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Beo Bike Week | 6. August 2023

After the controversial cancellation last year due to the biker trial in Bern, the Oberland bikers’ favorite week could take place again this year. From Friday to Sunday, bikers from Switzerland and Europe drink beer together, exhibit their machines and enjoy a ride in the region or live music. The men and women in leather jackets with their hot ovens also attract quite a crowd, with Beo Bike Week counting around three thousand visitors in total.

The international Beo Bike Week has become famous throughout Switzerland and even abroad with the concept of powerful machines in front of a breathtaking panorama. Photos: Manuel Glaser

Motorbike enthusiasts have made themselves comfortable on the tank slope in Thun: A large arch invites motorcyclists to take a lap of honor over the military site, after which they can park their machines right next to the entrance to the festival site, where they can be admired by the fans. The entrance to the site is adorned with two wooden towers and a large welcome poster, and you immediately think you are in the Wild West, which, however, comes with the latest motorcycle models.

You can already tell on the festival grounds that this occasion is close to our hearts. OC President Jürg Burkhart is one of those who gives full commitment to the biker festival. Since Monday he has been involved in the construction with 30 to 40 helpers every day. The reward: a great, cozy party on a site where otherwise bullets fly and tanks roll. The highlight for the president of the organizing committee and the Beo Biker bike club: “Especially now, after four years without an event, seeing all the heads we know again, including those from abroad, that’s the highlight.”

The Beo Bike Week promises crazy rides and cozy beer. The craziest of all bikes in different categories will be chosen as the winner of the bike show.

In addition to the beer, there is of course also something to bite. The otherwise not so green festival even boasts a depot system for cups to avoid waste.

Controversial cancellation

Beo Bike Week traditionally takes place every two years. After the cancellation during the pandemic, no Bike Week could take place in Thun last year. The reason? The biker trial in Bern stirred up the motorcycle world in such a way that the authorities judged the motorcycle event to be too dangerous. The police put the likelihood of a conflict at 90 percent and the event was not approved, the Jungfrau Zeitung reported.

Jürg Burkhart, long-standing president of Oberländer Biker with a calm demeanor, saw the assessment a little differently at the time: “If it had been up to me, we would have done it.” The ban came three weeks before the festival, which had already been planned and was about to start. However, the OC President understands the authorities’ decision and accepted it, despite the losses that resulted. Now he is happy, together with all the other motorbike fans in Thun, Switzerland and nearby Europe, that the festival was able to rise this year.

In a small incident, a motorcycle caught fire, whereupon the fire brigade arrived with blue lights.

OC President and boss of the Beo Bikers, Jürg Burkhalter, can understand the ban imposed by the authorities last year, even though he didn’t let a small protest trip be missed at the time.

Exit with 250 machines

Throughout the weekend, visitors can test the new models from various manufacturers on site, which is actively being done. There are also other stands that offer plenty of liquids and solids, but also have homemade art and other things on offer. There is a stage in the marquee, which is used for rock music in the evening and on Sunday afternoon.

What must also be a highlight for many motorcycle fans is the joint ride on Saturday. In the morning we practice how to close the roads and how to lead the convoy before we get down to business shortly after midday. As the motorbikes slowly line up, you can see why such a joint trip requires a lot of organization: at least 200 motorbikes, probably a lot more, line up and form a queue of over a hundred meters. It is unimaginable how this colossus of engines, leather and petrol could drive through the Emmental in one piece without around 20 well-rehearsed helpers blocking the crossings for the convoy.

The approximately 250 bikers create an impressive picture as they line up and get ready for the ride together.

Many of the guests from afar stay overnight with their tent or caravan on the site, right next to their machine.

“Big Ben” prefers it fast, so he isn’t there on the exit. The young biker definitely attracts attention with his outfit at the Beo Bike Week.

But the young biker “Big Ben” doesn’t see the joint ride as a highlight: “It’s boring, you fall asleep there. I like to drive fast!” The tall man can be found in a tartan skirt, biker jacket and sandals just examining the motorbikes on display. He doesn’t drive a Harley-Davidson himself, but probably something sportier. “Big Ben” is one of the younger bikers at Beo Bike Week. The festival, which describes itself as international and is actually a fixture in the calendars of some bike clubs in neighboring countries, tends to have a higher average age. Perhaps related to this, taste is also elevated: Harley-Davidson is by far the most prominent motorcycle brand at the festival.

Motorcycles as far as the eye can see. A real boy’s dream for many a seasoned man in a leather jacket.

The biker on the left was from Ins and spent his last moments as a bachelor at Beo Bike Week, with the associated chores and singing routines.

Sausages on the grill and motorbikes galore, what could be better?

In fact, there was also something for the finer senses on the festival grounds: Homemade art, which you could watch as it was made, was also offered for sale.

2023-08-06 17:06:03
#Peaceful #celebration #years

Swiss Western Riding Championships | July 23, 2023

The Swiss Western Riding Championships are taking place this weekend in Roggwil. Participating for the second time: Tatjana Dul with her Quarter Horse “Gunners Blue Hope”. We accompanied them to the final.

