised events and for several years I was a grade 3 and then a grade 2 controller.

My proudest moment in orienteering was when my eldest daughter Helen was on the podium in 6th position at the World Orienteering Championships Sprint race in Denmark in 2006. She has now run in several World Championships and is again off shortly to Switzerland for the 2012 Championships. Orienteering has also enabled her to travel extensively taking in South Africa, Japan, China, Kenya, Tawain as well as most countries in Europe.

I also took on the role of SWOA Treasurer in 1977 and again have held that post for the past 35 years apart from a short break in the 1990’s. I have been treasurer for 2 JK’s held in the South West and also a British Championships.

Unfortunately since running the London Marathon in 2001 I have developed arthritis which has severely curtailed my ability to run and orienteer competitively and so it was in 2007 that I got involved and put on my first mountain bike orienteering event. Cycling now keeps me fit and I am still happy to organise the odd MTBO event especially when combined with a Dorset Schools and Night event which makes for a good day of orienteering in 3 disciplines.

Wimborne Orienteers has always been a very social club and whenever and wherever I have competed at major events it has been in the company of other club members and we have normally managed to arrange a club get together which has enhanced these occasions greatly. Many friends have been made over the years through orienteering and none more so than Madeleine, who is now my wife, but still a member of Wessex. Perhaps before too long we may be members of the same club!!!

I am disappointed that I am not now able to orienteer regularly but will continue to support the MTBO discipline and the Club as well as I can. I have certainly enjoyed my 41 years orienteering and hope to continue in the sport although I am due to hand over as SWOA Treasurer at the next AGM and feel the time may have come when I will also step down from the WIM Committee.

Trevor Bridle   

Trevor at the MTBO Champs at Longleat

Father Christmas and the Fairies (Jo and Grace)