The following outlines the typical event procedure for one of our Trailquests. This guide should be read in conjunction with our rules of competition. If you are new to Trailquesting there is always someone on hand to help you understand what to do at all of our events.

• Upon arriving at the event HQ you must go to the registration desk. The time window for registration is shown in the event details for each event on this site.
• Whether you have pre-entered or are entering on the day, a control card will be made out for you. (Note you must be registered as a member of Midland Trailquests before you can ride an event). The control card is a water resistant piece of paper with 30 boxes on it. It is punched with a plastic punch at each control.
• Usually you will be given the event map at the same time as the control card. The event map is usually an extract of an Ordnance Survey Landranger 1:50000 map, although 1:25000 scale maps may be used for some areas where more detail is required (such as events in forested areas). The map will be pre-marked with the locations of each control that you may visit. (If you bring along an entry form on the day you are not guaranteed a colour map).
• You may start the event whenever you are ready within the time window allowed for starting. The earliest and latest start times allowed are shown in the details for each event on this site.
• When you start the event you will be given a control description sheet, which describes in detail how to find the control once you have navigated to the point indicated on the map, as well as how many points each control is worth. (For some events the map is already marked with the control values and therefore is only given out when you start along with the control sheet).
• You then have to navigate to as many control locations as possible within the time limit for the event, and the points gained at each are totted up as your score. If you are late returning you will incur penalty points which are deducted from your score.
• Remember to plan a route you can achieve in the time allowed that will yield you the maximum points. It is worth spending some time doing this before you start, and you can even start planning a provisional route when you are given the map.
• When you have navigated to the correct control location using the map, you should be able to identify the exact location of the control from the description on the control sheet. At the control site there will be a streamer, usually red & white tied to a feature near to the control itself. The control itself consists of a red & white square board of approximate 20cm square and a punch. Use the punch to punch the correct control location box on your control card.
• When you finish hand your control card in at the finish desk. If you genuinely punched a control in the wrong box or believe that the control was stolen (and are sure you were in the right place) then you must report this as soon as you have finished.
• The organising team will then tot your score up and will typically attach each of the scores in order by class on a piece of string. This then forms the provisional result for the event. Following the event the scores are checked and the results are then available on this website within a few days of the event.
• Following the event you should check your score and if you believe it has been added up wrong you should e-mail the organiser with the details of why you believe it is wrong.