Tatjana Dul and Jasper in the Elite Western Ranch Trail competition. Photos: Alina Dubach

White clouds with a hint of gray decorate the blue sky over Roggwil BE. The sun brings just the right temperature. The spectators wear everything: long-sleeved, short-sleeved, cropped, short and long trousers. In this weather you like to sit on the horse. A perfect day for the Swiss Western Riding Championships. And that happened this weekend.

Western riding is a niche sport in Switzerland, and the passion of everyone involved can be clearly felt. The music trickling from the speakers is completely unexpected. Film music from «Star Wars» and – with a little uncertainty because it was a long time ago – «Manitou’s Shoe». The latter attracts a small grin on the face. Avril Lavigne’s «Skaterboy» should at least make the millennials present happy.

For newcomers to the field of equestrian sport: the Swiss Western Riding Championships have been held since 1986. In contrast to the English riding style, western riding has its origins in the work of the cowboys in America’s Wild West. You can see that at first glance, because on these two days there are many riders in Roggwil wearing jeans and chaps. The leather overalls scream “Cowboy” and “Cowgirl”. The tops also exude an extravagant flair, fringes, sequins and of course cowboy hats as far as the eye can see. It is correspondingly difficult at first to track down Tatjana Dul.

Tatjana has been riding for 14 years

“White shirt and light chinks,” she describes herself via Whatsapp. I find her horse before I find Tatjana. With the starting number 60, “Jasper” is also easy to identify. Tatjana is not sitting on him in the announced outfit to warm up, but her niece. Luana, who for the layman also acts very professionally on horseback. Tatjana herself appears shortly afterwards. Long brown hair braided in a ponytail. Chaps (or as she calls them: chinks), hat, cowgirl boots – the external symbols of western riding are also found on her.

Tatjana Dul and Jasper relax during the lunch break. He would have liked to have eaten from her plate.

Tatjana has been riding for 14 years. She started because of a knee injury. Although Tatjana was preparing for the entrance exam in Magglingen, she had to turn her back on the sport. After two years it was clear that school horses and participation in riding were not enough. So the native of Thun, who now lives in Allmendingen near Bern, bought her own horse. Jasper was three months old at the time.

«Jasper» is simply the best

Tatjana uses all the advantages of the early start together and was even allowed to choose the breeding name herself: Gunners Blue Hope. Gunner after the father and Blue Hope as the most valuable diamond in the world. With the beautiful blue eyes of the gelding, one can only agree. Nevertheless, the call name is then Jasper. Adopted from his breeder, who wrote the name with «Ch». In order to prevent the Bernese from making “Chäschpu” out of nowhere, Tatjana decided to spell it with a “J”.

Tatjana Dul and Gunners Blue Hope «Jasper» have been a team since 2011.

“Everyone always laughs at him because he’s not the fastest,” Tatjana explains the little peculiarities of her four-legged teammate. “He’s more of an introvert and not the easiest person because he gets stressed easily. But we fit together extremely well. I have a lot of energy, so we complement each other very well. For me he is simply the best.”

Things weren’t always as good for Jasper as they are today. Tatjana couldn’t ride him for three years, he had stomach problems and no one could figure out what was going on. “In the end it was probably herd stress,” Tatjana suspects, since they moved, he’s doing great again. “Two years ago, I would never have dreamed that we would start here today.”

When you think of athletes who take part in a Swiss championship, you imagine that they spend an incredible number of hours training somewhere. Tatjana surprised after this question with an embarrassed laugh. She reports only going to a gym with Jasper about once or twice a week to work out. She also meets her trainer every two weeks. “All the ranch disciplines can be excellently trained outside. That’s why we ride out a lot. We then practice with logs and anything we can find.” The method definitely seems to work.

An annoying mistake…

Tatjana and «Jaspi» start their second Swiss championship in three categories. Elite western ranch rail, ranch trail and ranch riding. “We really screwed up ranch riding yesterday,” Tatjana takes it sporty and can already half laugh about it. It was her own fault anyway. You miscounted the spin. She and Jasper have turned on themselves three times instead of twice. An annoying mistake afterwards, but which is quickly forgotten by the next day. Things are going really well for the two of them at the Ranch Rail.

The two take first place in the Elite Western Ranch Rail.

“I didn’t really expect such a good placement,” admits Tatjana. Her “opponents” were incredibly strong. The joy was all the greater. And Tatjana started early. Because in the announcement of the ranking, every placement is called. All twelve. With every new name, the tension increases. It is visibly difficult for the last five to remain seated on the horse. Tatjana is already cheering and praising Jasper as they finish in the top five. Among the top four. The three best placed shake hands and wait together for the third place to be announced. When there were only two of them in front of the judges, the good news came: Second place was Bettina Galle with “Pistolero Bo Sun”. That makes Tatjana and Jasper Swiss champions in the “Elite Western Ranch Rail”.

Joy reigns after receiving the gold medal.

“Roping” is part of the Western Ranch Trail exam.

2023-07-23 10:06:52
#fastest