It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Surrey-born trials enthusiast, Malcolm Henry Smith, formerly of Norleigh Kennels, Ardersier, Inverness on Monday 14th September, 2026 aged 84 years. Malcolm was regarded as the ‘creator’ of the Highland Classic Two Day Trial.
Malcolm was not a native of Inverness, he was brought up on the family farm at Dunsfold, Guildford, Surrey within ear-shot of the airfield where more recently filming for BBC’s ‘Top Gear’ programme was produced. He grew up in a farming and outdoor environment. Malcolm became interested in shooting and gun-dog training in which he earned his livelihood. He was friends with Roger Kearsey, not only a shooting consultant but a semi-factory trials rider for BSA and Matchless.
How it began:
Malcolm as a teenager with his local friends frequented the mighty Comerford’s dealership in Portsmouth Road, Thames Ditton especially on a Saturday morning when the many deals were done by the knowledgeable sales staff who also competed on the following day. Malcolm splashed out on a second-hand 225cc DMW trials machine and that started his interest in motorcycle trials, taking part in many local events around the Guildford area. This continued when he took up residence in Nairnshire and he became involved with setting up a trials section in the Grampian MCC. The club were predominantly motocross based, so eventually, Malcolm and the trials members decided to form a new club in Inverness and the Inverness & District Motor Cycle Club was formed and quickly affiliated to the Scottish ACU in 1978. The new club benefited from Malcolm’s experience and his connections with local estate owners, game-keepers and estate factors.
One such connection was the Alvie Estate near Aviemore where local club member, Ray Sangster had run the idea passed the Laird, Jamie Williamson. This eventually commenced the relationship with the estate which has lasted fifty years. It was Malcolm that became the club’s Landowner’s Liaison specialist as he understood completely how these areas were looked after. The relationship matters were handed down and forms part of the co-operation that lasts to this day.
Malcolm was of course Chairman of the Inverness & District and he oversaw the conversion to a limited liability company in December 2005, given the need to protect committee members and the club from any litigation that could arise. He remained chairman until his retirement in 2017 at which time he was made a life member.
Creating the Highland Classic:
As club chairman, Malcolm noted that a number of Scots riders had been unsuccessful in securing an entry in the Pre65 Scottish Trial one year. He gave this some thought and decided to put it to the committee to organise a Pre65 trial on the Alvie Estate, so that those riders could have a trial with the old bikes. It was this one day trial that eventually became the Highland Classic Trial, named after the Highland Two-Day Trial that had been run by the Highland Car and Motor Cycle club as far back as the early 1950s. Malcolm’s idea bore fruit and it is now the Highland Highland Two-Day Trial that is still run on the Alvie Estate today.
Malcolm also competed in the Pre65 Scottish and Highland Two-Day on a machine he managed to buy with factory history. It was a 250cc James, registered as 286FON and was ridden in the SSDT and many national trials by factory supported rider, the late Mick Dismore from Farnham.
Malcolm kept up his many friendships that he had made in Surrey, one of which was the DOT specialist, Roy Enticknap whom he met annually at the Telford Off-Road show. Of course he made many new friends when he was associated with the organisation and operation of the Highland Two Day Trial.