Ben Fund

[gee jay]

where's the ben fund meeting next year ??

[Gunner85]

Usually we know quite early on.

 

Would be good to have an anooncement

Edited December 8, 2017 by Gunner85

[Midland Red]

We know virtually zilch about next season at all, apart from the briefest of brief "press releases" from BSPA

I suspect the BSPA don't really know either

[Argos]

It seems like it’s impossible to get any class riders in the BEN meeting, when you look at the riders in the first BEN meeting, then the one from this season what a difference, it wouldn’t surprise me if there was novBEN meeting next season

[DSC67]

I thought that Paul Akroyd was taking about a change of formulae to next seasons Ben Fund meeting

[screm]

It wasn't that many years ago that this meeting signaled the start of the season and the Worlds best were only to willing to accept the meeting. Nowadays that has changed and while the reason for the meeting remains a hugely important one you get the feeling the vast majority of riders see the meeting as a bit of an inconvenience rather than an honour to take part in the meeting.

[bruno]

Can anyone post the line up of the first Ben fund, would be interesting

[Noodles]

Can anyone post the line up of the first Ben fund, would be interesting

2009 Scores: Kevin Doolan 6, Ricky Ashworth 11, Kauko Nieminen 5, Ben Barker 10, Fredrik Lindgren 9, Leigh Adams 14, Davey Watt 7, Filip Sitera 5, Josh Auty 3, Jason Lyons 1, Tai Woffinden 13, Scott Nicholls 7, Andre Compton 7, Jason Crump 13, Richard Hall 5, Edward Kennett 4. Edited December 9, 2017 by Noodles

[Argos]

Looking at that Amazing lineup and this seasons says it all really, riders not interested in it now, why should Paul Acyroyed work is socks off together with all his helpers, when the riders can’t be bothered

[bruno]

Not as good as I imagined to be honest I'd argue the only top riders back then were Lindgren Adams Nicholls and Crump although it's a million miles better than today's line ups

What was the line up at rye house I remember Nicki being there

[HenryW]

2010 meeting at Rye House had:

Nicki Pedersen 12, Jason Crump 11, Krzysztof Kasprzak 11, Edward Kennett 10, Freddie Lindgren 10, Chris Neath 7, Ben Barker 7, Steve Johnston 7, Rory Schlein 6, Scott Nicholls 5, Niels Kristian Iversen 5, Tai Woffinden 4, Leigh Adams 4, Kevin Doolan 4, Daniel King 4, Adam Shields 3, Craig Watson 3, Filip Sitera 3, Viktor Bergstrom 1, Tomas Topinka 0

[bruno]

I was at that one as well think Adams took Nicki out on the fourth bend and Nicki ended up through the fence, shame the top riders can't be bothered these days but I suppose seeing as they don't ride here why should they

[Noodles]

I was at that one as well think Adams took Nicki out on the fourth bend and Nicki ended up through the fence, shame the top riders can't be bothered these days but I suppose seeing as they don't ride here why should they

All I remember was that it was freezing cold.

[bruno]

Yeh I remember that as well but no where near as cold as the winter meeting at Scunny one year first time I've ever left anything before the end

[Paulco]

Yeh I remember that as well but no where near as cold as the winter meeting at Scunny one year first time I've ever left anything before the end

That was freezing on a Saturday afternoon , but the following year it was shorts and t-shirt weather in Birmingham , the Baltic weather made a return at Berwick the following March . Honestly that night was the coldest i'd ever experienced at the speedway .

[archie21]

RE Ben Fund meeting last year. I sent a question to Paul via the Ben Fund site and Im still waiting a reply to it. If the riders are treated in the same way Im not surprised that they don't want to ride!!

[Ned Kelly 41]

54 minutes ago, archie21 said:

RE Ben Fund meeting last year. I sent a question to Paul via the Ben Fund site and Im still waiting a reply to it. If the riders are treated in the same way Im not surprised that they don't want to ride!!

Sounds like crap, mate.    I've had several dealing with Mr Ackroyd about the Bonanza over the years and have never, ever not had a prompt, helpful reply.

You sure you sent it to the right address?

[archie21]

3 hours ago, Ned Kelly 41 said:

Sounds like crap, mate.    I've had several dealing with Mr Ackroyd about the Bonanza over the years and have never, ever not had a prompt, helpful reply.

You sure you sent it to the right address?

YES. It was the Ben Fund web site via "contact" us. 

[Noodles]

PETERBOROUGH TO STAGE BEN FUND

The annual Ben Fund Bonanza has reached the significant milestone of its tenth staging, and this historic event will take place at Peterborough Speedway on Sunday 18th March with a start time of 2pm.

Paul Ackroyd, now the Chairman of the Speedway Riders Benevolent Fund and of course the originator of the Bonanza meeting, has been working hard behind the scenes towards this later-than-usual announcement, but he says “Now that we are able to say where and when our tenth annual meeting will be I’m obviously relieved but also thrilled that the meeting will be at such an excellent venue. We have big plans and intend to make this a real fun day for the supporters.”

Ackroyd also revealed the first five names for what he believes will be the best Bonanza field for several seasons. These are top Danish duo Kenneth Bjerre and Hans Andersen, the English “old firm” of Scott Nicholls and Chris Harris, and of course, for his tenth appearance in the Ben Fund Bonanza, Ben Barker. Barker has done the most Bonanzas, obviously, but Harris last year became the highest point scorer in the event’s history with 58 points from his 6 appearances.

For Panthers’ go-ahead promoter Ged Rathbone, this is something he has wanted for a while. “We as a club are over the moon to be staging the Ben Fund Bonanza. We have looked at doing it and talked about doing it for a couple of years, and we’ve finally been given the go-ahead to try and put on a really good show for Paul and the paying public who come and watch it. We are genuinely over the moon.

“The stadium and facilities are ideal for this type of meeting and the location should be good for supporters from all parts of the country. We all know about the Ben Fund and the help it gives, but we don’t necessarily know just how much money is needed – it’s actually quite scary.”

Of all the things Ben Barker has done in his eventful career, nothing has earned him greater respect than the unstinting support he has given to the Benevolent Fund. He said “It’s something I agreed to when I first started doing the Ben Fund meetings, I said I’d do the first ten and I’m here now! 

“One of the reasons I’m so keen to support it, they’ve helped me not just last year but in previous years as well. It’s a great cause and that’s why I’m so keen to do my bit for it.

“I’ve got a couple of friends who have bad injuries and have been helped by the Fund, and that does play on my mind. That’s why I look on it as such a good thing.”

Scott Nicholls rode in the first two Bonanzas back in 2009-10 and he will be back this year, sending his own message of support.

“It will be a great afternoon for the fans for their first speedway ‘fix’ of the season. It will be a brilliant meeting I know that. I think the Ben Fund do an absolutely brilliant job supporting these guys. It makes the injured riders still feel part of the speedway family and world which I think is really cool. It just goes to highlight just how special and unique the Speedway community really is, I don’t think there’s many other sports out there that have a support network the same.”

http://www.speedwaygb.co/benfundbonanza

http://www.peterboroughpanthers.co/news.php?extend.3279

Edited January 11, 2018 by Noodles

[2ndbendbeerhut]

What a joke... last time Peterborough held a shared event they screwed over the public and broke the rules by allowing Holder to miss the event. Slap on the wrist later they get another "big" meeting. Sums the sport up.Corrupt!